Andy's Driving Experience Course on the GWR in October 2004

Hi ... I did a diesel driving experience course on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on Saturaday, 2nd October 2004.. The loco was 37 215 together with a short rake of mark 1 coaching stock, which remained empty all day, apart from the guard. There were three of us on the course that day, together with the instructor and the secondman.     We started at about 09.30 at Toddington when we climbed aboard the loco, which was ticking over in one of the sidings. Our instructor took about 20 minutes or so, to explain the controls and gauges on the drivers desk. He then drove the engine through the station to couple up to our stock which was parked in the headshunt. From then on, all the driving for the rest of the day, including six round trips to  Winchcombe and back plus all the 'running round' and 'drawing up' to the stock was done by the three of us on the course under the watchful eye of our instructor. He did have to tell a couple of us to slow down on several occasions!    Not ever having driven a train before, it was interesting to feel how the loco responded when I operated the controls. There was a delay between actuating the brake valve and actually feeling the application take effect. It was explained that this was because of the time taken for the vacuum brakes to apply from the back of the train first. The loco was a lot more responsive when  running light engine.   There were two other trains operating on the line that day, both steam hauled service trains, so we had to be signalled in between them.   It was a brilliant day. As well as enjoying the chance to drive the loco, I was very impressed by the very friendly and informal nature of the course and would really recommend it to anybody who wanted to have a go a driving a BR diesel locomotive.   Andrew Bartlett.