Last Saturday saw the final clearance work for our locomotive shed ahead of roofing contractors moving in this week. And what a clearance it is, it sure makes your garden shed look tiny – no lawnmowers here. We had to clear out steam and diesel locomotives and heavy tools and equipment.
Our volunteers undertook a complex shunt to move O&K 1, O&K 3 and G613 to the Cathedral siding (opposite the main station platform). We planned on using two locos, but that soon went to pieces when G617 failed with a starter motor fault. Thus, we had to do it all with one locomotive instead – Irish Traction Group diesel No. 124. Trainee GM driver Morgan took this as an opportunity to get some hours in and get used to handling the loco in shunt conditions.
First, we moved the carriages from the station platform and loop. Then, 124 pushed them out of the way up the North Line. 124 ran back and forth moving big diesel locos (E432, 146 and 190). It did this so as to clear the whole yard before we extracted the steam locos and the G class. After hauling the three small locos out of the shed, 124 moved to their new temporary home and then put everything back again.
Meanwhile, other volunteers were finalising the clear up around the exterior of the shed, and the remaining clutter inside. Most of us have never seen it so clear inside, and the challenge now is to KEEP it tidy. Good luck!
Trainee driver Morgan did well and is learning fast. He is keen to build up more hours in the seat with a view to passing out as a GM driver before the summer.
