Testing times for Met 1

Hopefully the people concerened won't mind me posting this, we were sworn to secrecy at the time but I'm hoping it will be ok to talk about now.
It was mid November, and I was checking my E-mails. I had a very mysterious one from the guards roster clerk, asking, at short notice for a guard for Friday November 30th and potentially a couple of other days. The parting shot on the E-Mail read "The loco's a bit of a gem."
Still unaware of what the loco, or for that matter the job was, I phoned the number at the bottom of the E-Mail to speak to our cheif inspector to stake my claim to the turn, and find out what the details were.
"Ah yeah," he said, "Friday, yeah, starts at Bridgnorth at Ten, don't suppose you know yet but the loco is Met number 1, they are doing some 50 mph testing for Steam on the met, if it passes give us a ring so I can stand the guard down for Monday"
Turning up early in the morning at Bridgnorth, I went to chat to the driver and work out what we were going to do.
I met up with the lads from London Transport, and found as the loco backed onto the train, that one of our inspectors was going to insist on coming with us, and getting in the way (He was not supposed to be there at all!) We had a traveling signalman, along with Driver - Gary Townley and fireman - Will Marsh. The engine was still unlined, but she looked a smart little machine. The train consisted of three MK1s for 104 tons, and at 10.28 we were under way, heading for Bewdley where the testing would take place.
The tests were supposed to be in strict secrecy so there was a destinct lack of Photographers, while the train was empty except for the London Transport lads.
It was at Bewdley where the fun started. The origional plan was for the high speed tests to be towards Kidderminster, however, as the engine was facing North, the guys from London Transport wanted the loco turning, so that she would be tested Chimney first, simulating as closely as we could, the conditions she would be operating under, so we arranged that the loco should run round at Kidderminster, rather than turn, and make the most of the long decent through the tunnel towards Bewdley, however, our inspector failed to grasp that we were running round INSTEAD of turning the loco, and was desperately trying to confuse matters by arranging for the loco to be turned.
With matters finally resolved we left for Kidderminster at 11.40, with strict instructions that if we saw any photographers, we were to stop, request that they leave the property and to do the next run at reduced speed untill we are sure they have gone.
The idea was that the first run should be to get a feel for the loco, so having run round at Kidderminster, the inspector came back to the train and suggested we should go to the chip shop for lunch. The rest of us were keen to get on with the testing and told him so, but he was insistant, although he didn't see the funny side when I suggested that he should go for the chips and we'd pick him up the next time around.
So we set off towards Bewdley at 25 mph, running down as far as Sandbourne viaduct, before setting back (with the use of radios) towards Kidderminster. This time we only went back as far as Worcester Road.
We were now into the high speed runs, and set off up the climb towards the tunnel in a spirtied fasion, although before we got to Stourport road bridge, where we came to a stand. One of the drain cocks had jammed open, and we stopped to free it up, and have another go.
Back to Worcester Road we went, Will building his fire up, and we set off again. There were concerns about if the loco's injectors could keep up, as even with this modest weight of train, she would need to be worked very hard to acheive 50 mph.Number 1 barked loudly as we pounded up to the top of the bank, then thundered down through the tunnel. We swept round past Devils spittleful, past the safari park and onto the viaduct, stopping just short of the inner home.
We had got into the high 30's this time, so had to go back for another go. Gary was questioning weather or not we could do it, as his fireman was having trouble keeping the water up, but we set back for another go.
The radio sets that we were using owing to having to propell through the tunnel, were complaining at their prolonged use, so I was glad to get to Worcester road, where I could switch the radio off and silence the bleeping noise it was making.
At 2.15 we started our next run, and setting off with some determination, and barked noisely up the bank once more. We came over the top and shot down through the tunnel, coming out the western end at speed, shutting off at Devils Spittleful bridge and braking hard to stop in time for the inner home.
At 2.23, the radio crackled into life.
"How was that then?" I asked.
"53 mph," came the reply from the loco, "but we need to go back into Kidder for water."
We set back one more time, me ready to dash for the setter, incase I needed to stop quickly and the radio should give up at an awkward moment.
"That'll do," said Andy Barr (One of the LT men) "We've done what we set out to, we don't want to risk dammaging the loco."
It seemed a fair statement, so after the 50 mph run, we set off back to Bridgnorth, chatting with the LT lads, Dave Brabham told me of his coldest ever day on a loco. Tender first on 7325 in late May. Dave, if you are reading this, the offer of a tender first run on a Manor in December is still there!
Many thanks to all concerned for a great day, now all I need is to work out a scheme to be able to work a train with Sarah! (Unless someone fancies getting 23 or one of the other locos out of Covent Garden!)