Nina and Graham were as teenagers, class mates at Bishop’s Cleeve School near Cheltenham but went their separate ways and never saw each again other for many years until they re-met at a school reunion some four years ago. Smouldering, hidden embers were re-ignited into flames leading to their civic marriage last Monday, the 1st July and culminating in a wonderful day of celebration on Saturday 6th July.
After leaving the Royal Navy following twenty odd years as a submariner, Graham or Spike as he is popularly known, surfaced to join the ranks of Caldicot Male Voice Choir as a 2nd tenor about 4 years ago and soon introduced Nina to us. On hearing our wonderful singing, impressed by our good looks and overcome with the spirit and enthusiasm of us all, she soon became one of the choirs leading supporters often travelling from Cheltenham to many of our concerts. It thus became a great privilege to be invited to sing at their wedding celebration with a difference. On a steam train!! It doesn’t get much better than this.
Mr and Mrs Hughes are not the most conventional couple and wanted something different for their special day. They discovered that the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway near their home runs the 25 miles from Cheltenham Racecourse to Toddington and can be booked for wedding parties. But typically, they went several steps further. Why not state our marriage vows on the train, they asked and why not have the choir singing there as well? The Railway soon agreed, as this would be a first for them and so did the choir, because not only would we be delighted to sing at their wedding, to sing on a train during a wedding service would also be a first, probably for any Welsh Male Voice Choir.
So on a tropical, sweltering July evening over fifty odd choristers and the musical team of Siân, Shirley Ann and John gathered together under the picturesque, wooded, shady platform of Cheltenham Racecourse Railway Station to welcome the Bride and Groom down the sloping path to the platform, appropriately with the words of Annie’s Song, ‘You fill up my senses, like a night in a forest’. And so we all, with family and wedding guests, boarded the seven coach train, pulled by highly polished, gleaming ex GWR steam engine no. 5542 to make the incredible journey through the verdant pastures of the Cotswold countryside bathed in glorious evening sunshine. For enthusiasts, 5542 is a ”4575” class Prairie tank engine and this one is known affectionately as ‘PFP’, ‘Planet’s Favourite Prairie’.
Preceded by a recording of the choir singing The Lord’s Prayer, Nina and Graham made their wedding vows to each other in a moving ceremony conducted by organiser Sarah Harper-Little while the train wended its slow journey to Winchcombe station. Poignant readings of a wedding promise were made in Welsh by ex GWR engineer, bass chorister Roy Jones and in English by ex GWR steam train driver, bass chorister Wyn Goodwin. Has anyone ever done this before? We all alighted onto the platform, where choir and guests were replenished with copious amounts of refreshments for which the choir responded with favourites including He, May You Always Have a Song and Yfory. While Nina stood on the steps of the platform bridge to blindly throw a bridal bouquet into eager, outstretched hands, the choir filled the station and village with the romantic sounds of probably Elvis’ most famous song, Can’t Help Falling in Love with You’. Mike failed to catch the bouquet which fell to a lovely young lady in the front row, who also dropped it. Before boarding the train again, the day was made special for several of the choristers (and a few wives) to fulfill a lifetime ambition of standing on a steam train footplate.
With hands laden with steaming packets of fish and chips (not to mention beers and lagers) we all boarded the train to make the spectacular journey to Toddington for more photo opportunities and a chance to look around the carriage museum packed to the roof with memorabilia of a by-gone age. In the glorious evening sunshine, overlooked by a hot-air balloon and following the British and Irish Lions thrashing of the Australian Rugby team earlier in the day, it can’t possibly get better than this! And so regrettably we made the return journey on this fantastic railway back to Cheltenham Racecourse. Following a short ride on the footplate of the engine, the couple ascended the ramp of a footpath to the top to witness incredibly splendid views of the magnificent Cheltenham Racecourse stretching into the distance. At the gate the choir had formed into a long arch of outstretched arms through which the gorgeous couple, bent almost double, moved through while we fittingly sang another Elvis hit ‘Let it be me’. Nina obligingly gave each chorister a loving kiss (risky for some of them on the warfarin) while they passed through the arch. Graham avoided controversy, declined to emulate her and just shook each of our hands.
Last year we sang at a concert in the church at Bishop’s Cleeve to help raise over £1300 for Stella’s School Scheme which aims to provide educational opportunities by funding a school in The Gambia. Nina and Graham are also supporters of this charity and generously asked, not for wedding presents but for donations to the charity. The charity was represented by Numa who was educated at the school and is now studying medicine in The Gambia and is in the UK on a short 6 week course. The latest estimate is that nearly £700 has so far been raised. To read about the Stella’s School Scheme concert, please click on the link https://www.caldicotmalevoicechoir.co.uk/?p=7991
Finally, the choir and guests were delighted to make their way to the Royal Oak in Bishop’s Cleeve where many will remember that we were desperately stranded last year when the bus broke down and we were unable to leave until past 3 in the morning. Old acquaintances were renewed and the pub once again resounded to the sounds of ‘afterglow’ singing.
This was truly a memorable day in the 50 year history of our choir and those who came shared an unbelievable privilege to be part of Nina and Graham’s special day. We wish them the best of love, health and happiness for the rest of their lives together. Thank you both for making it a special day for us as well. Many, many thanks also to the staff of The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for giving an absolutely incredible experience for all of us. For those who would like to know more about the Railway, please click on the link http://www.gwsr.com
A selection of nearly 500 photos taken by Coll. Right click on the images to enlarge.