Rocket runs

Having another day at York today, I took a walk into the yard after my meetings and lunch to have a look at "Rocket" undertaking trial runs and crew training. Here, Steve Piper under the guidance of Rod Lytton drives the loco back into the NRM's South Yard having run out beyond our gates to the limit of shunt where we are allowed to operate to. Please note this photo was taken from a non-public area and I hold a full Personal Track Safety card.
Back it the loco preparation area, "Rocket" contrasts with the Southern Region electric 2HAP unit that is stored in the yard along with a few other items of rolling stock. "Rocket"will be in service for the whole of Half Term week with "Locomotion" as stand by.
In the Great Hall, a new exhibition "Once upon a Tide" opened last night, about the railway operated Harwich-Hook of Holland ferries, for which the turntable has been transformed into a cross channel ferry - and yes, we can still turn locos on it!
Back at Shildon briefly this afternoon, the crane has had its bufferbeam fitted, more parts painted and the newly relined brake bands will be refitted tomorrow. We were sorry to hear that our regular volunteer John Shiel, stalwart of scraper and paintbrush, has had a mild stroke, and we wish him well for his recovery and look forward to him coming back to help drink the tea before too long.






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