"WW2 Weekend - North Yorkshire Moors Railway" by Britannia2

Every October the North Yorkshire Moors Railway host a World War 2 weekend. Most preserved railways do this but the weekend at the NYMR is one of the best in England.
My main interest from the 1940s is the home front whether it be England , America, Germany or anywhere. There is a huge nostalgia industry built on these years in England and as these photos show a good time was had by all in October 2006. The idea at the event was to recreate 1943 - whether anyone had a good time in 1943 is open for debate - most of the people here were not even born in 1943!

Well they were actually as English as I am but are Russian history experts who I think spoke Russian too. They were dressed in authentic Russian costume form 1943 and women fought with the Red Army as is shown here.

This 1943 couple made me smile. Authentic dress but one is texting on their mobile phone and the other is looking at their digital camera!

In 1943 luxury goods were in short supply in England but apparently the local spiv could always get his hands on black market goods - stockings, watches, naughty postcards, silks and of course food things not generally available.
However this spiv has been caught by the local police officers patrolling the station - one of the wonderful cameos that take place throughout the event.

There is entertainment all weekend and these good people were from the concert party entertaining the crowds at Grosmont. They were Tamworth (Staffs) based and this was their first visit to Yorkshire. The party consisted of about 15 people all taking turns to sing the hits of the war years - very good they were too. Here are three of them between shows.
They are called Company B and are appearing at many events such as this in 2007.

This lovely couple from Nottingham told us that they travelled to a WW2 event every weekend somewhere in England. They love the period and are dancers too in to jive and lindy hops.

Here is Winston Churcill and some of his war cabinet arriving. I was talking to "Mr Churchills " mum who was very proud of her 23 year old son. He has quite a lucrative sideline at these events playing Mr Churchill.

This wonderful group of WAAF veterans were the only people I saw at the event who were old enough to remember 1943 and also serve their country in its darkest hour.