We have been busy having small bear adventures, including making a visit to Grizzly's grandcubs in southern England two weekends ago.
Our adventure started as soon as we got to the railway station, where there are nice gardens looked after by a team of lovely volunteers. We arrived early enough to explore and play in them but we noticed some sections of the platform were surrounded by high, metal fences. Hanley Bear went to investigate.
'They're digging big holes in the platforms!' he told us.
'That's because they're building a new footbridge, with lifts,' Grizzly explained. 'I started campaigning for it years ago, so people with heavy luggage, pushchairs or mobility problems didn't have to climb over that scruffy old metal footbridge.'
'Well done Grizzly!' we all cheered.
'It will be, when it's finished,' said Grizzly. 'Work is held up for the moment, because they've found a seam of coal down the hole they've dug for the lift shaft!'
I thought that was a very strange thing to find, but Hanley Bear said there was coal all over this area and he was surprised we hadn't found any when we were digging in the garden.
Soon our train arrived and we were on our way through the countryside, looking out from our bear bag for the canals and other interesting things.
The train was very busy. Some people were going to the FA Cup Final. Hanley Bear was sad and a little bit jealous.
'I wish Stoke City were in it!' he said.
We gave him extra hugs when we went past Wembley Stadium and told him we were sure Stoke would be there next year, either for the FA Cup or the Premiership play-offs.
We stayed on the train all the way to Euston, the very big station where the fast trains that go from London up the West Coast Main Line to Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland start their journeys. It was exciting but very busy and quite scary for small bears.
We stayed in our bear bag while Polar carried us down some very long, steep escalators into tiled tunnels that had a funny smell and a strange warm breeze sweeping through them.
When we saw platforms and railway tracks, we realised this was the London Underground. A strange train with round-sided carriages ran in very quickly and stopped, the doors slid open and hundreds of people poured out onto the platform, then Polar and Grizzly jumped in. It was very small inside, for a train, with just one row of seats along each side.
'I wonder if we'll see Paddington?' said Endon, looking around excitedly.
We didn't, because our funny little train went to a station called Victoria instead.
'As there's Paddington Bear, do you think there might be Victoria Bear as well?' I asked Polar.
'There could be small bears named after all sorts of places, if that's where they were found,' she replied. 'Rather like you three.'
We didn't see any other small bears on our journey but we did get a glimpse of the famous old power station at Battersey and the airport at Gatwick.
'I bet there are lots of Gatwick Bears, who've been accidently left behind at the airport and found by new human cubs,' said Hanley.
When we see the airport, we know it's not far to where the human cubs live. Soon we were playing all our favourite games with them, including Bear Star Wars and Lego Bears.
Then, after watching the real game, we had the FA Bears Cup with the table football. Hanley Bear was the red team, as usual, and he won.
'Stoke City have won the cup! Yay!' he cheered.
From the train, you get a wonderful view of Arundel Castle. We bears would love to visit it one day. Grizzly explained that the Wey Navigation, which I visited on my first ever boat trip, used to link to the River Arun.
'Wouldn't it be lovely to come here by boat?' I said to the other bears and they both agreed. Grizzly explained there was lots of work to do before that would be possible, but that we might visit by train one day.
We had quiet visits, without adventures, in Hampshire, although Polar's step-mum loves us and gives us lots of pats, which is how we think she got her name, which is Pat.
Our last train journey was back to Kidsgrove via Birmingham. The train runs along by the River Thames between Reading (which is very close to Sonning) and Oxford. It is quite a long journey and we were glad when Polar and Grizzly gave us some snacks. We had a little cup of milk each and shared a delicious cheese scone!
When we reached Birmingham, we saw where they are building a new station for the High Speed Line from London. I don't think we small bears would like very high speed trains, as we would feel sick and giddy if the countryside was going past the window too quickly.
But there are lots of canals in Birmingham, as well as ordinary railways with trains suitable for small bears, and Polar says we will definitely visit on Uppie one day, hopefully quite soon!
When we got home, we put on our pyjamas and did lots of stretches before bed, as we had been in our bear bag all journey because the train was busy, and we had crampy legs, arms and paws. But, when we went to sleep, we dreamt about going on more train journeys, only with steam engines and nice big seats in the carriages we could bounce about on.
We really hope Polar and Grizzly will take us on another railway adventure somewhere exciting, like Scotland!
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