376, Norwegian in the yard on a misty morning

Another day in the box at Wittersham Road. This shot was taken early in the morning as the mist was still swirling around the yard at Rolvenden with 376 Norwegian approacing the water tower in preparation for today's service.

Only 30 minutes later the weather was totally different, blue skies, light fluffy clouds and gentle breezes - a perfect sunny day - ideal for lineside fires.

And that's just what happened. Of the three crossing moves today I reversed the order of arrival on two, owing to the late running of the down train, to avoid the up train having to restart on the bank into the station.

On the other the timings we spot on and the down arrived on time and the up was able to come up the bank and into the station without stopping at the home signal to wait for the down. That was the occasion, of course, when it started a fire both on the embankment and on some old sleepers that make up a farmer's level crossing.

The fire took some beating out as well as several buckets of water from a nearby butt. I asked the driver of the next train to dowse the site as they went past, which they duly did, but the fire must have been buried deep in the sleepers as it flared up again an hour later so it was back out with the buckets and beaters again.

And I had an irate motorist complaining about the length of time the gates were closed to road traffic. My reply was  it was no longer than it needed to be and also what the regulations required for the safe operation of the railway.  She said something along the lines of "some people have to work while you play trains"

All in all an interesting day, adding a little more experience.