06:30.

Today’s going to be a long one! I’m currently enjoying a coffee in my room whilst checking my kit and making sure everything’s charged up and cleaned whilst keeping one eye on the TV weather reports. Today’s going to be mixed to say the least with a mixture of sunshine and heavy showers forecast, which should make things ‘interesting’ to say the least. The trainees on the electrification course are going to get a taste of what it’s really like working trackside in all weathers! Then, when we’re finished I’ve got to head back to West Yorkshire ready for another interesting event tomorrow.

I’ll blog throughout the day as I can so feel free to pop back and see what I’m getting up to.

08:35.

We’re kicking off here at the Jane Austin training scholl with a classroom lesson on OLE. The first briefing’s being given by Gary Keenor, who’s literally written the book on OLE.

Here’s the plan. Looks simple, doesn’t it?

One of the things I enjoy about jobs like this is that I get to learn things, in this case about the intricacies of overhead line engineering. It’s fascinating – especially when you have such knowledgeable trainers as Gary.

13:00.

Having enjoyed lunch and chance to dry out from the rain, it’s time to go back to training.

17:00.

We might have had a soggy morning but that was nothing to what arrived in the afternoon! The forecast was well out and none of the sunny periods expected arrived. Instead we had rain. Lashings of it! Thankfully I’d anticipated these conditions by packing a waterproof housing for my camera. Without it I’d never have been able to get pictures of the group working together to roll out and tension a cable run. I’ll add a couple of camera pictures later. The conditions mirrored those that rail staff face when they’re working, but it was a baptism of fire for trainees where many had never even been trackside before. The day finished early as there was no point in starting another activity after the cable run. So, whilst the rest of the gang made their way back to the hotel to dry off (on the outside, anyway) I hotfoot it to the station to get an earlier train. I’m now on the 16:40 from Swindon to Paddington. This is a busy train but I’ve managed to find a table bay in one of the rear coaches which had free seats. Now I’m enjoying watching the flooded Wiltshire countryside flash by as I head back to the capital.

19:10.

yet again my time in London was brief. I dived off the train at Paddington having chosen the best coach for the quickest route to the Metropolitan underground station (benefits of being an ex-Londoner) so made it to Kings Cross with a couple of minutes to spare in order to catch an earlier train. I’m now on the 18:03 to Leeds which will get me home nearly an hour earlier than I was originally expecting.

Admittedly, the train’s packed, not helped by the fact it’s only a five-car Azuma to Skipton where the first stop was Peterborough. I’ve been resident of a vestibule since the ‘Cross as the seats vacated by ‘posh’ commuters were soon filled by others joining form points East.

22:00.

I’m home and dry – literally! Dawn was good enough to come to the station to pick me up so I’m now letting my PPE air. The weather here in West Yorkshire’s damp but nowhere near as wet as Wiltshire was which is a relief – especially as I’m out and about again tomorrow, only this time on a rather different event – all will be revealed as it happens!

I said I’d post a couple of camera pictures from today – so here they are…

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