Congratulations to Jack Turner who passed his digger exam last week!
We assess machine operators on our railway to a high standard before they can operate as part of our permanent way team. It’s always good to have a new operator to spread the work a bit more evenly.
As a relatively recent volunteer, Jack came to the railway with previous experience of operating various plant machinery including 360 excavators. We’re fortunate to have professional plant trainer Innis as a volunteer at the railway. Innis spent two months putting Jack through his paces on our ‘rubber ducks’ (aka wheeled excavators). Jack completed a final exam a couple of weeks back to be passed for off-rail operations.
Last Saturday saw Jack complete the rail part of the exam. This exam involves demonstrating easy and hard on- and off-railing locations and competence when handling the machine on-track. He’s turned out to be a very skilled operator and will be a real boost to our permanent way team.
Like our other operators, he’s itching to get the new Komatsu PW130ES moved round to the operating side of the railway. It has improved power and other capabilities.
The photo shows happy examiner Innis congratulating an even happier and relieved Jack at the end of the exam. This was before we sent him off down the line all day to move ballast around.
If you would like to volunteer we would love to hear from you, find out more on our volunteering page.
