Turn 56 - Third Man on the WD

Another Wednesday, and another Third Man turn on a yellow timetable - this time on the WD.

Having cleaned the smokebox, which had very little ash in it, I cleaned grate with fire irons which is easy on this loco as it has a rocking grate. I laid a very thin fire all over the grate, with lots of gaps remembering the black clouds emanating from the fire hole the last time I lit this up. This time, there was very little smoke; it lit up well with no further attention until we had 20 psi on the gauge and we could start the blower.

I left the fire with Fireman Harry and went off to show new Cleaner Jacob how to clean the paint with oil & paraffin, followed by a guided tour of the dampers and ash pan, via the pit hose.

We were off shed on time, and I spent the first round trip and the second up trip coupling and exchanging the token for Fireman Harry. Harry kindly handed over the shovel at Holt so that I could build a fire for the third trip, and I started my firing day on the down journey of second trip.

After the Standard 4MT experience last week, I fired the WD using a deep back end, covering the sides and front allowing middle to go to holes as required. I fired for the remainder of the day. I was pleased that for the most part I managed the water levels in the boiler successfully, and this time I had the ashpan sprinkler cracked all the time. I'm not sure I would do that again as the valve needs to be at least half open to wet the ash - perhaps I would do that on a hot day where there is a risk of fire. 

The footplate had got a bit messy in the morning, with bits of spilt coal on the floor. I used both the slacker pipe and the tender sprinkler to effectively manage this and cleared the coal up when I had spilt it. The bucket wouldn't hold more than a few inches in the bottom though - the WD moves about all over the place. Driver John said it drives like a duck!

Slacker pipe, ashpan and tender sprinkler valves

The only failing for the day was on the fourth trip. I'd worked the train up to Weybourne for a six minute layover, keeping the pressure and the water levels high but managing the pressure while we waited for the DMU to arrive and the signalman to do his thing, but on getting the 'right away' I didn't fire sufficiently - or I used coal that was too small - in preparation for Weybourne to Holt section. We romped up the hill OK but we arrived with between 160 & 180 psi in the boiler and the water low. When nearing the end of the day there is a lot of dusty coal, and you must remember that a round of dusty coal is not a round at all. It will produce heat quickly but it won't last.

I fired to disposal and arrived on the pit with the glass 3/4 full and 180 psi in the boiler, making steam slowly. I'd filled in holes and put a light round on when we left Sheringham and Driver John had brought the loco up to Weybourne quite gently. Using the bent dart I found part burnt lumps in the back but no clinker. It probably would have been better to run with the dampers open to burn this through, but aside from that it was a pretty successful day.

Bring on the next one.