In the quiet of the afternoon, Tenterden Station

Spent most of the day at the KESR at Tenterden. A non-operating day, so there were no trains running but we were there for a day's signalman's training.

The KESR is huge, growing and constantly being reviewed. This year considerable changes have been made to the arrangements for pilotman working so today was a training session to practice the new arrangements. A pilotman is appointed when the block section on a section of single track fails and a token cannot be withdrawn from the block instrument. A person, the pilotman, becomes the human token so that trains can continue running safely.

We simulated pilotman working between the Meeting Room signal box and the Mess Room signalbox using two-way radios with people acting as signalmen, pilotmen, drivers and guards. It was all good fun and well worth doing. Because we're a collection of people of a certain age some of the journeys required additional stops at Toilet Junction on the way between the two boxes.

On such a sunny day, most of the time was spent in the Meeting Room, which was much colder than outside, so it was pleasant to sit on the platform at lunch time to enjoy the warmth of the sun and good conversation with the other people on the course.