Turn 131 - Firing a guest: 34028 West Country Class "Eddystone"

This week, another turn on a Tuesday and another red service - but with a difference. West Country Class 34028 "Eddystone" is here for Easter and the Spring Gala, visiting from the Swanage Railway and while both the 9F and the WD are in the shed having a few problems sorted out it has been decided that Eddystone will run through the week as well.

So late the evening before going on duty I receive 13 pages of instructions to read on how to prepare, fire and dispose this splendid machine, which is only two years out of overhaul. 

She has an excellent boiler, rated at 280 psi and set to relieve at 250 psi, and there is still 40 psi in it when I light up. She's got a rocking grate just like the 9F, much the same shape, which sticks down at the front left hand side - you have to get in and lift one of the fixed bars to get it back. I was expecting that, having chatted to another fireman the night before.

It's a three cylinder loco - here's a view of the middle connecting rod and crank axle:

Loco's with middle cylinders were often fitted with 'stink bombs' to warn of overheating in the inaccessible big end. Unless your driver is eating aniseed twists all day, you'll want pay attention to the notice in the cab:

The beast is very easy to fire - it's got no flame scoop:

You can get the coal just where you want it. What it does have, however, are two thermic syphons which produce masses of steam, and this is a main-line express locomotive with a very good boiler...

Following the instructions, and building a big bank across the back (like I do with 92203 and 90775) provides a big reserve of heat which apparently will be pulled for ward if you shut the door - as I'd been instructed the night before, I didn't shut the door. 

Looking around the loco during prep it has two dampers, outside the rails, either side of the firebox so it's wise to keep the sides covered because that's where the cold air comes in. It's easy to keep those areas banked up, like an armchair, so now I have a back and sides and it produces masses of steam.

Obviously you mustn't let the bars get exposed, so you need to keep the middle covered, right under the thermic syphons which produce masses of steam...

Sixteen times. Sixteen time it blew off - Fitter Alan was counting at Weybourne, and RO Josh was counting at Sheringham, and they were comparing notes. In my defence, the Swanage Railway minder said that it still blows off even with the damper tight shut and the blower turned down, not like Manston, one of it's class mates.

Keeping green coal on the big bank at the back does keep it cool for a while, but enough of that, Here are some pictures of the cab layout:

Injector controls - steam valves on the right, water valves on the left, all coupled to their valves with universal joints. Very stiff, and you bruise your knuckles on the cab wall bottom right.

Driver's seat. That little brass box above the reverser is a light!

Water gauges and injector isolation valves:

Handy little hatch to let you pull the coal forward:

The cab side shows a yellow circle, which means no water treatment equipment is fitted. A blue triangle means a southern loco has water treatment equipment fitted. The cab side also says '5FA' which means 5F with assistance. This means the loco can pull power class 5F freight but might not stop unbraked freight.

This next little gem is the valve for the steam driven dynamo:

Here's the dynamo. It generates electricity for the cab lights, the head code lights and the water gauge lights.