Turn 137 - Firing the 4MT

Turns are coming thick and fast this month. It's Sunday, not a day I would normally book but we were supposed to have 'Tornado' at the railway this week; unfortunately it's not here (boiler not ready) so we have the delightful 76084 Pocket Rocket instead. Driver Ed and I joined Third Man Kyle and Cleaner Will at 06:30; the loco is already lit and the day is warm & sunny. I take over the fire and set to cleaning the cab.

Kyle is shining up the copper outside and Will is doing the paint - she scrubs up well for an old girl.

The 4MT is freshly washed out and we have no blowdown, so I fire light engine down to Breakfast Central where we are treated to baps with bacon, sausage, hash brown and black pudding. Driver Ed kneels at the lamp post to give thanks, or maybe he has developed an interest in asphalt.

While competing technologies stand in the platforms at Sheringham, Charlie Chaplin, minus his cane, saunters off to find a cup of tea.

Breakfast done, I take the first trip up and she's going fine. I've got plenty of water and pressure at Weybourne but I don't get enough coal into the front and it's dropped down to 160 by the time we're at the top. You mustn't be fooled by high pressure - it doesn't mean your fire is going to be able to sustain it. Fire the front and the back at Weybourne despite almost blowing off and you will arrive with 200, a decent fire and 3/4 of a glass, as shown on the second trip.

On two occasions I was reprimanded by the RO - I habitually slam the fire door shut after firing, and then adjust it. Sometimes I don't adjust it in time and the inevitable smoke signals appear. The moral of the tale? Don't shut it completely!

As planned, Kyle fires the third and fourth. I take the driver's seat for the third, and as previously demonstrated by Driver Ed I keep to the timetable on the way up which brings smiles and a few comments from the passengers who enjoy the spirited sound the loco makes on the hills. I'm pleased to have stopped perfectly at Weybourne and at Holt, and though I miss the stopping point in the head shunt I put the loco back on the train perfectly.

The down isn't so good - the up train is coming into Weybourne as we come down, and the distant is set to caution as the home will be at danger. At this point you use the distant signal - if it's yellow, you might have to stop so take the hint and slow down. I'm going a bit fast down the hill, but come to a successful halt at the home but then I'm a bit quick again going into the station - you are on the outside of a bend here and it's very hard to see; I overshoot the stopping point by a few yards.

The white slab in the 6 ft shows the beginning of the platform ramp, both at Holt and at Weybourne. You put the nose of the loco by the slab on the down, and the tender or cab by it on the up. 

The fourth trip is quite leisurely - Ed drives, Kyle fires and I pick my nose in the back. I've got plenty of energy left to clear the pit:

Next? Same turn, probably same loco, next Thursday.

Turn 136 - Firing the Y14

 A return to normal this week, with a firing turn on the newly repaired Y14. There's lots of action in the yard - the 9F & 4MT are being prepared for steam test, Third Man Ben has lit up our Y14, and the DMU is waiting it's driver.

In the shop, the WD has been stripped and is waiting for attention from the boiler shop - there is a leak near the throat plate:

A pile of new tubes have arrived for the S&DJR 7F, so that is well on the way to returning to service too:

Third Man Ben has done all the hard work lighting up the Y14, so I leave him to raise steam and go and polish the boiler. We are ready very quickly and move on to the pit, where he shines up the smoke box and I work on the tender:

Ben's done five or six third man turns so we have a chat about what firing he's done and agree that he will do the second & third, and I will do the first and fourth. 

I fire down to Sheringham for our breakfast, and then fire the first up. We are short of water at Bridge at 299, because I've not fired enough on the hill.

Ben fires the 2nd and 3rd, and I make sure that he doesn't fall into the same trap, though firing on the hill drops the pressure somewhat. You have to be quick!

He makes a great job of it.

I fire the 4th trip, romping up the hill by heavily firing as we leave Dead Man's and Weybourne and keeping the water on for longer. The departure from Weybourne is a bit traumatic with a lot of wheel slip. The guard resets the train brake cylinders when we arrive at Holt and the run back down is much easier. Coming into Holt we realise that the hydrostatic lubricator has run out of oil - fortunately I was watching it. We refill it after watering.

Back in Sheringham, I prepare to fire back to shed, but Driver John gives up his seat and I drive back Light Engine.

An excellent day out.

Turn 135 - Second Man on the Class 37

 Another steam replacement turn, but slightly unusual. Today was a green timetable day with a lunch train - normally two steam locos, one on the A service and one on the lunch train, with the DMU on the B service. Today however, the 9F will take the first and last trips of the A service, we will take the middle two with the Class 37, and the 9F will take the lunch train.

After prep and fuelling, I drove light engine to Sheringham and put the loco on the train - a nice gentle stop, with Observer Justin, Driver Alistair and Kevin on a footplate pass

Driver Alistair took the power handle while we relaxed:

An easy day. On shed at 10:00 and home by 17:00.

Turn 134 - Second Man on the Class 37

Due to various problems, there was no steam engine available for this turn; In these situations, I'm very happy to take the Second Man seat on the replacement diesel - it's fun and you often get to drive.

Today we have the splendid Class 37, D6732:

This is her works plate. It's actually a replica, but a very good one:

Driving position:

After preparation, and fuelling I drove light engine to Sheringham and put the loco on the train. A neat trick, similar to having the steam regulator shut but pressure in the valve chest, is to have a few hundred amps on the power handle and ease the loco gently onto the train using the air brake. You can get it to just kiss the coach buffers and compress them without bouncing.

After hooking on, handling the token and fetching tea with Driver Steve, I drove the third round trip.

Back in Sheringham, we were asked to trip the Quad-Arts back to Beach Road Carriage Sheds:

Steve drove this bit, while I hopped off to operate the ground frame.

It uses the same token as the Holt ground frame:

We left the Quads on the main line while Guard Chris opened the sheds. We shunted some stock around until there was room to put the Quads away.

I drove back Weybourne shed for disposal. Another good day, with more new stuff learned!