Hello!
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Rather like my Steampunk and Museum of Power posts, this one has been languishing in my drafts for a while- I didn't post it because I wanted to photograph the books I bought, except they've kind of spread out now through my house, so I figured I might as well post it!
If you don't know about it, it is the most amazing 2nd hand book shop!!!!!
It can be found in Alnwick in Northumberland in the old Alnwick railway station (you pronounce it Ann-ick! Not to be confused with the Northumbrian village of Anick, pronounce Aye-nick which confused me somewhat when I saw the signs) It is found near Alnwick castle which has the most wonderful castle and gardens (it was in the Downton Christmas special) so you may as well make a holiday of it.
I posted about it back in 2011 about it.
Reasons to love it:
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There's so much to look at even if books aren't your thing (she says incredulously)
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This cog is soo cool!
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Leading like spokes of the wheel, these shelves lead off from the iron construction in the ceiling,
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I tried to take several pictures of the amazing velvet seats but this was the only non-blurry one I caught!
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What a glorious edition of Chaucer!
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So many categories to peruse.
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This is the first room you enter- love the retro globes.
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It was really buzzing and busy- comfy sofas galore.
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Here in the main atrium,you can see the train riding round the ceiling,
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Choo, choo!!!
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And finding amazing and hilarious dated gems...
He pounced on my pile of books: I am sure you wanted to know what I bought. If you know my book tastes, you might suspect I bought historical whodunnits. You would be right.
Rather like my Steampunk and Museum of Power posts, this one has been languishing in my drafts for a while- I didn't post it because I wanted to photograph the books I bought, except they've kind of spread out now through my house, so I figured I might as well post it!
If you don't know about it, it is the most amazing 2nd hand book shop!!!!!
It can be found in Alnwick in Northumberland in the old Alnwick railway station (you pronounce it Ann-ick! Not to be confused with the Northumbrian village of Anick, pronounce Aye-nick which confused me somewhat when I saw the signs) It is found near Alnwick castle which has the most wonderful castle and gardens (it was in the Downton Christmas special) so you may as well make a holiday of it.
I posted about it back in 2011 about it.
Reasons to love it:
- It is a veritable labyrinth, you can lose your spouse and sneak off to peruse books for hours and can use the excuse of getting lost
- So many books.
- Amazing model trainset that runs round the ceiling.
- It's an old railway station. So picturesque it's untrue!
- It has an amazing cafe inside. You can sit and peruse your finds at the table.
- You can sit in railway chairs!
- You can sell books to them too (not tried this but I have a suitcase full of antique books for next time I go!)
- They found the original Keep Calm and Carry on poster that inspired the modern obsession with it!
- Hilarious books, old and new to look at
- Lots of unusual books
I thought I'd leave you a selection of photos so you can enjoy them without my witterings *Well except for captions which will probably witter...it's inevitable.
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| Get on board the Barter books book truck. I spent a lot of time in the Children's literature room. |
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| Yep, loving the children's fiction. |
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| Oooh, school stories- I love them! |
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| I was searching for Chalet school books... |
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| The poetry on the walls is great. All linked to books and trains. |
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| Books forever! Boo hiss to Kindles |
I really like rail stations- this makes this place all the more exciting!
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Who can forget the terrifying doll-sacrifice book I saw in the summer? The enjoyable task of perusing books is hungry work so we headed for the first class ladies waiting room for some food.  I found CBC there with a salad.  |
I discovered a few new series:
- Michael Bond, Mr Paddington's French detective, Monsieur Pamplemousse- two of them which I devoured and loved. There is a wonderful Alexander McCall Smithness to them!
- Wycliffe and the dead flautist by M.J Burley- not read any Wycliffe but a dead flautist- ha, you know I bought it purely for the title.
- The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin - excellent, with a bookish professor sleuth, Gervaise Phenn.
- A summer birdcage by Margaret Drabble- not a whodunnit but a really interesting vintage book.
Have you been?
DO go if you are on your way up north, or just go to Northumberland for a holiday- it's so beautiful!
xxx