Tyseley: Remember, Remember The Fifth of November...

Hi all. Today I was over at Tyseley Loco Works on one of their regular volunteer Saturdays. The job for the day was to carry out various tasks on the Pannier Tank 9600. Built at Swindon in 1945, the BR black 0-6-0 has done some sterling work on the main line in recent years and is a lovely thing to be on. I had a great few days with her at the "Flying Scotsman" weekend at Tyseley in September and thoroughly enjoyed my time on her footplate. I've always liked Pannier's and this one in particular is lovely. I arrived at the former 84E shed at around 10am and left not long before 5pm. For me and my engineering interests, Tyseley continues to offer a 'kid in a sweet shop' scenario. There are engines of all types and sizes about the place in various stages of overhaul or restoration. In the machine shop there are many interesting items to see being made by the hands of skilled engineers on proper machines. Its fantastic.

It was actually freezing today! A biting wind was howling through the shed and I couldn't help but feel sorry for the many sparkler wielding maniacs who will be out in this cold tonight. Bonfire Night is of course the celebration of the failure of the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in which Robert Catesby and his gang of conspirators (including their technical advisor Guy Fawkes) set out to strike a 'terrible blow' against Parliament and the then King James I of England. The failure of the plot is remembered each November 5th with the lighting of bonfires and the letting off of countless fireworks. The famous remark "Remember, remember the fifth of November" is said to have been a quote from James himself. Many thanks for reading all. We're out with the Pannier's next week: the visiting Hawksworth 9466 and one of Tyseley's duo of 57XX's. Little engines will do big things as we steam to Stratford, back to Birmingham and then on to Worcester before returning to Tyseley via the Lickey Incline! Cheers all, Sam...