Driving Sunday Afternoon Steam At RPMR...
Hi all. I had been quite looking forward to today for a few weeks so it was nice to see a good weather forecast on the horizon for a change! Today I was rostered as a crew member, simply a Driver in today's case in fact, at my 5" gauge concern; the Ryton Pool Miniature Railway, operated by Coventry Model Engineering Society. As usual, today was a simple Sunday afternoon service, operating for the public between 1pm and 4pm. I arrived on site at 11:45am and was the first to get into the railway's enclosure. I then took a walk around the 2000ft long track, checking for any drop-joints, loose bolts or damaged sections. Luckily, there was nothing serious to report but it's always worth checking so that, when you come around the track with your first passenger train, you don't come into contact with something that you didn't expect to! (I've had that happen to me before and it isn't very pleasant!). After I had walked the track, the Member in Charge for the day, Brian, arrived and we set about getting the Class 37 electric out, as well as the days rolling stock; the usual 3 cars + Brake truck. Brian then headed off to get some more things ready whilst I shunted the loco to the right end of the stock; using the 'Bendy-Beam'; before having a 'Test Lap'. Everything seeming in order, I stopped the loco near the Carriage Shed's to collect Leslie and Brian. We then took a run up the line to the Steam Preparation Area. As usual when I'm on, I had requested the use of the steam loco; "John H Owen". (Can't beat it!). The fourth member, fellow Driver Emma, soon arrived and we lit up the Sweet Pea... 
At 12:35pm (25 minutes early), the railway opened and took it's first passengers of the day, behind the Class 37 electric. In the meantime, I was left to continue preparing "John H Owen". Above, you will see a view through the firehole door onto the shallow and short grate; a coal fire is burning well in the box. After the first trip there was a quiet spell and so, with no passengers at the present, we decided to put the Sweet Pea onto the stock instead. However, there was a problem: somebody had removed the drawbar pin: meaning we couldn't pull anything! Therefore, everyone went off in search of a new pin; except myself as I had to stay with the loco and make sure the water level didn't drop and the fire didn't die. 15 minutes or so later, the team returned triumphant and the new pin was fitted. The Class 37 was then backed around to the Steaming Bay and replaced at the head of the stock with "John H Owen". With the electric out of the way, I climbed aboard the Driving Truck behind the Sweet Pea and put her into Reverse-Gear. Opening the regulator slowly, there was a slight movement before the loco stopped. I then shut-off to relieve the pressure in the cylinders. When using a loco with Automatic Drain Cock's, such as this one, you have to of course be mindful of trapped water, thereby not going 'too-mad' on the first few piston-strokes. Dropping the loco into Forward Gear, trapped water poured from the drain cocks and onto the tracksides. Once the majority of the water had gone, "John H Owen" began to roll forward freely, thereby allowing me to open the regulator and set off for the station... 
Above, the loco is spotted on the steaming bay, blowing off as the full 80psi working pressure is reached. Once in the station I took water before some paying-passengers arrived for the loco's first trip. Steam does seem to draw more 'punters' than electric, especially if you blow your whistle enough! After setting off slowly to allow the loco to "settle in" for the afternoon, we had a good first run and I continued to do another 4 or 5 trips before handing the loco over to fellow Driver, Emma, so that she could do a few herself. I must admit, I do genuinely enjoy driving the Sweet Pea on a Sunday afternoon, much more than on social events when she often has little or no load's behind the drawbar. (She just goes so much better with 3 cars full of passengers!). When you have a load on, you can also have a "bit of a play" coming up the daunting 1 in 70 Ryton Bank on the return run. For example, giving the loco a little more regulator: the bark is fantastic and you can hear in her "voice" that the locomotive is more than capable of doing the job. Slippage on the bank is in fact, almost unheard of! Below, you can see a view of the engine's cab. The gauge glasses, pressure gauge, regulator, reverser and damper door can be seen clearly. The manifold sports the blower (left) and the whistle valve (right) whilst the two red stalks on either side of the firebox operate the two crosshead-water pumps. Finally, the loco handbrake (simply used when parking), can be seen on the right...
"John H Owen" has always steamed and run very, very well and I have absolutely no complaints about the engine. Though on heavier runs, such as 3-cars full of adults + the Guard, the loco is working pretty hard, she is not being 'over-worked' as it were. She is very capable of the job she is doing. I would even go so far as to say that I "love" driving this engine on Sunday afternoons and I am very grateful to CMES for giving me the pleasure of doing so for the last few years! Thank you everyone! Anyhow, after Emma had done a good few trips she handed me back the loco and I enjoyed the last few runs. The heavier trains were once again a joy, especially when attacking the bank, though the lighter trains were a "nice break" when you wanted to use less coal! All in all, the loco was in steam from 12:35pm until 4:20pm and was still steaming fantastically, even so far as keeping 70psi all the way up the bank on her last passenger run. Must be the competant pairing of myself and Driver Emma! (No big-headed-ness intended!). After the final trip, Trainee Driver Leslie had a go on the regulator as we made our way back around to the Prep/Disposal Bay. No499 was then disposed and put to bed, followed closely by the Class 37 and the stock. It had been a very enjoyable afternoon and I will be returning to CMES in a few weeks for a working afternoon; the date of which is yet to be confirmed. Thank you very much to Brian and Leslie as well as fellow driver Emma for a fantastic afternoon driving the public on the RPMR. Though standard gauge is a big part of my "railway life", I will never tire of taking a "downsized opinion" and driving a Sweet Pea on a sunny Sunday afternoon! Thanks for reading everyone. Good Evening...
Hi all. I had been quite looking forward to today for a few weeks so it was nice to see a good weather forecast on the horizon for a change! Today I was rostered as a crew member, simply a Driver in today's case in fact, at my 5" gauge concern; the Ryton Pool Miniature Railway, operated by Coventry Model Engineering Society. As usual, today was a simple Sunday afternoon service, operating for the public between 1pm and 4pm. I arrived on site at 11:45am and was the first to get into the railway's enclosure. I then took a walk around the 2000ft long track, checking for any drop-joints, loose bolts or damaged sections. Luckily, there was nothing serious to report but it's always worth checking so that, when you come around the track with your first passenger train, you don't come into contact with something that you didn't expect to! (I've had that happen to me before and it isn't very pleasant!). After I had walked the track, the Member in Charge for the day, Brian, arrived and we set about getting the Class 37 electric out, as well as the days rolling stock; the usual 3 cars + Brake truck. Brian then headed off to get some more things ready whilst I shunted the loco to the right end of the stock; using the 'Bendy-Beam'; before having a 'Test Lap'. Everything seeming in order, I stopped the loco near the Carriage Shed's to collect Leslie and Brian. We then took a run up the line to the Steam Preparation Area. As usual when I'm on, I had requested the use of the steam loco; "John H Owen". (Can't beat it!). The fourth member, fellow Driver Emma, soon arrived and we lit up the Sweet Pea... 
At 12:35pm (25 minutes early), the railway opened and took it's first passengers of the day, behind the Class 37 electric. In the meantime, I was left to continue preparing "John H Owen". Above, you will see a view through the firehole door onto the shallow and short grate; a coal fire is burning well in the box. After the first trip there was a quiet spell and so, with no passengers at the present, we decided to put the Sweet Pea onto the stock instead. However, there was a problem: somebody had removed the drawbar pin: meaning we couldn't pull anything! Therefore, everyone went off in search of a new pin; except myself as I had to stay with the loco and make sure the water level didn't drop and the fire didn't die. 15 minutes or so later, the team returned triumphant and the new pin was fitted. The Class 37 was then backed around to the Steaming Bay and replaced at the head of the stock with "John H Owen". With the electric out of the way, I climbed aboard the Driving Truck behind the Sweet Pea and put her into Reverse-Gear. Opening the regulator slowly, there was a slight movement before the loco stopped. I then shut-off to relieve the pressure in the cylinders. When using a loco with Automatic Drain Cock's, such as this one, you have to of course be mindful of trapped water, thereby not going 'too-mad' on the first few piston-strokes. Dropping the loco into Forward Gear, trapped water poured from the drain cocks and onto the tracksides. Once the majority of the water had gone, "John H Owen" began to roll forward freely, thereby allowing me to open the regulator and set off for the station... 
Above, the loco is spotted on the steaming bay, blowing off as the full 80psi working pressure is reached. Once in the station I took water before some paying-passengers arrived for the loco's first trip. Steam does seem to draw more 'punters' than electric, especially if you blow your whistle enough! After setting off slowly to allow the loco to "settle in" for the afternoon, we had a good first run and I continued to do another 4 or 5 trips before handing the loco over to fellow Driver, Emma, so that she could do a few herself. I must admit, I do genuinely enjoy driving the Sweet Pea on a Sunday afternoon, much more than on social events when she often has little or no load's behind the drawbar. (She just goes so much better with 3 cars full of passengers!). When you have a load on, you can also have a "bit of a play" coming up the daunting 1 in 70 Ryton Bank on the return run. For example, giving the loco a little more regulator: the bark is fantastic and you can hear in her "voice" that the locomotive is more than capable of doing the job. Slippage on the bank is in fact, almost unheard of! Below, you can see a view of the engine's cab. The gauge glasses, pressure gauge, regulator, reverser and damper door can be seen clearly. The manifold sports the blower (left) and the whistle valve (right) whilst the two red stalks on either side of the firebox operate the two crosshead-water pumps. Finally, the loco handbrake (simply used when parking), can be seen on the right...
"John H Owen" has always steamed and run very, very well and I have absolutely no complaints about the engine. Though on heavier runs, such as 3-cars full of adults + the Guard, the loco is working pretty hard, she is not being 'over-worked' as it were. She is very capable of the job she is doing. I would even go so far as to say that I "love" driving this engine on Sunday afternoons and I am very grateful to CMES for giving me the pleasure of doing so for the last few years! Thank you everyone! Anyhow, after Emma had done a good few trips she handed me back the loco and I enjoyed the last few runs. The heavier trains were once again a joy, especially when attacking the bank, though the lighter trains were a "nice break" when you wanted to use less coal! All in all, the loco was in steam from 12:35pm until 4:20pm and was still steaming fantastically, even so far as keeping 70psi all the way up the bank on her last passenger run. Must be the competant pairing of myself and Driver Emma! (No big-headed-ness intended!). After the final trip, Trainee Driver Leslie had a go on the regulator as we made our way back around to the Prep/Disposal Bay. No499 was then disposed and put to bed, followed closely by the Class 37 and the stock. It had been a very enjoyable afternoon and I will be returning to CMES in a few weeks for a working afternoon; the date of which is yet to be confirmed. Thank you very much to Brian and Leslie as well as fellow driver Emma for a fantastic afternoon driving the public on the RPMR. Though standard gauge is a big part of my "railway life", I will never tire of taking a "downsized opinion" and driving a Sweet Pea on a sunny Sunday afternoon! Thanks for reading everyone. Good Evening...
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