Turn 144 - Firing the 4MT: Lunch train

A leisurely start today, on shed at 08:30 to fire a lunch service.

Third Man Dave has been there for a while, and our steed for the day, the 4MT, already has 30 psi on the clock and Dave is cleaning the paint. I busy myself cleaning the footplate and raising steam gently over the next three hours. On ashing out, we find that we can't open the front damper - the hopper is completely full. Using the handle of a small rake, I tease out ash above the hopper door until it will move and we can clean the pan - looks like no-one emptied it last time it was in service.

We go down to Sheringham about 11:20 and head to platform three where the dining set is waiting.

After a bit of a wait for one of the service locos (the 9F and the Class 14) to run around, we shunt the set into platform 2.

It's a while since I've fired a non-stop and I don't want to cock it up, so I pull a lot of coal forward and build a solid fire bed around the foundation ring, a big horseshoe at the back and fill the middle in. With a few minutes to go, she is very hot and raring to go as I put another round on, then another going down Dead Man's, and another as we go around the bend and into Weybourne. With another round as we go under the bridge she's on the red line and full of water and the injector goes on again as we approach Wind Pump. I've got so much heat that I don't fire down Aviaries. We arrive in Holt with a full glass and 220 psi. I'm well happy with that, and take it easy on the way back. 

Third man Dave fires the 2nd trip, following my instruction and he makes an excellent job of it too. I take over the third man's duties and eat a plate of roast chicken - challenging on the move.

Thanks to Cleaner Harry for this picture of a token exchange starring me and signalman Michael. 

Waiting at Holt we are treated to Apple pie and custard, followed by a Panna Cotta with a peach sauce - which is a bit runny, and I there are only three spoons for four of us. Fitter Alan has joined us for a lift back to Weybourne, and it's a new railway first for me - eating Panna Cotta with sooty fingers on the footplate.

There's lots of happy customers to chat to today as we wait for the Sheringham pilot to pull off the stock so we can head back to shed.

Third Man Dave fires the light engine trip up, and we dispose the loco taking care to wash the pan clear.

Dave pulls some coal down for the morning crew:

And that's it! Next week, same turn but probably on the Y14. Hope the weather is nice.