Friday sees two important events.
1. The first day of the diesel gala
2. I change Internet providers.
I know I could have timed it better but that’s BT for you.
Anyway I am awaiting the new router which should arrive sometime Friday so have young Paddy and even younger Jason running Orton Mere. Hopefully I will get down there not too late as poor Paddy is in a state of shock as the station will be open from 8am onwards..
If you go there before I arrive be gentle with them!!
Well the weather struck again.
With the rain appearing we had quite a quiet day today, with a few about but not the numbers we hoped for.
Here are a couple of train shots showing how dismal it was.
Not as you can see a day for photography.
Poor Nathan seems convinced he is always with me on quiet days.
Still the people we did see were all really nice to chat to and helped rescue the day and make it enjoyable.
Next Friday sees the start of the three day diesel gala. Hopefully the weather will be decent, time will tell.
Today was the first day of our 1940′s weekend, or for the politically incorrect our WW2 weekend.
As always many of the visitors put in an effort and dressed the part. Here are a few pictures of some of them at my station.
I did say to the lady in the first picture that if her coat had pups then I would like one!!
Guard for the day on the Mk1’s was Matt, as always looking like a refugee from the window of Burtons. Here he is in full flow as the train leaves.
The whistle around his neck may look familiar to some, it’s mine. The lad had forgotten his, and being the kind soul I am I could not let him have to flash his leg to get the attention of the train crew when the train was ready to leave! I was going to charge him a hire fee but as those on the railway know the only thing tighter than Matt is to be found at the rear end of a duck and I don’t mean the tail feathers!!
Locomotives today were the 4F and the Polish tank engine. Help for Heroes was supported today as well as you will see from the headboard on the 4F as it approaches from Peterborough.
All in all an excellent day and hopefully tomorrow will be the same, Paddy was with me today and was his normal cheerful self. He came out with one shaft of whit all day and it was a gem….. I told a woman about the rabbit pie available at Wansford and she replied she was a vegetarian, without a pause Paddy uttered the immortal words “So was the Rabbit” She took it well.
Passenger wise I hope tomorrow is a repeat of today especially passenger numbers, we shall see. Must dig out the tablets as Nathan is with me tomorrow and when he is full flow he puts Paddy in the shade!!
Funny old day today.
Went to Ferry Meadows to do tickets for the first train as Neville and Robert were unavailable. Quite busy I am pleased to say, then jumped the first train up to Orton Mere, the fact that the first train was expected to be the Polish Tank Engine and the DSB coaches and was in fact the 4F and Mk1 coaches is neither here nor there!!!
Not busy at OM would be an understatement but looking on the bright side I sold two platform tickets.
Last train was taking some chairs and tables down to Wansford to use on the 1940’s weekend and the staff off the train looked like a poor mans set of Indian porters as they put them on the train.
That was it really an unremarkable day but one that was all sunshine and quite warm. You just watch us have a wet weekend for the 1940’s event. I would put money on it.
Dull cold old day today, but we had some really nice customers in.
Had an elderly Scottish lady in who was really nice, she bought two letters from our railway letter service, and was thrilled she could send a letter via the railway.
Quite a few other passengers as well spread through the day and we ended up top of my three stations for ticket sales which was nice.
Mixed traction again today but the diesel was the class 31, here it is arriving at Orton Mere on the last trip of the day returning to Wansford.
As with all mixed traction days the two steam services were far busier than the three diesel ones. But speaking to people when they got back they all enjoyed themselves.
We can on the railway if we are not careful be guilty of falling into a trap and thinking what we offer is the same every week almost. Well that’s wrong, what we offer people is something many are doing for the first time and most of the others travel with us every couple of years, so what we have is new to them and we need to remember that. In common with many heritage railways we sell ourselves short in our own eyes. Next time your on a heritage railway look at the peoples faces when a service arrives, especially if it is steam, they have a look of expectation and enjoyment, and the secret is to chat to them where possible when they get off and ask if they enjoyed themselves. It shows not only we but the railway itself cares and that’s important.
Remember that, as without the passengers and the volunteers there would be no heritage railways.
Started sunny and finished dull would best describe today.
Day started promising with the civils doing a bit of shunting before going up the Fletton Loop.
Then a miracle happened all the services were on time!
Mixed traction today with the 4F steam and Class 40 locomotives.
We at one stage had a family sitting on the platform for a considerable time and the little girl kept screaming, and screaming, the type of scream that really grates on the nerves. One of the adults encouraged her to swing on the gate which I soon put a stop too and then she tried to tip over the bin. Just the type of passengers you want to make the day complete. Thankfully they eventually got on the train to Peterborough and were not seen again.
All the other customers were really nice and although not high in number were good to natter to.
It’s starting to get cold as well, and Sue sat there commenting on it most of the day, I think the time is approaching when we will need to dig out the fan heaters, not that they make much difference, but at least we can moan about how bad they are.
Still looking for staff for next week, but will give that urgent thought next Monday when I have got over the excitement of this weekend.
Rain forecast for tomorrow so will take a good book if I remember!!
TV licensing have written to Wansford asking why Orton Mere Station does not have a TV licence!!!!
I am lost for words, mind you perhaps they will ask the same about Yarwell as well!!!
Well there have been some quiet days at Orton Mere but today is up there in the top five.
One group of three adults and one child travelling, one woman and her dog joining a party already on the train and one ice cream and that was the lot all day.
The result is I am shattered, quiet days I always find harder than busy ones, mind you it did not help when I got there to find graffiti on the two walls of the station building and on the signal bow. I just can’t fathom out why they do it, why would anybody want to deface other peoples property?
Here is an example, this is the side of the signal box and one of the walls of the main station building.
I reported it to the Police for an incident number, and that experience almost made me give up the will to live! Talk about long winded!! I almost dozed off at one point.
Anyway two days now working on the new railway web site which is coming along nicely then a weekend with all being well a mixed traction service.
Never let it be said I don’t lead an exciting life!!
Received this today it made me smile.
Yorkshire man takes his cat to the vet.
Yorkshireman: "Ayup, lad, I need to talk to thee about me cat."
Vet: "Is it a tom ?"
Yorkshireman: "Nay, I’ve browt it wi’ us."
***
A Yorkshireman’s dog dies and as it was a favourite pet he decides to have a gold statue made by a jeweller to remember the dog by.
Yorkshireman: "Can tha mek us a gold statue of yon dog?"
Jeweller: "Do you want it 18 carat?"
Yorkshireman: "No I want it chewin’ a bone, yer daft bugger!"
***
A Yorkshireman’s wife dies and the widower decides that her headstone should have the words "She were Thine" engraved on it.
He calls the stone mason, who assures him that the headstone will be ready a few days after the funeral. True to his word the stone mason calls the widower to say that the headstone is ready and would he like to come and have a look.
When the widower gets there he takes one look at the stone to see that it’s been engraved "She were Thin".
He explodes – good grief, man, you’ve left the flamin’ "e" out!
The stone mason apologises and assures the poor widower that it will be rectified the following morning.
Next day comes and the widower returns to the stone mason – "There you go sir, I’ve put the "e" on the stone for you"..
The widower looks at the stone and then reads out aloud – "E, She were Thin".
***
Bloke from Barnsley with a sore backside asks chemist "Nah then lad, does tha sell arse cream?"
Chemist replies "Aye, Magnum or Cornetto?"
Just my type of humour.
Well today was an excellent day, trains were mainly on time.
Only bit of excitement was an emergency stop as a couple and dog decided to get out whilst the train was pulling out of the station. Not a sorry or nothing they just walked off.
Sue my wife with me today so on my best behaviour, steady all day with the odd burst of activity shop wise, pleased with the ticket sales as well.
Here are three pictures from today, where I am pleased to say we had sunshine mostly.
Nice and busy most trains were. Certainly the freight trains proved popular with the visitors as well. Perhaps we should run them more often than just at steam events.
Had lots of people say thank you for the help and advice we gave regarding what was running and what was worth staying at the station to see, thinking mainly of the second freight which terminated at my station then was shunted round before making the return journey. Thanks like that is always nice, but we are just doing our job!
Running Wednesday and I am open for a delivery, but just 3 each way so will be quiet train wise compared to this weekend.
