Achilles Report No1: First Maintainence...

Afternoon all. I've spent a few hours in the workshop this morning, sorting out "Achilles" after her run yesterday. First job, check the gauge glass; it was a little suspect yesterday but sorted itself out after we removed some grime from the top gland. Next job, the front end. With the loco on the work-bench its easier to get inside properly. I opened the door and shone the light inside the smokebox. There was plenty of ash inside, worsened in fact when I swept the boiler tubes. The smokebox was then hoovered out...the best way to do this dirty job! With the smokebox relatively clean, I replaced the mesh which forms the spark arrestor. Once fitted and realligned so that it missed the blast pipe nozzle, I checked the arrestor again before shutting the door. All seemed well. Therefore, the loco was cleaned up before being put away again. Her next run is planned for July 17th at CMES. Good day all.