April 2006: Gordon Robbie’s 70th

Reg, Who would have thought the old man had it in him! These photos show me enjoying my 70th birthday present crewing a steam engine on the North Norfolk Railway. And not just any titchy little branch line tank engine, either. For the cognoscenti, it was an ex-WD 2-10-0 built in 1943, and it looked the length of two football pitches when I was sitting in the cab at the controls looking out along the boiler. I oiled it up in the yard, I fired it and, best fun of all, I drove it. Contrary to popular belief, it seems that you can teach an old dog new tricks! Cheers, Gordon.

(Photo from Gordon Robbie)

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