Turn 65 - Third Man on the 4MT

This Wednesday, it's time to take the BR Standard 4MT out for a canter. Cleaner Cameron and I are on shed at 05:50, changed and ready to go but since there's no one else there until Driver Dave turns up at 06:20, we can't do anything. Driver Dave is scheduled to sign on at 07:00, so it's handy that he is there early.

The 4MT is easy to wake up as she is pretty warm from yesterday and we have no problem getting her ready on time. I take the dirty wet job on the pit.

We pick up Fireman Josh in the platform and he takes her down to Sheringham and out for the first round trip. I take over in Sheringham for the second trip, and make sure that I am on the ball for Driver Dave, who I don't know very well. We've never had a turn together, but I fire the second trip quite successfully until I overdo it in Weybourne and blow off on the way up to Kelling.

Back in Sheringham, Fireman Josh takes the driver seat and I'm still on the shovel. Guessing Josh might make a bit more noise on the way up, I fire as I have done before - but Josh is taking it easy and we blow off again - my bad. Driver Dave tells me that I need to get that under control - it was blowing off for a while.

I'm still on the footplate, and doing the hooking on and the watering for the rest of the day. I make sure to be gentle with the shovel for the fourth trip, and we have a good run up with no further wastage.

Josh takes the shovel again back in Sheringham for the last Light Engine trip back to shed, and once we are over the crossing I take the driving seat. I've got a much better feel for this now as this will be the sixth time I've driven a loco.

Back on shed, I clean the fire and dispose the loco - Josh takes the dirty job in the pit.

During disposal, I noticed this valve behind the injectors - I must find out what it is:

The bend pipe on the right is a drain, so this is a vent valve of some sort. There is a poppet in there operated by a lever on the top - vacuum release?

Later, when it's all quiet, I get a good debrief from Driver Dave. He's told me about the over firing and blowing off already, but he also says there was a couple of times when he had deliberately tried to distract me - successfully.

Despite not having had a turn together before, he knew that I was close to my test and was kind enough to say that if I had a good day on your test tomorrow, I'd pass and that I could fire for him anytime.

I was very pleased with that.