Saturday 6th September was a lovely, warm, sunny day when we all met on Platform 1 at Sheffield Park Railway Station for our trip through to East Grinstead. For me this was the first time I had travelled on the extension from Kingscote (the stop before East Grinstead) since I was a little girl, when I travelled the line with my brother and parents to visit my grandparents in Felbridge (near East Grinstead). Of course, then it was the Brighton to East Grinstead line. There were about 12 Old Scholars plus family and friends enjoying this our second outing to Sheffield Park Station. The staff were so kind and cheerful, and very helpful . We had lunch in The Bessemer Arms, the restaurant on Platform 1, and had time to visit the shop or bookstall, where secondhand books could be purchased, or the Sheds, where other engines and carriages were being maintained/repaired, before we joined our train. We travelled over the East Grinstead viaduct for the first time, that must have been quite a feat of engineering and lots of hard work. It reminded me of the old canal navvies and the old-style railway navvies, some of whom must have been working on the canals before the railways came into being. On our return to Sheffield Park Station we were all gasping for a cup of tea or something stronger! so we sat outside in the sunshine to chat and exchange views on our day, before we departed for our homes. Thanks go to Brian Scott who organised this year’s trip. Our next gathering will be for our Christmas luncheon, probably at The Forge, Halland, East Sussex. I do hope some of you will be able to come to this lovely, festive occasion. Janet Wilkins, Chairman