I started back with Mr V in 1991 on a weeks ‘holiday cover’ shunting trailers to Ramsgate and back on day work (4 and a bit hours each way). Before the end of the week he asked if I wanted to come back on the books, “why not” thought I and that was it. He pointed out the left ■■■■■■ B series and I finished the week using that. Sunday was a midday start and a run to Ramsgate for the 19:00 boat, then up to Venray the next morning and back to Oostended and up to Venray and back Ostende then to Venray and up to Paderborn before running home. Most of the work was for RX and we were mainly European shunters. All week we would run between Oostende and Venray also collecting from suppliers in Germany and Belgium as well as Holland. As the weekend approached you never knew if you were coming home or not as the usual instruction towards the end of the week was ring in from Jabbeke. If asked what boat you wanted from Dunkerque you were coming home, if they said take it into Oostende you were weekend.
Depending on trailer availability you either stopped in Oostende (Summer weekends where else?) or ran up to Asten. Then after a weekend of absorbing the local culture (Did I ever mention I was a star of the Oostende Karaoke Bar?) you’d do it all again the next week.