Turn 152 - Firing the Y14

Another Wednesday, but not too early a start for me and Driver John as we arrive to find Third Man Mike has lit up our fine steed for the day, the GER Y14. It's a bit overcast & misty but promises to be dry.

Mike cleans the boiler, I set to work on the cab.

Down in Sheringham for breakfast, the weather shows us what it has in store - a sea fret. These are mists formed out at sea where warm air is cooled by the sea, blowing towards landfall. The warmer land heats the air again, and the mist disappears leading to a strip of mist just along the coast. Typically, there will be fog on the beach and in town, but head half a mile inland and it will disappear.

Mike, who lit up and raised steam fires the first two trips. I drove the second with some excellent stops in stations, on the water crane, and at Kelling Heath Halt. Again I found myself going onto the train quite hard - but not much worse than many drivers. Next time I'll try to pressurise the steam chest, then release brake to inch forward. 

This small square of tarmac is the perfect stopping point to get the Y14 on the water column.

I fired the third and fourth; the third too heavy, the fourth better but still with the pressure varying way too much. A couple of weeks later, a very experienced Driver showed me that I'm not firing often enough and that it's OK to fire on a hill!.

We had a few troubles with the displacement lubricator, which occasionally stopped working on the driver's side. It pays to keep any eye on it through the day.

Disposal was great disposal - lots of pressure, arrived on shed with the boiler full and the fire thin. I discovered the injectors still work at 70 psi when the water went over the top of the gauge.