Another NLE turn, and another jolly evening out with Driver Christian on the BR Standard 4MT. Today there has been two Santa service trains, and we are relieving the crew - Paul, Richard and Tom - of the ‘A’ service at Weybourne on their last down trip. The loco is in fine shape, with a full tender & boiler and a hot fire - and best of all, a load of proper coal. All we have to do is get our lamps on board and keep the fire hot for half an hour until it is time to go down to Sheringham.
Of course, this is the winter season and there are delays - this time waiting for all the children and Mums, Dads and Grandparents to get back on the train after their visit to Santa’s grotto. We are about ten minutes late but we are rolling down hill and there’s little for me to do beside keep the fire hot and the boiler full - the steam heat is on and as usual it’s surprising how much water it uses. Surprising? Didn’t it do the same thing last week, last month, last year?!
Down in Sheringham, we run around and hook back on to our train which will become the first Norfolk Lights Express service when the last Santa service comes in at 17:27, hauled by the 9F. I set about building my fire while Driver Christian sorts out the lamps, gets his briefing from Guard Phil and orders our dinner.
The appointed hour comes and there is no sign of the 9F - just a visit from the RO; the 9F is held up at Weybourne and will be at least 10 minutes. Time to shut the dampers, turn down the blower and open the door, in an attempt to calm the fire and avoid blowing off. I’ve left enough water space and the dampers are pretty effective and by the time the 9F arrives I have to build the fire up again, but it’s still very hot and goes easily.
There’s no time pressure for the fireman on these NLE services - there are so many slow sections that there is plenty of time to fire and add water just how you want to - and you need to make sure you have plenty of water as some of the slow sections are downhill.
As a consequence of our tardy departure from Sheringham, there is little time to entertain visitors at Holt and we are soon back down again to collect our dinner. This time, we take on water and settle back onto the train to eat pizza and chips, washed down with tea.
After a good first trip with the water in top quarter all the way and pressure over 200 the second down trip was a bit lighter after another very quick turn around at Holt where I let it drop down to 180 whilst I dragged more coal from the back of the tender. Boiler pressure was well recovered by the time we got to Weybourne, but generally I need to fire a bit lighter next time, and keep water a bit lower. The loco has not been on the road for long since washout - if there had been much more sludge in the boiler, the high water levels I was maintaining would probably have had it priming.
Back in Sheringham we hooked off and ran around, stopping for the usual 5 minute photo-call under the footbridge before taking water. In another railway first for me, I drove the light engine trip up to switch off the generators. My first drive in the dark.
Next - another NLE in a few days time.
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