Day at the society

It's 9 o'clock, time to head down to The Hague South Park. If we leave now there will be plenty time to preperate before opening. Today I'm on duty and must make sure the steam engines are fired up. When I walk outside the sky opens up and I feel the warmth of the sun, this is gonna be a good day.

When I arrive a few members await me. I quickly unlock the gates. One starts making coffee, another pushes the machines out. Loc 'Brutus' has to be fired up for the ride at the Park Track. We also deside to fire up 'de Wielewaal' and 'Blaagje'. I see that enough train drivers have arrived. Coffee is done and we all enjoy a cup at train depot. Meanwhile the machines are ready for firing up with some wood dipped in diesel. It's allready been 10 o'clock and at this speed we'll have them ready at about two hours

While they slowly heat up, the members polish the machines so they look great for the audience. The copper shine brightly. I always love the sight of it. In the mean time a few visitors have arrived, curios about firing up the machines, our depot and workplaces. One of our members show them around the place, proudly telling about our hobby.

Around 11 o'clock the two loc's 'Brutus' and 'Blaagje' have enough pressure, they are lubricated and ready to go out and do their jobs. We shunt the two steam locomotives and while they ride towards the station, a member opens all signal boxes. 'Brutus' and 'Blaagje' couple the carriages and ride back to the station awaiting their first ride of the day with the visitors

At 11.30 the visitors buy their first tickets and hop on one of the carriages. The conductor whistles and 'Brutus' leaves the station. Later this ride was the first of many others and a very good day at the society. I hope to see you, again...