Trio on right track

Among the more unusual festival venues were two trains that arrived at Newark Castle Station on Saturday.

The Karl Hird Trio — Mr Karl Hird of Barnbygate, Newark, Mr Ken Eatch of Nottingham and Mr Stuart Battle of Leicester — performed exclusively for passengers on the 11.24am from Nottingham to Lincoln and the 12.31 from Lincoln to Newark.

They played in the open areas of the carriages close to the doors.

Mr Hird said they could not walk down the train as they played because it was too rocky.

Mr Eatch said: “People on the platform at Nottingham were asking if we were playing on the train.

“There were quite a few jazz fans I recognised who were coming in from the city.”

Two passengers who booked seats especially to hear jazz on the train from Lincoln were Mrs Cathy Ward, of Lincoln, and Mrs Ruth Reeve, of London.

They came to Newark for last year’s jazz festival and were making a return visit.

Mrs Reeve said: “We were not quite sure where to sit as we thought they would walk down the carriage.

“It was a lovely idea though.”

After getting off the train at Newark Castle Station, the group moved on to play at Newark Northgate Station where they welcomed passengers arriving on the National Express East Coast Line from London.

They played at other venues during the weekend as part of the festival, including Sorrento’s restaurant, Ann et Vin and the Town Hall ballroom.

The trio also appeared at the regular jazz night at the Grey Horse, Collingham, on Saturday.