Turn 82 - Cleaning the 9F

 Today promised to be a busy day. I have a cleaning turn, it's NNRYDC day and it's the FoBP Driver for a Fiver day at Sheringham. I'm on shed with Fitter Bob and Cleaner Henry, and together with Third Man Nick we have to prep these two old ladies:

Today, the Y14 is the service loco and the 9F will be trundling up and down Sheringham yard all day providing driver experience for an enthusiastic public.

Last week, Cleaner Henry did the oil & paraffin thing while I lit the Y14 - this week, I'm cleaning up the 9f while he lights up.

She looks great when we are done. On the pit, I wash down the ash pan and blow down half a glass with Driver Ben. The Y14 is behind us in the headshunt, and when we are finished we move back towards her and I hook on - we are going down together, and the Y14 will go straight onto her train in platform 1. This means that she will control the braking, and needs the vacuum bags connected; we will take the token.

We go down to Sheringham for breakfast, and stop at the signal box - I climb down, unhook the Y14 and replace our lamp. When she is passed the signal, the Signalman sets the dolly against us while the Y14 goes onto her train; the Signalman sets the points for platform 2, clears the dolly and we go in.

My plan was to go back to Weybourne after breakfast, on the Y14 - but we have run out of time and she is off before I have time to get on - I've missed my train. I took the opportunity to have a chat with Inspector Ben about plans for my firing test.

I could either wait and chat to the passengers, or I could go back with Driver Alistair in the DMU which goes in 35 minutes - I'd be waiting 90 odd minutes for the next steam hauled train. I asked Alistair if I could ride in the cab and that made it an easy choice. We did most of a round trip in the cab, learning about DMU controls - 1950's bus technology, apparently - going up to Holt, changing ends and going back to Weybourne.

Whilst at Holt I had a coffee, walked around and took some pictures, chatting to Tom in the museum.

Finally getting back to Weybourne, the NNRYDC meeting was in full swing with dozens of children cleaning the WD 90775 and a Lowmac wagon. My job was to strip this toolbox trolley & paint it:

Two and a half hours with that die grinder saw the paint transferred to my boiler suit. Five minutes later and it had a couple of coats of paint.

The next turn will be something a bit different - an Operations Training Day, intended to train us in degraded modes of operation.