With next year being the 70th Anniversary of the D Day Landings, it is set to be busy with WW2 events! You will find my confirmed bookings HERE for 2014, so don’t forget to update your diaries!
You will also notice a commemorative steam train journey on 6th June, which may interest puffer nutters, families and wartime revivalists alike. I will be doing a special post on this journey, but more information can be found at Train of Events in the meantime!
Kitten von Mew waving to the crowd with The Berliner military steam train behind.
Burlesque in Berlin! Just incase you didn’t get the title of this blog post!
I had been looking forward to this legendary trip for a good year! A chance to see and ride on an original military steam train, see Berlin and be part of this amazing journey…the first of it’s kind in fact!
Having flown from Birmingham to Hamburg (thank goodness they will start flying direct to Berlin from June!) and figuring out the trains (ignore the boards and ask the ticket information guys), we headed to our hotel! After around 9 hours of travelling, we were looking forward to getting refreshed befor eheading out at 6.30pm for my performance at RAF Gatow!
This collection of aircraft hangers and military displays is now in a maze of new housing estates, which have been built on part of the old airfield. A complete treasure hidden away, RAF Gatow is a wonderful museum and was the perfect place for the Airlift Spirit Evening. It brought together ‘puffer nutters’, war veterans and people who wanted to do something unique with their weekend; all of whom I would see again on the locomotive.
RAF Gatow from inside the hanger, taken by Kitten von Mew
The Black Kilts Pipe Band (hilariously only 1 of the guys is Scottish and the rest are German, wonderful chaps!), some Irish dancers (also all German) and a choir were entertaining that evening and I was to do my RAF Fancy Fan Dance, extended with a few songs to lift the mood and ease the Vets in to the fact I was wearing rather little under my wool coat. Atleast most were sitting down, but I wanted them to be of fit enough health to enjoy their steam train trip too…
Kitten von Mew with some of the Black Kilts Pipe Band, Berlin 2012. Taken by Mr Mew
The performance went without hitch and although my little RAF cap refused to behave, I mentally ‘had words’ and it decided to more or less play ball. I sang a couple of my favourite Gracie Fields numbers before slipping into my regular burlesque act, but this time having my spitfire shaped nipple pasties to greet the crowd with a wiggly-jiggly fly-past.
Kitten von Mew at RAF Gatow, Berlin. RAF Fancy Fan Dance performance. Photo taken by a shy fan!
Singing in my RAF outfit at Gatow. Taken by a shy fan!
You ask for security and this is what you get…
The next day was the start of the big event! Our first look at the awesome steam train with 15 carriages and a diesel engine on tow! We all placed outselves on the platform, awaiting the arrival of a looming loco, only to realise that it had pulled in behind us at the wrong platform. I had to laugh as it was a very ‘It’s behind you!!!’ moment. I was wearing my ATS corset for photos and kept it on for a good couple of hours before needing to change into something a little more practical. The weather on Friday had been rather a heatwave, so I think a lot of us were surprised how chilly the following day was!
My ATS corset outfit made by G.Hodder out of an original (moth eaten and no good for wearing) uniform. She did an amazing job and this corset will be making an appearance at War and Peace Show this year!
With a quick stop at Marienborn Station to take a look at the engine and derelict building, it was time to jump aboard for our next stop at Helmstedt. On the Saturday, this stop was particularly lovely! The sun shone and the crowds greated us at the station waving Union Jack flags! The Black Kilts Pipe Band led a procession to the pretty town square where the major and other VIP’s gave a speech from the balcony of an old building…briefly interrupted by the adjacent church bells ringing out God Save The Queen as it struck on the hour.
By this time my feet were rather aching as I forgot that although my 1940’s style shoes look gorgeous, inside the shoe itself, my toes are boshing into each other like a rowdy pub brawl. It was starting to get a little chilly, so after a quick picture with Peter (an artist we met on board who painted a special picture for the journey), Mr. Mew and I staggered back up the steep hill to the station. Luckily we had bought a rather whopping piece of strawberry sponge at a market stall as we didn’t have time for breakfast that morning!
Peter the steam train artist with his specially commissioned painting of The Berliner
After kicking my shoes off in carriage 13 and rearranging my ‘Little Piggies’ into a respectable line, I was soon asked by the official photographer to go to the front of the train, so that when when we arrived at Hannover, we could hop off the train and do a PR shoot at the front of the engine. I put on my Iron Maidens again and staggered drunkenly (but glamorously) to the front carriage. We then tottered to the front of the train for photos and I even managed to get up to pose with the engine driver!
With the engine driver of The Berliner at Hannover Station
After the shoot I asked Mr. Mew for his photo before we got back on the train…Just after pressing the shutter button I realised that the train was pulling away from the station…
Mr Mew by The Berliner at Hannover
Unfortunately we hadn’t realised that this was a scheduled 2 hour stop and in our haste to do the shoot I had left my handbag, money, phone and coat in the carriage. As my toes waved white flags of surrender, Mr Mew and I made our way down the steps to the shopping mall to shelter from the cold breeze and find a seat. Unfortunately unless you were at one of the eateries, there were no seats at all and as we wondered around the shopping centre I stared enviously through the windows of shoe shops with comfy soles and comfy souls in coffee shops enjoying a warm drink.
After an hour and a bit, we managed to blag our way into the 1st Class DB lounge at the station, where we flopped into comfy red leather chairs for half an hour. I had to verbally lash Mr Mew to the seat when he saw the complimentary drinks available as we had already pushed our luck with the manager!
Poor feet. That is the look of someone who doesn’t want to play anymore…
At last we got back on the train and the shoes came back off! Once warmed up my spirits rose again and at 8.10pm we made our way to the restaurant car where the lovely catering staff had prepared us some cheesy potatoes and smoked salmon (our first proper meal of the day!). We could have been eating lobster for all we cared, it was wonderful! On the way there I was cornered by a group of passengers in the bar carriage who requested a song. I don’t know why nerves didn’t take hold, especially with acapella of which I had never done, but I sang We’ll Meet Again and a song from my new act. They all joined in and we had a wonderful time!
The next day I made sure I was dressed dar more comfortably in my Heyday trousers and a knitted top made for me from an original pattern. I was now able to enjoy the journey far more! Learning from mistakes of the previous day, the train manager put the hilarious Rabbi on to the tanoy system with each stop and for regular information updates. He had us all in stitches!
I got to meet some fabulous people on the trip and spent most of Sunday collecting autographs in my souvenir brochure before breaking down in tears at the end of the journey when we pulled into Berlin for the last time. It was a wonderful experience and I met some amazing people who had been on the military steam train in the war and beyond!
Meeting a veteran on the steam train who rode on The Berliner when he was 19 years old!
COMMENTS…
Name: Sue underwood
Subject: military train
We had such a wonderful weekend on the military train in Berlin, you made it all the more special with your wonderful voice & burlesque show, you were wonderful. we were the loudest on the train, hope you enjoyed our singing. love sue & the rest of the gangxxx
Name: John R. Wesley
Subject: Berliner
Just going through the rushes of my very amateur video of Saturday’s train and have a nice shot of you at Marienborn with the loco. Sally and I will be thinking of you and Richard with much fondness on June 2nd. You really made the event swing from beginning to end – you both must have been exhausted, but what a fantastic contribution you made to an extraordinary and fabulous day.
The wonderful people at Train of Events have created a special offer for my fabulous followers for The Berliner trip!
This incredible jouney includes…
11th May – A special evening at RAF Gatow including entertainment by myself, a live band and the Black Kilts Pipe Band, and original Candy Bomber Pilot as guest of honour, BBQ and procession of vintage vehicles (and a display of 100’s more!) and the grand unveiling of the ex-Royal Australian Air Force Dakota on the Friday evening
12th May – An excursion to Devil’s Mountain on the Saturday (A 390ft hill made of the rubble from the Berlin Blitz, which was dumped on top of the partially built Hitlers Elite Academy and multi storey bunker). On top of the hill sits the abandoned remains of the American National Security Agency Listening Post and a great view of East Berlin.
13th May – Sunday on The Berliner military steam train with breakfast, recreation of the Marienborn Parade at Marienborn Station and a high profile media event with Major Generals and Lower Saxony at the Grenz Museum!
This would usually cost £215, but you my dears will get to do it all for only £120!!!
The price excludes hotels and flights, but there are cheap flights that we came across for under £100 return and if you don’t fancy a hotel, there will be camping available at RAF Gatow with other reenactors and displays! If you are interested in camping then please contact Train of Events to discuss on 07982 786 529.
Below you will find more information about this amazing trip. It will be lovely to see you all there and some historical photo opportunities too!
Candee Photography‘s awesome photo of me has made it onto Sixth Sense; a British Forces newspaper in Germany! The article is advertising The Berliner steam train trip in May, where I will be performing, singing and greeting the guests and media!
It has been quite a while since I last wrote on my blog…well, a while for me considering the verbal waterfall that usually sploshed it’s way over these pages.
This year has somewhat crept up on me. I knew it was coming; it happened to warn me of its existence thanks to a 2012 page at the back of my diary, so I should have known really.
I am excited, daunted, refreshed and cynical all at the same time. I cannot wait for our wedding and honeymoon, the planning of which has helped me through some very tough times, but then you get the financial worries that rear their ugly heads, even with budget weddings such as ours. In fact, the wedding isn’t the issue, it is the honeymoon! After such a financial struggle all year and cutting corners on wedding expenses with ‘make do and mend’ creative thinking, we wanted to be able to let our hair down on a honeymoon that we felt we deserved. All great on paper, but when the phone number you thought was on the bottom of the invoice is in fact the price of your holiday, it starts to dawn on you that even the best laid plans and saving as much as we can each month may just lead to a long weekend in Bognor Regis.
I have also managed to fill up every weekend in May with performance bookings and considering we are getting married on the 2nd June, I should have possibly left more time for decorating the venue and organising!
Other excitements for the year…Well there is The Berliner of course, which along with the Halloween version will be a great highlight of this year. Who can imagine singing 1940’s songs on a military steam train to Berlin, followed by a performance for the mayor and press and a visit to WWII bunkers?
Of course my dear, faithful War and Peace Show is in July and I have an idea of a new little act I may do there this year. I can’t wait to catch up with friends and see what new dioramas the groups have come up with this year.
My local Wartime in the Vale weekender will be my 1st event as a married woman AND my Birthday on the Saturday! I am hoping to catch up with local wedding guests as well as enjoy performing at this lovely event!
A rookie at Twinwood, my first taster of this famous event was only last August bank holiday, where I performed in 2 of the small clubs in the evening. After a fantastic response I am back in 2012 for another stint in Glenn Miller’s haunt…
The glamour of Goodwood Revival calls once more in September as I get to squeeze the near life out of my 2 fabulous girls Sue and Milly and wave at famous racing drivers like I know them. This year I will NOT overuse my voice and end up with Laryngitis again!
Many of you know that I will be performing on some steam train journeys this year and in 2013. Well, the website has finally launched with information on this amazing once-in-a-lifetime journeys and you can find out more HERE!
Imagine travelling to Berlin on a military steam train and seeing historical WWII bunkers on the way back… or a spook-tastic Halloween journey on a vintage diesel train to Transylvania with a life rock band and people dressed up!
Take a peek now and plan an amazing experience for next year!
Next year I will be performing on 3 train journeys that are set to be the most incredible weekend trips!
18th and 19th May 2012 – Valentines Steam Train Trip – Budapest to Eger Castle with meals, entertainment (That’s where I come in!) and more. Gorgeous sleeper cars and an unforgettable romantic trip. Imagine treating someone to a Valentine’s getaway on board a luxury steam train! More affordable that the Orient Express!
11th to 13th May 2012 – The Berliner – A military steam train takes up from Berlin to Braunschweig for a nostalgic trip into the past. With entertainment (Oooh! Me again!), food, sleeper cars and an amazing trip to an underground bunker on the Sunday, this trip has already had a ton of bookings including VIP’s and veterans! Contact military2012@gmail.com for info and booking details.
26th to 28th October 2012 – Halloween Spooktacular Train Weekender – This amazing train (wait till you see her! The most gorgeous diesel I have ever seen!) will take us from Budapest to Transylvania with food, sleeper cars and themed entertainment (Not just me, but I’ll be doing my Bride of Kittenstein!). This includes a trip to Dracula’s Castle and you are encouraged to dress masquerade with gothic/ vampish decadence for the trip. Eery characters will be awaiting you arrival… Contact halloween2012@gmail.com for info and booking details.
1940's Pin-Up Entertainer Kitten von Mew 
