Today was a turn with a difference - a Third Man turn, but with no firing. It's a Sunday, an unusual day for me to be on the railway but in March we are running weekend only services, so here we are. It's a Green service today, which has one steam hauled train and the DMU, and we do four round trips. Additionally, there is a special train for Driver Chas, who passed away some while ago and whose ashes will be scattered by the 9F, his favourite loco.
We need to make the locos look their best today.
Why no firing? I'm rostered with Driver Paul and Passed Cleaner Pip; Pip has only completed three turns in grade, so he is obliged by the rules to do all the firing until he has completed five turns and to refrain from swapping sides until he has completed ten turns.
We have 564 again, the GER Y14 and you might remember that I made a complete hash of lighting this up last week. My mentor Driver Paul is in early with me today, and I won't be allowed to cock it up again!
I climb aboard and make very sure to do the pre-lighting up checks thoroughly. I clean the smokebox and the grate while Paul goes to get changed. By the time he is back, I have put a few shovelfuls of coal on the grate, with holes everywhere. It is very thin indeed but Paul says that's enough, and to get lots of wood on it to get it really hot - that will get the draft moving through the holes. Last week, when I also put lots of wood on (I always do) the grate would have been clogged with fresh coal. I light it and let it go while I put the yard hose in the tender.
As predicted, it gets hot quickly and with very little smoke. I feed it with half-shovels on the sides, very gradually, filling in holes as they form and we are off the stop and fizzing, and she is showing 10 - 20 psi after 45 minutes, and we can still see across the yard.
When Pip arrives, Cleaner Brad and I make with the car polish and get the old lady looking clean and shiny until it's time to get on the pit. I take a bit of extra time to coat the smokebox and the chimney with oil & paraffin, to bring it up shiny black.
With the ash pan hosed and raked out, I go and get changed. The shed has completely changed since I was last here a week ago:
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| The 7F is having various valves repaired and some attention to its brake cylinders. |
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| Ring Haw continues to be dismantled for boiler repairs. |
When I get back to the loco, Driver Paul accosts me with a question, asking what is wrong with the lamp I have put on the loco. Having been through all the lamps recently, I realise what I have done immediately - I have given him the one with the red filter missing. Since the primary use for this lamp in the hours of daylight is to use as a stop signal if the loco breaks down, it's imperative that we get a better one...
And with that, we are off for a day of hooking on, hooking off, tablet exchange, making tea and watering the loco.
Occasionally I throw some coal in or operate the injectors while Pip takes a leak or something but most of the time is spent amusing each other with the general abuse and friendly bickering that is a feature of every day that Driver Paul and I are on the footplate together.
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| Fireman Pip gets his feet wet... |
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| Fireman Pip confuses the passengers while attempting to keep the dust down... |
Disposal is pretty straightforward, ad we are off shed by 17:45. Next week will be much the same, with Passed Cleaner Lewis and then I have a two week break before the Spring Gala and after that, three turns and my firing test.
It's going to be busy in April.
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