Ah Jon, we've been on the Bure Valley train lots of times. It's handy to park in Wroxham and take the tiny red train to Aylsham for the Aylsham Show, end of August.

I'm not sure about 'resilience' of children nowadays, but of course there is much more awareness now of predatory nasty men etc.

Most of my nine year-old pupils would have sobbed their eyes out if plonked on a train like that and told to get on with it. They seem very 'precious snowflake' these days. There was often a 'kind lady' in my carriage who had a chat and we'd go to have the tea at the same time. But far from feeling nervous, I was thrilled. And loved to be on the watch for Durham Cathedral passing on the starboard bow.

I found the very air in Newcastle to be dirty and polluted. The shipyards were in full swing, huge cranes dominated the skyline and the Geordie accent was beyond my comprehension. But it was all a great adventure. These experiences are character-forming in my opinion.