This weekend sees the first day of the two day spring diesel gala and old Arkwright is looking after Ferry Meadows.

Now this is the station where it all began for me on the railway when I spent my first year there, it was nice be back there looking after it, I got there at 7.30am and got myself sorted out ready for the rush.

Paddy was my co-pilot and we had a really good day, nice passengers especially those off the caravan site.

The sun even shone as well which was a bonus.

But in all honesty I really missed Orton Mere and look forward to being back there next week, I miss the banter with the regulars and not least knowing where everything is! I don’t think I would like to be back as Ferry Meadows on a permanent basis.

So tomorrow is the second day of the holiday, but as is often the case on a holiday I can’t wait to get back home to Orton Mere again!!!

Funny old day today, not a single ticket sold but a nice run on tea and coffee.

A flood in the car park did not help, but early on we had a visit by a visit from Sky, no Arkwright is not destined to be a TV star, he was looking to film as they had received reports of possibly people drowning in the flooded river. He was redirected to a place with even more water further down the river. This was because many of the people who I would given the chance happily chuck in the river were not in sight.

Trains all ran slightly late as per normal and the normal photography lookers and not spenders out in force down at the foot crossing.

Not as cold as it has been I am pleased to say but dull damp and dismal.

Day passed quickly with Nigel and Sally helping and highlight of the day was shelves falling out of an old dilapidated display stand as it was being taken out to go to PNVR for appraisal, in the end it went via PNVR to mission control at Wansford for disposal. Good job it was not mirrored glass or poor Nigel would have had 21 years bad luck!

Flat packed cardboard box arrived for recycling batteries in, I opened it took one look at the flat pack box which looked like an MFI reject without the unreadable instructions and passed it to Nigel to unfold and sort which he did in double quick time and had a that was easy grin on his face when he showed it me.

Nigels comment made me remember our lost walkers, two who walked down the track because they claimed they got lost and there was water covering the path they were on, Heaven knows how they thought railway ballast was a path but then again it takes all sorts, they were spoken to and left the station.

Next week we have the spring Diesel Gala and Arkwright is off to look after Ferry Meadows for the weekend, I will be babysitting it for Neville and Robert. It will make a change to go back to the station I first started at on the railway and I am looking forward to it, though no doubt I will be happy to get back to my own station the week after.

A few people have sent me emails asking for more amusing moments from the cutting edge of a station on a preserved railway.

So I am more than happy to oblige.

Things we have been asked or told recently.

1 Do you sell doggie do do bags and shovels?

2 Why don’t you have bus timetables as you have your railway one?

3 Why was that last train on time, it’s normally late and I have missed it

4 My son and I just want a single to Wansford but to save daddy driving to collect us can we use the single both ways?

5 This coffee is hot! I did not expect that (Heaven knows if she likes cold coffee)

6 I dropped 50p outside on the path last week has it been handed in?

7 We don’t have a steam railway by where we live, and we go on it regularly (Don’t ask!!!)

8 I know you can take bikes on the train how about cars?

As you can see care in the community is alive and well. Tomorrow we will be open and running a steam service, I await with interest to see what will drift customer wise through the doors.

Well yet more snow today anybody would think it was winter!!

All three stations shut,(PNVR later decided to open) I doubt if many will be about at OM but then again we do get the odd crackpot who will think it’s worth trotting out in this weather.

Shame really as a day working with Paddy will always bring amusement, still I can sit in the warm which can’t be a bad alternative to getting cold and soaked on a station.

Well three staff today at OM with Nigel and his wife Sally, and a most enjoyable day as well.

Civils down again replacing sleepers, and a bit of shunting thrown in, we were at the cutting edge of excitement today. I am still not sure how we coped with all the excitement.

A few passengers as well to keep us awake between trains, ranging from a chap first thing who said he would be back to get the first train into Peterborough (We are still awaiting his return) to a chap with a cream crackered dog who was past it’s peak after a walk into the city centre.

The non-paying lookers all seemed to be hibernating as well so that was another result!

Highlight of the day was popping off at FM on the way home and having a quick chat with Neville and Robert, always an enjoyable end to the day. But I do wish Stagecoach buses would teach their drivers where the heating on switch is!!

Paddy with me on Sunday so better get my beauty sleep in as he will tire me out as usual.

After opening the station on Tuesday I have been closed yesterday and today as I have lots of work business wise. Mind you looking at the weather for the last couple of days I would be amazed if there have been more than 5 passengers in total travelled from the station for both days.

But I must admit to feeling guilty not opening the station. Even though I am a volunteer the instinct from spending all my working life in a customer service environment makes me feel guilty not being open and getting in the money!

Back to normal on Saturday so weather permitting we will see what we can do money wise over the weekend.

Now back to enjoying the snow!!!!

Well what an excellent day, busier passenger wise than either Saturday and Sunday. Amazing how a bit of sun brings people out.

There were some nice people as well, Paddy and I put the world to rights between trains so most enjoyable.

Paddy arrived on a new bike he got for Christmas, you can tell it’s the new one because there is less mud on it!!

Class 14 Diesel pulling the main service rather than steam, but all passengers were happy, one bunch even commented it would be nice to travel behind both diesel and steam!!

Gem of the day was two women with a bunch of kids who looked through the door, looked at me and one said to the other “I don’t think this is the type of place we can sit for a few hours and not buy something.”  How right they were!!!!

Although the trains are tuning the next couple of days OM station building will be closed as I have a busy time work wise. So next bit of excitement will be on Saturday.

Good day today, nice customers and a bit of amusement.

The day got off to a good start with a lady and little boy coming in whilst I was still sorting out.

“11.14 the first train” asked the woman, when I replied in the affirmative  she continued “Oh good my little grandson is so good with time”

Followed by the gem. “I don’t suppose you could get one here earlier so he can see it can you?”. She accepted no with good grace and they went on their way.

After a start like that you just know it will be an amusing day. Plus there was possible excitement ahead later if we were busy enough.

Then we had the station tornado arrive on his bike. Paddy the tornado is always happy, in fact as I have said before he is like a terrier on steroids. In the kitchen area he sings, with a voice that could worry sheep !!

The train arrived with double trouble in the way of Ian and Ian, they say trouble comes in twos. Not often the guard has somebody riding shotgun, I know the area is bad at night, but this was full daylight!

Now first thing in the morning I had lent my city centre keys to Peter who had locked his in the PNVR station building the previous evening when he had gone back for his Elmer Fudd hat. He promised he would send them back down on the first train with the guard. Now I must admit that I forgot about that when the first train back to Wansford arrived. Only to be reminded by a puzzled Neville at Ferry Meadows phoning me asking why the guard had given his son Robert some keys!!!

The guard had got the wrong Robert, so I was finally reunited with the keys on the second trip of the day.

In between this we had dark clouds, Paddy singing and some nice customers, plus a request for Ice Cream. Then to top it all a woman came in not 30 seconds after Paddy & I had decided it was cold in the building saying it was warm inside! Even Paddy was lost for words for about 5 seconds.

The possible excitement mentioned above finally happened, we opened the new tub of coffee, the old stuff being hybrid mixture of two types of Nescafe and a bit of Kenco for good measure, shame I did not make a note of the ratios because we have had several people say how nice it tasted.

In true NVR tradition all services today were late but the last journey of the day to Wansford was a milestone in that it was the earliest it had been late all day, shame nobody wanted to get on. Mind you the platform was well populated with none paying lookers.

The day was rounded off nicely by four requests for timetables whilst I was awaiting the arrival of my transport home, thankfully I had some in my fleece pocket so all went off happy.

Some days just flow and some are a pain from start to finish, I am pleased to say today was the former and most enjoyable.

Well a mixed day, not as busy as expected, but better than it could have been.

Had some really nice people in today and they all made the day go quicker despite it being cold and dismal.

Phill helped me today for the first time and seemed to enjoy himself, he trotted off to do the far end of the platform and see a train out without a murmur, so that saved me a few walks.

Got some stock as well so that was good, bit of a mess up with stock being taken off by other stations when it should not have been, but steps will be taken to ensure this does NOT happen again, and if it does then staff will be removed from the ROTA at their station and replaced. I do not run a crèche! I know I said that this blog was not for moans but this incident has really annoyed me and as I say steps will be taken to ensure there is NO repeat.

The Civils team were down today working away, they are part of the railway that’s out in all weathers ensuring that the track is safe. Rarely they get a mention. Pictures of them in action a few years ago can be found here.

It’s amazing how many visitors don’t appreciate what goes on behind the scenes, they seem to think that the maintenance just happens!!

Another operating day tomorrow and Paddy is with me, that should keep me awake in slack times!!

No I am not talking about Jayne’s Bingo nights!!

Now that the water problem is sorted we will have all three stations open this weekend, talk about excitement!!!!

Hopefully half term will be busy with paying passengers and customers. Also that the weather will be good, though I am typing this looking out on a dull grey sky.

“City of Peterborough” & the Mk1 coaches so all will be well with the world.