Turn 90 - Cleaning the 4MT

A simple turn this one - a Saturday, a green day (one steam and one DMU) and not a lot going on in the workshop. Fitter Alex and Third Man Tom are here early and we have the 4MT.

Third Man Tom is shed staff and doesn't get many turns, so I clean the smokebox and leave him to do the rest until Fireman Steve and Driver Foz arrive at 07:00.

I make a thorough job of the boiler barrel and smokebox, and Third Man Tom cleans the tender paintwork:

Here's the arty shot of the shiny smokebox:

I have an idle moment and go and make tea. This is the Terrier - it's due back to the KESR in 3 weeks, so everyone is cracking on with it:

Turning to Wissington, this is what slide valves look like:

Here she is, part way through her repaint:

Back in the yard, Fitter Alex blows down:

In an idle moment, I make a useful broom out of a head with a broken handle and a handle with no head. These are typical little jobs cleaners do:

When they are off shed, I clear up some ash someone has dropped in the four foot in Road 4 near the shed, spreading it into the potholes. I take the opportunity to get rid of some old boards and rags that have been laying in there for ages. There's four broken fire bars in the ash - I collect some other broken bars I find in the yard and put them in the 'scrap cast iron' bin. I guess that long bar is the centre section from the WD that cracked a few days ago:

Next job is to dispose the Y14, which has been taken out of service to get the driver's side injector steam pipe fixed - it's been leaking in two places.

For a change, I climb in the firebox and clean it properly (a change? weren't you in here last week?!). There's loads of ash in the smokebox.

Next, it's breakfast time, which I have in the picnic area the other side of Bridge 301. Breakfast arrives on the first 'up' train:

It's delicious - bacon, sausage, egg, tomato and mushrooms in a ciabatta roll:

I've finished with the Y14, and I need to go down to Sheringham to sign my Certificate of Competency - basically a declaration that I believe myself to be competent as a Passed Cleaner and that an Inspector agrees.

After chopping some wood, I take a break and wait for the second 'down' train, the DMU, to take me to Sheringham.

You can see well out of a DMU. I rather like them.

After a chat and a cup of coffee, I take the next service up again:

And it's back to breaking up pallets for the wood store...

Next turn is in just over a week - it's a firing turn with Driver Paul and Third Man Brad.