Last Saturday, I spent the morning at Weybourne running a Steam Induction Day for two new volunteers to the Steam Operations Department. In the coming weeks they will begin as loco cleaners, just like I did over two years ago. When I was there, I learned that Fowler 7F 53809 would be rostered for the week and so it was no surprise to find it waiting for me when I arrived with Fitter Bob on Wednesday.
So, in the dark and on my own I emptied the smokebox and cleaned the grate before laying the fire and lighting up. Because she was warm, she came around quite quickly and we were on the pit around 08:00.
On the pit, when Driver Dave had finished oiling up the pony truck, I went under with the hose and rake and cleaned out the ash pan, not forgetting to fit the spark guard. Since we were well ahead of time the signalman had not arrived - while Driver Dave and Fireman Josh moved the loco to let Fitter Bob coal the tender, I went down to the Signing On Point to collect the Long Section Staff to let the loco out of the yard using the ground frame:
With the loco now in the platform, I wanted to clear the pit of the ash I had raked into it. I could do this later, but at the other end of the shift I don't want to have twice the work to do.
After some faffing about with dirty overalls and bags, getting changed and everything I didn't need into the car, I rejoined the loco. Fireman Josh was ready to fire down to Sheringham.
Since it is now October, we need to think about steam heat for the train and the fireman will need to prepare for that. I jumped off to hook up while Fireman Josh tended the boiler and climbing back aboard I turned the steam heat on. The steam takes a while to work along the train, flushing water out of the condensate traps at each end of the carriages. After a while, with plumes of steam escaping from both ends of the carriage behind the tender, I walked the train to look at the other carriages - there was no sign of steam and the CCT was not connected anyway. There was obviously a leak, so as it was a reasonably warm day we decided to fill in the guard's fault report and switch the heat off.
After breakfast, Fireman Josh fired first trip up to get the loco warm and managed to blow off cresting Dead Man's Hill. I know that feeling! Back down in Sheringham again, I unhooked and took over the shovel for the run around; I fired for the rest of the day. The second trip, with Dave driving, was uneventful until Weybourne - I was wary of the trouble I had got myself into last time I fired the 7F - and we got up the bank alright but I was light on coal: thin at the front as it turned out and we arrived with the boiler pressure dropping near 150 psi. Front was too thin, and the front half of the sides wasn't too good either: have to put more on next time, I thought - and Dave voiced.
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| Regulator, water gauges and injector steam valves |
We took on water and I built the fire for the trip back. It eats coal, this thing.
For the third trip, I fired the front more heavily and kept the back and sides full, firing on the bank on the way up and again, filling in holes near the top of the cutting. Josh, who was driving, had it in second port and it was going well; we arrived at Holt at around 160 with the boiler half full. Driver Dave says "why couldn't you make that steam for me?"!
For the fourth trip, Dave was back in the driving seat - or the little wooden perch on top of the reverser that passes for a seat. This was the best yet, and she romped up the bank steady at 180 with Dave happily pointing at the gauge with a smile on his face
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| Slacker pipe, for washing the floor and slacking the coal |
We headed down again, with me concentrating on keeping the boiler full for disposal and with sufficient fire to cover the light engine trip back to shed. There had been no blowing off, no water problems and no hints at excess pressure all day.
Back in Sheringham for the last time I unhooked and returned to the footplate to find Josh getting ready to fire the trip up which some firemen like to do as you can delay the disposal process (and going home time) if you mess up on the way back to shed. As we ran around, I climbed back on after changing the points to find Driver Dave out of his seat - I climbed in and when we got the platform starter cleared took the loco back up to Weybourne myself, getting into second port for a few seconds on the 1 in 80.
She can certainly bark, that old lady.
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| 7F Controls |
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| Reverser and driver's seat |
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