Turn 79 - Third man on the 9F

We are near the end of the season now and I've only two booked turns left - both Mince Pie Specials, which are early starts with four round trips - much like a green or yellow timetable, but starting a bit earlier - the first train is a bit later as well, which gives an extra hour for carriage warming and having breakfast.

All the crew were on shed early - Driver Paul, Fireman Sid and Fitter Alex, so as befits the rostered cleaner I went down to light up. The 9F had had a warming fire in it the day before, but was relatively cold. She lit up easily though, with a lot of wood and with a few air gaps - I had already been sternly told by Driver Paul that I wasn't to make clouds of black smoke - and with the blower wide open, I didn't.

With the fire going, the lamps ready and the pit hose in the tender, I joined Fireman Sid who was already hard at work cleaning the paintwork. Sid puts a lot of effort into cleaning locos and they always look immaculate when he is on duty.

She came around in good time and we were soon on the pit, and I filled the axleboxes as directed by Driver Paul. Next, we ashed out and as they set back to take on coal I cleared the pit. Getting close to time, Fireman Sid handled two glasses blown down and we went off to change.

I was last out of the changing room, so I made my way to the ground frame to let them out. Down in Sheringham, the buffet staff had laid on a full English breakfast for us, plus a fourth one for Fitter Alex - which he wasn't to see for a while...

While we were down in Sheringham, I took the opportunity to quiz the crew on a couple of points from my Route Knowledge exam that I didn't know the answers to.

Sid fired the first up, and the 9f showed how cold she was by refusing to exceed 160 psi for much of the trip. Sid showed me a new technique - he covered the front and built a really big back end, right up to the top of the flap, filling in the middle as we went over crossing. This was not to Driver Paul's taste - he keeps it very thin - but it works. We slowed through Weybourne attempting to deliver Alex breakfast, but it took a phone call to drag him out of the shed to collect it on our way back. It must have been pretty dry, having spent an hour on the warming plate protected by a wet cloth.

Sid fired very lightly on the way down, burning the fire through to get rid of ash & clinker. 

Back in Sheringham, Sid handed over the shovel for me to fire the second & third trips while he swapped sides with Driver Paul. On the second up, I had the fire ready apart from my usual controlling hole in the middle which I filled in between the box and the AOCL - much to the consternation of Paul and Sid: this is any easy way to fail your test in a few seconds. You should let firebox heat take you out of the platform and over the crossing, so you can concentrate on seeing the train out of the station, collect the token and see the train safely over the crossing.

We got up OK, with no dramas - I was a bit heavy on the second down - too much coal. There was no blowing off but had to take avoiding action - the blower was all but off, the dampers were screwed shut and the door was open as we ascended the 1 in 333 up to the crossing. It's best not to do this - the fire could end up clinkered if you don't burn it out.

I had no pressure or water problems during the day but  Driver Paul was critical of my coal placement - I was being too heavy handed & imprecise, like I needed to use the jeweller's screwdrivers, not the impact wrench. Next time I'll make an effort to put less coal on the shovel and be very deliberate about where I put it. You can fire a loco heavily and it will get you there but you will waste a lot of coal.

From 'Good Firemanship':

On the third up I had a hole in RH front corner - but short of the corner. I was concentrating on getting coal to the front, but failing to moderate my shovel action so it would fall just short of the corner. The result was 210 psi all the way up which wouldn't have been noticed by many people but Paul & Sid are both very experienced firemen.

There's people who can fire, and there are good firemen. I can make the engine go but I need to do some refining to be good at it.

We watered on the fourth up, which Sid fired, and back in Weybourne on the down trip we were relieved by the second crew who would provide the Norfolk Lights Express service.

Next one, and last one for the 2021-2022 season, next Sunday. It's another Mince Pie with Fireman Sid and Driver James, on the 4MT.

Turn 78 - Cleaning the 4MT and a bit of spannering

Well, it's almost Christmas and the Santa services are coming to an end; today I am cleaning the 4MT for Third Man Jacob & Firing Inspector Joe, who makes it very clear that I am responsible for steam raising. The loco has not been out the previous day but there is a warming fire in it - there isn't much in the smokebox. It's icy in the yard and the coal has a delicate frosting: 

We load some wood on board and Jacob lights up, very quickly and successfully:

The fire is nice and thin and the coal ignites quickly. Once it's going, I add a bit more to the back corners and when the smoke is thinning Jacob starts on the cab cleaning; Driver Joe arrives and I go for tea.

On the pit, Driver Joe and I go beneath to check the axleboxes and remove the screens to prepare for hosing out the pan. Once we are done, I head back to the footplate to bring the fire on, test the injectors and operate the dampers for Fireman Joe and Cleaner Jacob, who are underneath probably getting a bit wet.

We go back for coal, and Jacob & I clean the pit. Once we are done, the loco comes back on the pit; the crew go to get changed leaving Fitter Alex and I to blowdown. I leave the loco with a full boiler and a bit too much pressure - I screw the dampers down, open the door and shut the blower as far as I dare - and it still blows off five minutes after Fireman Joe takes over the fire...

There's a signalman today so they can go off-shed without my help, though I switch the points in the head shunt to save them climbing on & off.

There's masses of rags in the store - bags and bags of them, and I spend the next hour sorting them out and binning stuff that is unusable - like waterproof coats for example. I'm saved from a morning of guillotining dead men's trousers by Fitter Alan , who comes down to ask me to remove the pressure gauges & injector cones from the WD:

It's a simple matter to disconnect the impulse lines and remove the gauges, which are held to their panels with wood screws.

The injector combining & delivery cones live under this cap. Like the gauges, these will be damaged if we allow water to freeze in them over winter:

Then it's bag to rag chopping duty, followed by a session on the lamps, many of which are damaged. I inspect them all, fit wicks where I can and combine parts to make as many working lamps as I can. 

The Terrier boiler is almost ready for hydraulic test:

Soon, the first train is back up with my breakfast:

With breakfast and a cup of coffee disposed of, I set about tidying up the oil store and picking up loose bits of coal about the yard. I complete the cleaning record to make sure we know what's missing so it can be ordered.

The train stays at Weybourne for over an hour on a Santa service. Here Cleaner Jacob is getting some hooking-on training from Firing Inspector Joe:

There's plenty of time to talk to visitors as it stops on platform 1 during run round. Driver Joe hauls some coal forward.

Nearing home time, I'm lucky enough to spend a bit of time with Inspector Joe chatting about my training schedule. There's a revision for 2022 which means I have two additional items to get signed off which I need to go through.

With the training schedule complete, we agree that I will arrange a Day On The Shovel with Joe before I can arrange my test, hopefully early in May 22.

Bring it on.

Turn 77 - Third Man on the 9F

 This turn is my last NLE for the 2021 season - next week it's a Santa, followed by two Mince Pies

Fireman Alan had cleaned the smokebox and laid the fire - all I had to do was fetch some rags and paraffin and light it. I spent a happy couple of hours cleaning the cab while raising steam, and fending off friendly banter from Driver Paul. Cleaner Jacob, meanwhile, was pulling coal forward and filling the tender.

Next stop, the ash pit and Jacob and I are treated to a lesson in draining and topping up the 9Fs many axleboxes from Driver Paul. Fireman Alan is topsides, preparing for blowdown. 

Driver Paul breaks from the usual routine and we ash out; he moves the loco back for coaling and we clear the pit ready for the loco to come back for blowdown. While Fireman Alan recovers from losing all that water, I head off to get changed and collect the token to let us out of the yard.

Re-joining the loco in platform 2, we set off up the line to switch on the generators, and this week remembered to switch the lamps on the front and rear when we changed direction - last week we had an impromptu stop part way down having forgotten - fortunately there was no-one to see us.

Down in Sheringham, we took on water before tying on to the train and stopped to order our dinner. Unfortunately, with 240 visitors, we had to wait - we should have ordered it much earlier. No matter, we all had sandwiches with us and plenty of tea, so it was the usual routine of chatting to passengers and building the fire. We agreed that Alan would fire the up trips and I would fire the down trips.

And so it was, and I learned something new: Fireman Alan likes to play chicken with the safety valves, and so we spent the trip up with a big wedge on the grate and the needle near the red line - no shortage of steam here. My first down was a bit lighter, around 200 using the dampers to keep the pressure up, but I laid it on a bit thicker after dinner on my second down, around 220. No blow-offs, but it was a bit close on run around at Otterndorf Green (where you are not allowed to use the injectors) - I had the dampers tight shut, the door open and the blower almost closed to keep it under control.

As usual, the last bit of the day was to head up to Aviaries to switch off the generators. It's at this point I wish I was a bit taller - climbing off a loco onto the sloping ballast is tricky for someone with short legs! We were signed off by 10:30, and a good time was had by all. The evening was pretty warm, cloudless and heading toward a full moon which produced some great views of the landscape and stars, with plumes of steam from the loco as we charged up the hill. 

Magic.

Turn 76 - Third Man on the 4MT

 We are well in to December now, and after several days of 50 mph winds and rain I'm very pleased to arrive at the railway with a day of relatively calm weather. Jacob and I have to prep the loco which isn't a lot of fun in the wind and rain, until you get the fire warmed up. I'm surprised to find we are rostered on the 4MT - it turns out the loco roster has been rearranged to make better use of the time remaining between washouts on the 4MT and the 9F.

There's not much in the smokebox today, and when I am done with it Jacob cleans the grate and lays the fire. We make sure a lot of wood and rags goes on and it lights up well; Jacob moves into the tender to pull some coal forward for the fireman to raise steam.

It's a Norfolk Lights Express day, and we don't have to clean the paintwork as the locos are covered in fairy lights. The weather however has not been kind to the 4MT which has been standing in the yard for a couple of days having a water change - the motion is quite rusty on the seaward side so Fitter Alan has asked that Jacob & I clean it up with some Scotchbrite & oil:

Since Fireman Dan and Driver Keith are here to look after the footplate activities, Jacob and I can both get on with this job which leaves the loco looking very smart.

I had a go at 'quartering' the buffer heads:

It worked to a point - I was using 60 grit Scotchbrite, and it may have been better to use emery tape. The quarters are not very distinct.

With the loco heading for the pit, I head to the mess room to make a round of tea. When I get back, Jacob & Driver Keith are under the loco draining axle boxes & oiling up; next, we blow down and then it falls to me to swill out the ash pan. The pit hose is doing its usual thing - blowing as much water backwards as it does forwards and pretty soon my boiler suit is well and truly 'flame retardant' as are my trousers and boots. The crew go and get changed, while I stay on the loco to receive a bucket of coal and help Fitter Alan take a water sample. Jacob empties the pit:

I go and get changed and then head to the ground frame to let the loco out of the yard, and we are off up the line to start the generators.

Down in Sheringham, we get ourselves tied on and I go and organise some food - pasty and chips for me and Driver Keith, cheesy chips for Fireman Dan.

Dan fires the first up, which is a steady trip at over 200 psig which Dan makes look easy; I untie at Holt and run around. Back on the loco Dan stows his shovel and I fire the first down, which is just a matter of having enough fire to accelerate the train away from the stations and the 3 mph sections, and to replace the water we use. We arrive in Sheringham again with over 180 on the clock and 3/4 of a glass. Heading up, I'm trying to keep some water space for a change and take care to fire on the slow section up Dead Man's - this is where I let the fire get too low last time on this loco. It works more successfully and we don't lose pressure - I fire again on the way down to 303 for the 1 in 80, and then again in Weybourne. The crew warn me to fire more heavily in the back, which I do, but they are both concerned that there is a hole - which they can hear as a deep throbbing roar. I will have to listen for that in the future.

We get up to Holt without any embarrassing pressure issues and Dan takes over for the rest of the trip - I busy myself with hooking on and off, generators, and the ground frame. Back in the yard, ashing out we find unburnt coal in the pit - this is unusual. There may be a hole in the grate, and we leave a note for the prep crew on tomorrows shift.

FoBP News - a new book

Standard class 9F No. 92203 Black Prince is due to come out of traffic at the North Norfolk Railway in around three years’ time. Its support group, Friends of Black Prince, is already focusing on boosting its coffers ready for when work starts.

The latest fundraising project is the self-published ‘The Story of ‘Black Prince’: How art saved a spaceship’ and tells the tale of the celebrity 9F’s history from British Railways to the present day – and to help raise funds for its next overhaul.

No. 92203 is well known for having been preserved by artist and conservationist David Shepherd, who ran the locomotive at railways around Britain before selling it to the NNR.

‘The story of Black Prince’ covers the engine’s days in Mr. Shepherd’s ownership at the start of the preservation movement, including its spells at the Longmoor Military and East Somerset railways, right up to its present career in the NNR steam fleet.

The booklet also delves into the fascinating history of the 9F class, including the various experiments and modifications trialled on the 2-10-0s – such as mechanical stokers and the ungainly Franco-Crosti boilers.

Putting the 9F into perspective against the standardisation programme devised by designer Robert Riddles, a final selection discusses the other standard locomotives.

Simon Holyfield, from Friends of Black Prince, said: “We’ve put together The Story of ‘Black Prince’ mainly to help raise funds for the engine’s overhaul in a few years’ time, but also in response to many of the questions we get asked about No. 92203’s history.

“It’s been a regular performer during the preservation era, gained great fame when named and owned by David Shepherd, and has a connection with the much-lamented Somerset and Dorset Railway - so there is always a lot of interest in its life both pre- and post-preservation.

“We hope anyone with an interest in Black Prince, or 9Fs in general, will find it an entertaining and engaging read, as well as feeling they are contributing to its future as an operational engine.”

The booklet can be bought for £3.99 (+p&p) from the Friends of Black eBay shop (search ‘The story of Black Prince’ in the eBay searchbar). All proceeds will go towards funding work on the engine.

Friends of Black Prince was set up after the 9F was sold to the NNR to champion and fundraise for No. 92203. You can find out more about the group, including how to join up as a regular supporter, by emailing friendsofblackprince@gmail.com or by searching ‘Friends of Black Prince’ on Facebook.

Turn 75 - Cleaner on the 9F

 Every so often, I get rostered a cleaning turn which I rather enjoy. It's a lot less stressful than a footplate turn, mainly because I'm fully confident by now in all the things a cleaning turn entails. Secondly it's very sociable, because you get to reconnect with all the folk in the shed.

Cleaning turns on NLE days are a bit short though. You sign on at 12:00, and the loco goes at 15:18 or so which means that by the time you have cleared up it's almost dark and the shed guys are getting ready to go home. I decided to go a bit early - so after I had walked Max on the beach I headed down to Weybourne, arriving just before 11:00.

Max, chilling on our bed

Cleaner Jacob was rostered to do his third Third Man turn today, and I was wondering how to give him some experience he would get value from, rather than shadow what I was doing. I decided to clean the smokebox and the grate, so he could come straight in and light up - hopefully gaining 45 minutes or so, so he could go at his own pace and we would still be on time to get off - this is not the quickest engine to get into steam!

I had a look a the brick arch and showed it to fitter Alan. It's falling to bits, and she will need a new one before next season. While Jacob lit the fire, I put the hose in the tender and raked a load of coal forward.

With Fireman Alan (Fitter Alan in a different hat) and Driver Bryan on board, I was becoming a bit of a spare part, so I went to make some tea. Time was getting away so Driver Bryan (who is also a diesel driver) fired up the Class 08 D3940 to move the 9F onto the pit, so that we could complete the oiling up. I followed along to revise my knowledge of these fabulous little beasts. This one will give you 35,000 lbf tractive effort, which is almost as much as the 9F - but it is half the weight.

By the time we had the shunter ready, there was about 40 psi on the clock - almost enough to go under it's own steam. Driver Bryan had used the bent dart to push the fire around the box and bring it on a bit faster, followed by a round of coal. 

With oiling up complete and the ash pan washed out, there was about 45 minutes to go with 160 on the clock and 1/4 glass in the boiler. Since I wasn't going anywhere, I stayed on the footplate whilst the crew went to change, putting another round on the very hot fire which served to bring it up to 200. By the time they were back I had the boiler up to 3/4 and had shut the dampers to calm the fire down - she's a big loco - she takes a while to get going but when she goes, she goes.

And that was it for me - a bit of pit cleaning and yard work, another tea and a chat, and it was time to head home.

Turn 74 - Third Man on the 4MT

 Another week, another night turn on a Norfolk Lights Express service. Today I'm on my own to prepare the BR Standard 4MT 'Pocket Rocket' but it's an easy day which starts just before midday. There's a barrow load of ash in the smokebox, and a little in the firebox - the coal we have currently burns quickly and completely, which is easy when you are preparing the loco but catches you out on the road.

I light up from the front of the box with lots of wood, using some of the small bits left by the Youth Development Club session last Saturday. Before I start though, I check with fitter Alan that it's OK to light up - there's less than half a glass in the boiler.

She goes quite successfully - there is definitely less smoke than last week.

Fireman Josh arrives, and he leaves me in charge of the fire. The pressure gauge starts to lift in an hour or so and with Driver Andy on board we are ready to go on the pit in a bit more than two. Fitter Alan wants two full glasses blown down - the loco is almost ready for a water change. He asks me what I want to do and, assured that the pit drain is clear, I elect to do the blow downs before we ash out. Blowing down will leaves lots of hot water in the pit if it's not draining easily and we won't be able to clean the pan until its empty - we could clean the pan now, but then we will have to move the loco and clean the ash out before we blow down. 

Either way is good, but we go for two full glass blowdowns before taking coal or cleaning the ashpan. This goes fairly well, and the boiler doesn't take too long to recover. We are not taking coal anyway - the tender is almost full, and I pull some more forward for the first trip.

Josh checks the pan while I recover the fire, fitting the screens as I operate the dampers. We go and get changed with plenty of time to spare and I have the boiler over 200 psi and sitting steady.

I'm doing the first trip, so Josh takes the Long Section Staff and heads to the ground frame, while Driver Andy and I take the loco down to the headshunt and leave the yard. We head up the line where Fireman Josh gets off to start the generators.

Next it's down to Sheringham buffet for chips, pasties and tea. I've forgotten my billy can. We've got about 2 hours until we are off, and I make sure I am on top of the fire as the demand for carriage heating is taking water out of the boiler and heat out of the fire - I don't want to let it get too cold. In the event, I get it ready a little too early and am full of water and well up to temperature by the time we get the 'Right Away' at 17:30. 

I head out of the station letting the firebox heat make steam and I fire again when we are over the crossing. We are slow up Deadman's through the lights, and I keep the doors shut as we accelerate away up to line speed. I should have fired again by now, but I am planning to fire when Driver Andy closes the regulator on the level before Bridge 304. Before I know it we are down the hill and approaching 303 without enough fire. I put a quick round on, and then another as we slow for Weybourne which is just enough to recover to 220 psi as we start on the second part of the 1 in 80.

Andy charges up the hill, but I'm paying the price of missing firing coming down the 1 in 100 off Deadman's and by the time I am at Bridge 299 I've got 160 on the clock and half a glass. I recover a bit and leave the injector on until we are at a stand at Holt, but I'm annoyed that I've missed my footing. My new Bulldog shovel is great though, it really bites into the coal in the tender and I don't notice the weight until I clang it into the doors once or twice when I'm not concentrating. It's easy to be accurate with it though.

I build the fire at Holt and we are soon topped up and ready to go down - so much so that I've got a full glass all the way down and Fireman Josh is worried that there is too much water in it for the wait at Sheringham and the next trip up, which he will fire. He takes over near the Golf Club and I tuck into my pasty, appreciating the break.

We run around and take our photo-call, then take on water. The next trip is uneventful, with Josh firing little shovelfuls around the box and making it look very easy, like he does.

Back at Sheringham, we take our last photo call and head up the line to switch off the generators.

It's got pretty cold by now, and we are pleased to be heading back to Weybourne for disposal and home.

Next? On Saturday I have six hours of Steam Induction Day for three young volunteers - A day of talking about the railway, walking about the yard and climbing on locos. Life is hard sometimes!

Turn 73 - Third Man on the 4MT

This week, I've booked a turn on a Tuesday and it's the first Norfolk Lights Express for me this year - the service started on Monday. I'm on shed at 12:00, and start the prep on our rostered loco, BR Standard 4MT 76084.

Driver Fozz and Fireman Phil are soon on board to oil up, and I carry on bringing the fire round whilst generally being heckled from the yard due to the black smoke pouring from the chimney.

She comes around nicely and we are soon on the pit to clean the pan. Fireman Phil was on it yesterday, and he's not dropped the pan the evening before - you get back about 22:00 and it's just as easy to drop it in the morning when you can see what you are doing. 

There was about half a glass in the boiler overnight so I waste no time in starting the injectors so we can blow down - a whole glass. We've got about an hour to go, and I stay with the loco while Fozz and Phil go and change; I settle the fire so I can also leave it.

There's no signalman at Weybourne today so when I have my Sunday best overalls on I head down to the ground frame. Phil takes the loco up the line and we all climb off to learn how to switch on the lineside generators. The Operations Department have provided an instruction book which is pretty clear, so when we have done the two generators around Aviaries Curve we head down to find the third on Dead Man's hill. With that one on, it's down to Sheringham to shunt the set into platform 1 and get the heating going in the train.

We have a couple of hours to wait, so we get the tea on and set some Cornish pasties warming above the fire.

At 17:30, Phil takes the first trip non-stop up to Holt with no drama, and I take over for the down trip. Phil's been talking about how much coal the and water the steam heating is using, so I ladle a bit more on than I would normally use for a down trip and promptly blow off, though it's little more than feathering and it's soon under control. I fire down, run around and get a good trip back up without any trouble.

Phil fires down again, and we take the second curtain call as we run around - the loco is booked to stop for five minutes at platform 2 for the visitors to take pictures:

Then it's back up the line to switch all the generators off again, and back to the shed for disposal. 

Phil's firing, so I am on duty at the ground frame to let the loco into the yard. It's eery seeing the enormous loco moving about almost invisible in the moonlight.

My next stop is back on the footplate as Fozz goes beneath to check over the motion, frame and springs, and with his permission I put some water in. Phil's fire is now very thin and hardly needs any cleaning, and he stays at the pit once we have emptied the pan as Fozz and I stable the loco and start to shut everything down.

A cracking turn.

Turn 72 - Cleaning the 7F

Having spent a lot of recent turns on the footplate, with one turn luckily converted from a cleaning turn thanks to fellow cleaner Nathan, I thought it was only right that I give one of my cleaning turns to new cleaner Jacob, who's not had many Third Man turns so far.

And so it was that Jacob and I turned in at 06:00 to ready S&DJR 7F '53809' for service one fine morning. Jacob took the smokebox, with a bit of help from me as the door insists on closing on you when you stand in front of it, and while he cleaned the paintwork I lit up and looked after the fireman's duties until fireman Henry arrived.

She's quite easy to light up, with her narrow box and drop grate and she steams very well.

With the crew on board, I continued the cleaning job stopping to wind up the Silvertown lubricators with about twenty turns. It's useful to prime the pipes to make sure there is oil in the cylinders from the beginning of the day and that the axle boxes are topped up. On this loco, only the pony truck is oiled by hand.

Fireman Henry asked us to shine up the running boards. We made sure to dry them off - we don't want to generate a slip hazard.

Fitter Alex was there to coal up:

And they're away - my job is done.

I spent the next few hours chopping rags, collecting rubbish from around the yard, clearing the pit, tidying up the coal heap and filling a barrow with lighting-up wood for the next day. A simple day, short and very relaxing.

I like cleaning turns once in a while.

Turn 71 - DOTS on the 9F

It feels like the firing test is a bit closer now, as today I had a full day on the shovel, the second stage in getting to 'Passed Cleaner' grade - a loco cleaner who is passed fit for firing, and who is able to roster as a fireman on his own. 

The next step is the two written papers, followed by the test itself.

Checking the Facebook posts, the NNR timetable web page and the Volunteers website on Tuesday night it soon became apparent that we were likely to have the 9F and not the 7F as I'd expected. This unsettled me a bit as I had recently had some good trips on the narrow-firebox 7F and one or two more difficult ones on the wide-box WD, which has a grate very similar to the 9F though the breathing arrangements are very different. However, a read through recent blog posts and driver's notes on my performance on the 9F gave me a bit of encouragement.

92203 Black Prince

I drove our little FIAT 500 along the Weybourne Road in the pitch dark of 05:30 Wednesday morning with rain bucketing down. Cleaner Jacob, Fitter Alan and I were all wet on arrival in the SOP and gave thanks that no-one had chosen the open-cab Y14 for the day.

Leaving Jacob to get changed I went down to the loco to look it over and get started. Later, Jacob came down to clear the smokebox, assisted by Driver Joe who had arrived very early.

These locos are easy to prepare, with rocking grates that almost clean themselves. Unfortunately, the tender was 4" deep in water and after carefully draining each shovelful for a bit I hit upon the idea of raking the coal onto the footplate so that the water could drain away first; I laid the fire, adding extra wood after it failed to light very well the first time. There's actually a drain in the coal space about 4' back from the coaling plate which Joe uncovered - he unblocked it with a bit of welding rod from my bag.

That did the trick and she was soon raising steam; we were on the pit around 07:45 to blowdown and ash out. We rolled back for coal and took on 2 scoops from the loader. Around 08:30, Driver Joe and I were on the footplate watching Jacob and Inspector Nick operating the ground frame to let us out of the yard.

Minutes later, I am ignoring the verbal taunts from the rest of the crew as I infringe the mobile phone policy by ordering breakfast from the footplate - actually, there was no infringement - we were not moving and I had the driver's approval.

I had 3/4 of a glass in at this point and a hot fire that I had let go thin in the middle; the boiler pressure was around 235 and I had actually blown off while getting changed, though no-one seemed to notice. We trundled off Light Engine down to Sheringham.

After breakfast, I fired the first trip up to arrive at Holt with around 160 in the boiler, having under-fired especially at the front. The engine was cold, but I would obviously need a bit more coal next trip.

The second trip was better, arriving at Weybourne with 180 psig on the pressure gauge. At inspector Nick's suggestion I put ten more shovels across the front and we arrived at Holt with 240 psig on the gauge. The boiler was making enough steam to match Driver Joe's needs all the way up the bank. for the first two trips, the rain was still pouring down and I shut the roof vent. On a dull day, this left the footplate so dark I had to get my head torch out to see the water levels.

The third trip was a bit lighter, arriving with 220 psig and the fourth was back at 240. All day, I had the water levels where I wanted them - or at least, never below half a glass. No-one commented on the water level and apart from the one remark, or hint, no-one had commented on the fire or the boiler pressure. We had watered three times and each time Inspector Nick had deliberately kept out of the action, leaving Joe and I to unhook, run around, water, tie on and depart again with no assistance. This is important, because the fireman has to manage the boiler such that the loco doesn't blow off while in the station yet is ready to depart on time - all while he is off the footplate coupling or filling the tender.

Running around on the fourth, we had a chat with RO Peter who briefed us on a shunt move. We were to take a coach from the suburban set up to Weybourne for the paint to be refreshed on what would have been our Light Engine movement. On arriving back after the fourth down trip with the train, we ran around and waited outside the box while the station pilot hauled the coach back into platform two. We followed it in to take on water and pick it up.

Then it was back up to Weybourne with suburban, where we propelled it into the headshunt following Inspector Nick, who was acting as shunter. Since he was on the fireman's side of the train, I relayed his hand signals to Driver Joe.

Disposal next, and I was mildly surprised to find that what I thought was a full boiler was only 3/4 full - the headshunt, where I had topped it up, is on the 1 in 80 slope down to Sheringham. No matter - I still had 160 psig in the boiler and that is plenty to put a bit more water in. On the pit, which is level, I filled it up when Joe was clear of the ash pan. When I had washed down we stabled the loco leaving Inspector Nick, claiming he hadn't done much all day, to empty the ash pit.

And that was that - one of my best days on the railway. Tests next!