Pulling with Polly...

Hi guys. Today after work at midday I headed straight over to the Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition for my afternoon crew turn on CMES' portable track, which visits the show each year. As usual the provided locomotive was Polly Model Engineering's demonstrator: the brass-liveried Polly V 2-6-0. The engine had been in steam all morning and when I arrived at 1:30 to start my shift the loco was blowing off happily. During the afternoon myself & Emma crewed the track and gave a few rides whilst also having a bit of a jolly up and down. The "V" was steaming and pulling well and, with a brand new boiler, seemed a completely different engine all over again, despite us having had this engine on the track every year for a good while now. Life on the portable track is relatively easy. "Polly V" only has to pull, at maximum, the weight of 3 adults up the track to the end before dropping back. As long as the fire was kept bright and the feed-water for the injectors cool, the loco was no trouble at all. Best Regards, Sam...