"8F No48305 in full flight, piloting 9F No92214" (Clive Hanley)
"Smoke in my eyes, soot in my hair, cinders in my shoes. I'm watching the needle falling away and singing the Eight Freight Blues". Thankfully, unlike Dave Goulder, I didn't spend today running late in a sorry state on 8215. Instead we were running well aboard 48305 at the Great Central Railway for the first day of the 'Last Hurrah' weekend: an annual event which brings the curtain down on the main running season. Five steam locomotives, a diesel and two railcars were rostered to take part in the gala, with myself and driver Nigel booked for a 05:45 sign on with the 8F this morning. I arrived at a soaking wet Loughborough shed a little before 05:30, in good time to sign on and read the notices. Driver Nigel was already oiling the engine up and had checked both the firebox and smokebox before I arrived. Therefore, with coal piled high in the tender and wood and rags ready in the cab, I could quickly light up...
Though 48305 wasn't in steam yesterday, she did have the remnants of a good warming fire under the brick arch and the heat emanating from the doorplate assured me that she wouldn't take long to come around. Once the wood started to catch atop my freshly added bed of coal, the 2-8-0 began to sing. The rain was awful this morning: it was a complete washout by all accounts. There was little to do but take shelter in the cab whilst the torrent continued outside. Alongside us, 6990 "Witherslack Hall" was also brewing up whilst the three Standard engines were the other side of the bridge...
With the fire continuing to take, I scurried around the cab filling the steam brake oil pots whilst Nigel continued with the outside motion. Cleaner Alex soon appeared at the door with a most welcome, steaming hot cup of tea which was enjoyed whilst listening to the rain on the roof. What a lovely morning for ducks as they say...
As the light finally started to come up, the rain did ease back a touch into a light drizzle rather than a heavy downpour. Here, LMS and GWR stand side by side...
Cleaners Alex and Julian kindly helped us clean the engine in any way they could, despite the foul weather. Alex gave the cab brasses a buff up with some Peek, which really did make a difference. The polished fittings looked smart...
Our off shed time was booked for 09:00 but, thanks in part to the poor weather, we ended up being ready well before 08:00! This gave time for our wash and change, as well as another cuppa'. Usually we'd use this time to clean the engine but with the rain beating down our efforts appeared futile. Our first working was the 09:30 Loughborough to Rothley local, although on the tail rather than the front. Standard 2 No78019 took us neatly to Rothley whilst we hung on the back with drift steam applied...
At Rothley we sailed through the station before the class 2 brought us to a stand at the brook. The mogul was uncoupled and our lamps changed to reflect a stopping passenger service. By now the pressure on 48305 was sitting at around 200psi and I was ready to fire back to Loughborough with our short train: made up of two suburban coaches and a parcel van. Below, damp passengers join the train once we'd pulled into the platform. The persistent rain was still at it...
From Rothley we had a steady run back to Loughborough, calling at Quorn on the way. Once back at base we had to perform a brisk run round to reach the head of the impressive tanker train waiting in the down loop...
Unusually, our freight train was scheduled to run nonstop right through to Leicester. Most GCR freights tend to either reverse at Swithland or, more commonly, at Rothley Brook and so it was a bit of a novelty to take the tankers all the way through. Here, 48305 chuffs along the single track section, approaching Greengate Lane...
The rain seemed to have eased slightly on our southward journey, although by the time we had ran round at Leicester North it was chucking it down again! Below, the damp bulk of the 1943-built 8F stands ready for a northbound departure, with lamps set to reflect a class 7 working. What a wet day this was...
Thankfully, on our return run to Loughborough, we seemed to leave the rain behind after Rothley. Photographer Clive Hanley caught us approaching Quorn with 'one yellow' on the down home signal, meaning we'd be held at the down starter...
"Approaching Quorn with the northbound tankers" (Clive Hanley)
Once we made it back to Loughborough we were uncoupled by a shunter before steaming down to No1 shed road via the water column. Due to the timetable running behind, our next working (the observation saloon) had been cancelled and so we were told to "await instructions". 48305 therefore had little more to do than watch the world go by at a damp, autumnal Loughborough whilst we awaited our next move...
An hour or so passed before we were given instructions to run round onto the front of the next late running passenger train, which was booked to 9F No92214. This superpowered doubleheader (of 17F classification!) would make light work of the five coach train. Here, 48305 waits under Great Central Road bridge...
With time to make up, I had no doubt that we were in for a spirited run and so duly made up the fire to suit. We'd only be staying on as far as Rothley, where we'd chop off and run into the down platform to await our booked northbound path on the van train. Our unplanned doubleheader left Loughborough with both engines in good voice, although the 8F seemed to do the lion's share of the work once the 2-10-0 eased down. As we'd sat at Loughborough for a good while with a quiet fire, the eight freight was a touch cold hearted on the run to Quorn, although she did go well. The pressure hovered between 180 and 200psi but once we'd got a few miles behind us she was beginning to get hot again. Ironically, she was back in fettle just as it was time for us to come off at Rothley! Below, 48305 sits in the down platform road at Rothley with lamps already set for class 7 so that we could leave as soon as the vans arrived...
With the 9F on its way to Leicester on the single line with the passenger train, the van train duly turned up with the class 37 diesel on the front. Once the train was at a stand at Rothley Brook, we were signalled out with the 8F to pick it up. With the road with us, we were given the tip from the Guard to pull away in the direction of Loughborough. We were booked to stand in the down loop at Swithland for 15 minutes but, to get us back quicker, we were given all green on the down main as we approached, running nonstop back to Loughborough. Once we'd arrived (around 45 minutes late against the timetable), we were relieved by the afternoon crew of driver Simon and fireman Alan. Clive Hanley caught us after relief, walking back to sign out...
"Driver Nigel, fireman Sam and cleaner Julian after relief" (Clive Hanley)
Whilst walking back to the shed, 48305 was snapped one last time...
I eventually signed out at 16:30, around an hour later than planned but hey, these things happen. It was a great day with 48305 and I certainly didn't have any 'Eight Freight Blues'. The GCR timetable at galas is tight at the best of times: that's what creates the main line spectacle people come for. However, despite the delays, the quick thinking operations team managed to keep everything moving and fair play to them (I know how much effort goes into it all). My thanks go to driver Nigel and cleaner Julian for another great turn on the footplate, as well as cleaner Alex for his help during morning prep. Photographer Clive Hanley (who has a brilliant photo site which can be found here) kindly allowed me to use three of his fine images in this post: thank you, Clive! Finally, thank you all for reading this absolute muck as usual. Cheers all, Sam...
Please note any views or opinions expressed in this blog are merely personal and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person, group or organisation.
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