Shed Turn - cleaning the Y14

 Next Saturday is the beginning of the February Half Term service - a green service with four round tips each for a steam hauled train and a DMU. If the weather is good, we are going to use the Y14; second in line is the 9F.

You'll recall last week I set up the loco axlebox trimmings on the Y14; Driver Dave did the tender axleboxes the week before and we cleaned it together. This week, I set about giving it a bit more TLC.

I start with the footplate - cleaning all the paintwork, the ceiling and the wooden seats not forgetting the paintwork on the front of the tender.

I move outside, using some oil & paraffin on the rough smokebox and chimney, and with some Peek I polish up the whistle, the brass trim around the safety valves and the window frames. As there has been some paintwork repairs, I get some wax polish onto these as well.

After morning tea break, I've finished the boiler, safety valve bonnet and smokebox and I use a chunk of wood to remove all the accumulated oily gunge around the running plate and the splashers, before using some oil & paraffin on the running plate, sand boxes, buffer beams, vacuum pipes and the buffer heads. I'm careful to polish this back so the shine is still there but it's not slippery.

After lunch, it's time to clean the brass:

The number plates are best done with a solid pad and a smear of Peek, so you don't fill up the letters with polish. You have to dig all the old polish out and clean up with a toothbrush.

Part way through the afternoon, Fireman Paul and I helped fitter Tom out in the yard - he had the job of shovelling a tonne of ash into the various potholes that had appeared in the 'four foot' - between the rails in the yard.

Back in the cab of the Y14, I set to with the Peek again and by the end of the day the brass was sparkling, the paint was clean and you could see the backhead reflected in the ceiling!

The next time I will be at the railway will be next Saturday, when I am third Man on the first service of the February half term, followed by a cleaning turn a week later; then it's shed turns until March, when we start services at the weekends until Easter, which will be the Spring Steam Gala.

I've got two cleaners on Saturday - I shall set them on keeping the paint clean after we light up and washing down the wheels.