Pimp my Gronk - cleaning pilots with the YDC

Just a short visit to the railway today to help out with the Youth Development Club. The club has 40 young people on it’s books now, so they’ve decided to split it over two Saturdays in the month.

Today, we have twenty people plus a few responsible adults divided into two teams - one on yard work, cleaning the pit and the wood pile and a second cleaning the station pilots. Class 08 D3935 is out next weekend at the Mixed Traction Gala, hauling trains; freshly painted D3940, the Sheringham station pilot will be there too and Class 11 12131 will be on static display in the yard. 

Fitter Alan moves the 08 up from the back road to a suitable location outside the shed. It’s a while since I have been on one of these but I have a bit of driving experience on diesel-electrics now and know what the controls do!

We start on D3935, as she will be out at work all weekend:

Despite her seven year old faded paint she scrubs up well with oil & paraffin. As the paint is near the end of life, this is the only way we can get it to shine:

After lunch and with little time left until everyone has to leave we turn our attention to the Class 11, starting on the landward side that the public will see:

We get it all done before the kids leave, which is a great help to the preparation for the diesel-focussed Mixed Traction Gala next weekend.