Turn 91 - Fireman on the 9F

 So here it is - my first turn as a Passed Cleaner, first turn as rostered fireman and first turn with a third man to look after. We have the 9F, a loco with which I am very familiar (I've done 17 third man turns on it, including 38 trips up and 42 trips down) though I'm a little apprehensive as the coal we have currently produces lots of heat but burns fast and creates a lot of ash.

Due to the rules around a Passed Cleaner's first turns, I will be doing all the firing today but at least Third Man Brad can get his hands on the shovel and light up. I fetch a pile more wood and rags for him and he builds a roaring fire which goes well.

I raise steam ready for going off shed and blow down, which is all quite straightforward. We blow down half a glass and there is plenty of time to refill and get changed.

I had a full day on the 9F a couple of turns ago, and didn't really get it hot enough - I'm determined that we will not be short of steam or water on this first trip so I build a big fire and run up with both dampers open.

Having got up to Holt and back successfully, I'm very happy with the day so far. I've agreed with Brad that he will hook on and off, water and do the token exchange - I want our roles and responsibilities to be crystal clear from the beginning of the day and it is working out well.

Having romped up the hill with both dampers open, I realise I don't need so much heat, so I cut back a bit for the second trip - too much, and we arrive with 160 on the clock. I've opened the dampers on the way up, and later Driver Paul reminds me that nothing happened at the chimney - so the extra air didn't have any coal to burn - so I should have fired again. Good advice!

I build a bigger fire again for the third, close to blowing off, but I manage it using the dampers and the door and we don't have any unplanned blowing off.

The fourth trip is good as well, with slightly lower pressure, and I prep for disposal on the way back keeping my water well up and maintaining the fire and pressure in the boiler.

When we arrive at Sheringham, and are ready to go up when word comes from the RO that the 7F has failed. It turns out that it's not actually failed but that the ashpan is getting very hot and there have been a few sleeper fires - we've not had rain for weeks and the trackside is tinder-dry. We are to go up to Weybourne Light Engine, swap our loco to Train 2 and the 7F crew will complete their service with the 9F - of course we are all running out of hours.

Disposing the 7F, the ash pan is red hot - it has no sprinkler and the coal is dropping through still alight.

We dispose the 7F and stable it behind the Quads. I get a bit of shunting experience as Driver Paul brings the 7F down under my instruction.

Articulated Quad set

The next bit of shunting for me, when the 9F comes in, is to bring it down to the shed and drag out the Y14. The Y14 will take the Loco B slot tomorrow in place of the 7F, so when it is out I build a warming fire under the brick arch.

No one went home on time that night!