Rain...and plenty of it!

Today we were leaving Devon for Birmingham...and, as it turned out, we couldn't have planned it better. For many people, today was the start of the summer school holidays. We were heading up the M5 to Birmingham and although it was busy, the traffic was nothing in comparison to what was heading into Devon and Cornwall. Around Bristol the traffic going in the other direction...wasn't. It was queued for miles and miles...and to add to their misery, it was raining...quite heavily most of the time.

We made good time up the M5 until we got to Junction 7 when we came to a stand with the usual snarl in that area. However with the help of Google Maps and a lot of luck (we hadn't quite gone past the Junction 7 exit so we were able to escape), we were able to keep moving by taking the back road and returning to the M5 at Junction 5. From there is was relatively easy going to Marston Green where we would be staying for a couple of days with Sue and George...Joey's Andy's parents.

After lunch Sue & George took us out to Station Glass in the station building at Shenton on the Battlefield Line railway. While we were there Sue and Anita both bought pieces of glassware while George and I unsuccessfully looked for a cache...perhaps our time would have been better spent on keeping an eye on what was happening back in Station Glass...

Train arriving at Shenton station

Just as we were about ready to leave, the wind came up and thunder and lightning started rolling in. Not long after it started to rain...at first a few really big drops but then it came in torrents. The old station building was leaking water around the window glass and the doors...and the wind dislodged slates on the roof. Anyone caught outside in it was drenched through...fortunately that didn't include us. After the wind and the rain had died away, we headed back to Marston Green for dinner.