While we were moored in Manchester, Polar had to go home to work and to water the greenhouse plants. We bears stayed with Grizzly and spent two exciting days travelling on trains, old and new.
On the first day, Grizzly took us all to Blackpool. This was so he could travel along a new section of electrified railway, from Manchester to Bolton and Preston, and not to go to the beach or go on rollercoasters, although we did see Blackpool Tower.
There were trams in Blackpool as well, but we didn't get to ride on them. Grizzly said we would come again, with Polar, and have a proper day out here.
Soon, we were back on the trains. Grizzly managed to get a quick look inside the cab of a Class 319 electric, which he told us was the first type of electric unit to run through the Channel Tunnel.
One of the places we stopped at on the way back to Manchester was Wigan, which has two stations. Hanley Bear was pleased to visit because he remembered when Wigan beat Man City in the FA Cup fifth round in 2018, as he had been cheering for them.
Grizzly decided we would take the train from Wigan over to Liverpool, through St Helen's, as that was another recently electrified line. He got a photograph of us with two famous Liverpudlians at Lime Street Station and promised to bring us back for a proper visit to the city.
The next day, we caught the tram to Bury for a day out on the East Lancashire Railway. Here we are with the driver of a Standard Class 4 steam locomotive. It was too hot in the cab for bears!
Grizzly found us a table in the buffet and bought a bottle of beer for us to share with him, because we were thirsty bears.
We had the bubbles on the top and Grizzly drank the actual beer, and we all enjoyed looking at the old stations and rugged countryside the line runs through.
Before we got off the train, we went to say thank you to the staff in the buffet car who had looked after us. We think the people who volunteer on steam railways are marvellous and do an excellent job.
Hanley wanted to see the locomotive again, so Grizzly took him up to meet the fireman. He was very kind and careful not to get coal dust on Hanley's fur or clothes. Grizzly told us that Polar's dad used to drive engines like this one.
After our train journey, we went back to Manchester by tram and helped Grizzly to do some shopping, and made sure there was a nice tea waiting for Polar when she got back to the boat. She gave us all hugs and told us how pleased she was that we had enjoyed ourselves and been good bears for Grizzly, then tucked us up for the night as we were in for another busy day in the morning.
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