6 AM – I hate getting up damn early anyway but I really don’t mind getting up to do something I actually enjoy doing! I was heading towards Llangollen, and yes bingo you guessed – the Llangollen Railway I had planned to meet a member of the Diesel Group for 0800.

7 AM ish – Left the house and drove towards Llangollen, arrived about half 7, changed into my overalls and headed towards the cab of 37240 to put my bag of food and coat in there. 8 o clock passes.

Martin arrives and we head towards the 12Ton Crane (below) and after firing her up and setting the points in the yard we headed towards Goods Junction Signal Box, but first we had to get out of the yard and onto the main line.

By the Ground Frame at Goods Junction Signal Box (called “Pentrefelin Ground Frame” on the Signal Box Plan)

So after inserting the Token Key, pulling Lever 1 to release the Ground Frame, Lever 2 to put the main Signals Back, Lever 3 to Unlock the Facing Point Lock (FPL), Lever 4 to Change the Point, Lever 3 to Lock the FPL and 5 to Change the ground signal. Then the train could move from the Goods Line (Top Orange – Labelled “Siding”) to the Main Line (Blue Line) towards Berwyn. Then I had to reverse the levers to put the points and signals back. so Lever 5, Lever 3, Lever 4, Lever 3, Lever 2 and Lever 1 (To put the signals back to danger, Unlock the FPL, throw the point , lock the FPL, put the main Signals back and unlock the token), then hopped back on the Crane and off we went towards Berwyn.

As we climbed the incline into Berwyn station we saw two other people on the line, waiting for us. We ended up lifting many sets of sleepers along the line using the crane, to by the side of actual station – to create a solid flat foundation for a skip to be placed. Then we moved some more wooden sleepers further up the line and some platform edging and nearly taking down the phone line – If I hadn’t noticed it and signalled for Martin to stop we would of!

After that, we headed back to Llangollen – where we had to traverse the crossover again, using the same Ground Frame and back towards the Yard but we were asked to lift and move a cab of a Black 5 Steam Engine on the way in, which we did and placed it onto the chassis which was waiting outside the shed. Easy. Job Done, now to start on the silencer of the 47! Cup of tea first though!

So after a nice cup of tea we started on the 47, we had a look at what needed doing. Rather dark inside the Engine room of a Class 47 without the lights on! Martin opened up the panels on the roof so we could access it and get more light/air inside and this is when things got mucky! After a few hours of trying to get bolts off which haven’t been undone in over 30 years which also included snapping a few we finally got another roof panel off! The silencer, wasn’t moving today – at all.

So we called it a day and went to see if the Class 20 (D8142) would start after having new batteries fitted. It did and Martin let me drive….under supervision of course and I drove the loco from the Yard to Pentrefelin Dock and back up to the Yard.

It was so nice having 1000hpof diesel engine in your hands, it was similar to  badly delayed clutch control while playing with the brakes and power handle coming back into the Yard.

Now to wait until Saturday where 37240 is out on a Driver Experience run and I shall be watching the secondman to see what I can learn!