THIS photograph, taken in the early 1960s from the Longpool railway bridge, will bring back many happy memories for Kendalians, especially those who were young at the time.

The annual visits of the Circus Train, until 1962 when road transport took over, was eagerly awaited, as can be seen here. Crowds lined the route and children were wildly excited when the elephants, each holding the tail of the one in front, came down the station approach and trundled off up the road. Wagons with cages of wild animals and all the circus equipment made up the procession, but it was the elephants which drew the crowds. A couple of policeman held up the traffic in both directions; no matter that this the main route to and from the north was snarled up with stationary traffic. It was the circus that mattered, on its way to the circus field on Appleby Road. There was consternation one year when three elephants escaped and wandered onto the railway line, being mistaken in the morning mist for stray cows.