A song by a good friend of mine, John McCreadie, who passed away recently. "Penny A Wish" is about travelling by train across the Forth Bridge, and the practice in days gone by, of throwing a penny from the window of the train as it crossed the bridge.

A PENNY A WISH - John McCreadie

When I was wee we went tae Fife every Glesga Fair
Mither packed the hamper. Sent it off two weeks afore
Pittenweem, St Monans, I stayed in them both
But the best part of the holiday. Was crossing ower the Forth.

For they would haud me up tae the windae
And a penny tae me gie
So that I could make a wish
As the penny sailed away
If the penny didny hit the bridge
Wi a clatter then ye knew
It had landed in the water
And yer wish it would come true

There wis a team of divers, at least that's what they tellt me
Collected a' the pennies, for some charity
Whether that wis true or not, I couldny really say
But the best penny I ever spent, I mind it to this day

CHORUS

Noo the station's gone frae Pittenweem and all round Fife's East Neuk
a man called Beeching our railways frae us took
It was farewell tae the Forth Bridge: Hello to the car roof rack
And we waved to you as we crossed the Forth
On your wee sister's back.

Nae mair wid they haud me up tae the windae
And a penny tae me gie
So that I could make a wish
As the penny sailed away
If the penny didny hit the bridge
Wi a clatter then ye knew
It had landed in the water
And yer wish it would come true

One day I'll take my bairns, we will board the train
Takes us ower the Forth Bridge, just as I did as a wean
These days there's nae big broon belt, tae open the windae wi
But I'm sure if we try hard enough
We will find a way

And I'll haud them up tae the windae
And a penny tae them gie
So that they can make a wish
As the penny sails away
If the penny disny hit the bridge
Wi a clatter then we'll ken
That the magic still works tae this day
Like it did when I wis a wean

When they'd haud me up tae the windae
And a penny tae me gie
So that. I could make a wish
As the penny sailed away
If the penny didny hit the bridge
Wi a clatter then ye knew
It had landed in the water
And yer wish it would come true