An Evening Job with 5542...

Well folks, tonight was a very pleasant evening on the footplate. Having been on the working party today at Tyseley, I had started suitably later to remain within 'my hours' for this special turn on the Battlefield Line. I'd been contacted during the week to see if I could fill in tonight on the newly arrived visiting Small Prairie tank No5542. The popular 1940s weekend: Operation Market Bosworth: was taking place on the railway this weekend and, although a crew had been found for both daylight turns, the evening exhibitor train was without one. Rules state that a crew can only perform a maximum of a 12-hour shift and so the day crew aboard the tank would have been out of hours if we hadn't of filled in. As our friends Mick & Julia organise the 1940s do, myself & JB pulled out the stops to help. 5542 arrived at Shackerstone yesterday and following a swift FTR and preparation, she was on service today operating six round trips over the ex-ANJR metals. I met up with JB at around 4pm, just as the Prairie rolled in...

"5542 Rolls In With The Returning 3pm Service"

5542 is on her fourth visit to the Battlefield Line from her home on the South Devon Railway at Buckfastleigh. I first went on her in 2010 as a trainee fireman, during her summer visit. She then returned in early 2011 for a couple of months before her last visit for the Bluebell gala in 2014. Myself & Adrian had a cracking day on her during that event. The 1928-built 2-6-2 currently wears the attractive 'Shirt Button' livery which I must admit makes a lovely change from all the BR liveried engines about...

The day crew still had one more round trip to do and so myself & JB sat down and did what we do best: we had a cuppa' and put the world to rights. The next hour or so also allowed plenty of time to sign in, fill the lamps with paraffin and generally make sure we had everything we needed. Working on a railway at night requires a little more equipment so I'd brought along my bardic and gauge glass lamp. Tea supped and kit ready, we took over the Prairie once the day crew had brought her back into Platform 2 with the final public train of the day. It was pleasing to have the novelty of stepping onto an engine that was all ready to go! 

With the engine uncoupled from the stock, JB gave a pip on the whistle before steaming down to the North End for coal. The JCB was rudely awakened from its slumbers to perform this operation. Three buckets later, 5542 was brimmed with coal and next our attention turned to watering. Hissing past No7 disc signal, we crossed over to the signalbox before dropping down to the water column. A 4575 Class like this carries 1300 gallons of water and the tanks were filled up prior to our ECS departure for Market Bosworth. After the usual brake test we left Shackerstone in a cloud of steam. I was busy making up the fire that I'd just cleaned with the long dart. After a long day in service there was some clinker forming on the grate but this was easily lifted, broken up and pulled back under the door. Climbing towards Barton with the four coach train, 5542 was sitting happily at 180psi as I continued to make up a large back end. Once through the 10mph slack at Hedleys, we drifted down towards Carlton...

The plan for this evening basically consisted of two round trips from Shackerstone. This would involve picking up the 1940s reenactors at Bosworth on the first outward leg and dropping them off on the last homeward run. It was clear that, unlike the timetabled services, we wouldn't be hanging around much at the stations and so I opted to really thicken the fire up, mainly to keep the engine 'warm'. When you're working consistently its amazing how much easier a larger fire makes life for you, but you always have that balance between enough fire and too much. A paper thin fire is a fine thing in terms of coal consumption but I don't rate the constant hot and cold conditions and the potential for cold air rushing through your grate onto the plate work. At Market Bosworth, the pretty Prairie simmered happily with the waiting 'party train'...

With our period costumed passengers aboard, 5542 received the "Right Away" from the Guard and off we steamed for the battlefield. The needle hugged the red line as the engine sauntered through Far Coton and out into the open fields near Ambion Lane. At Shenton, a swift run round resulted in this quick snap of the Prairie waiting patiently as the last of the evenings sun settled lower in the sky...

With all systems go, the Guard gave us the flag and we steamed 'none stop' for Shackerstone. The Prairie was most definitely happy in her work and myself & JB both agreed that she was still very much a 'good un'. In all the times we've ever been on her you can always count on a great performance from this engine: its smooth, willing and strong. It just seems perfect for this railway or indeed any other preserved setting for that matter, though I do love my Panniers! At Shackerstone, a few of the passengers alighted to watch 42' tick round to the other end of the train. The tanks were topped up once more ready for the second round trip although, looking at the gauge, we probably would have made it with water to spare. The old rule of "never pass a water column" is always in the back of the mind though...you never know! As we steamed back to Shenton, we chomped down our pasties which had been warming on the manifold for an hour or so...we're quite resourceful when we want to be. Lit up by the Shenton lamp posts, a blurry 5542 sits at the head of the final homeward trip...

Leaving Shenton, the view from the dark lanes must have been amazing as 5542 trotted up the bank towards Coton with the cab illuminated by the pulsing fire glow. Two dark figures clinging to a boiler that's strapped atop a wheeled frame as it rumbles through the gloom of a moonlit night is the joy of steam in the dark. Its a different world really and one of the things that made one of my evening experiences on 5043 so amazing as she roared through lonely stations under the cover of darkness! Anyway, at Market Bosworth we were heartily thanked by our passengers who all seemed to have had a great time. From there, it was just me, JB and the Guard for the ECS run back to Shack. 5542 drifted through the quiet farmland before arriving at a gloomy Shackerstone station. Having uncoupled, we drifted light engine back to the shed via No11 frame. Once inside, the usual disposal procedure took place as 5542 was bedded down for the night. I was very pleased to have used my BR (W) gauge glass lamp again. It normally sits on the shelf gathering dust but it has a good wick in it so I do like to use it where possible. I was approached by a chap at RR Ansty a few years ago who's late father-in-law was a driver at Nuneaton (2B) in steam days. He offered me the lamp for a fair price so I bought it. Its very nice...

I thinned the Prairie's fire for the evening and ensured that the boiler was well filled for tomorrows crew. The image below shows the engine settling down for the night before I climb up to remove the lamp and fit the cap...

"9pm - 5542 Rests In Shackerstone Shed"

All in all, a very pleasant night on our old friend 5542. This engine has always been a credit to her owners and her home base at SDR: she's lovely. I must thank JB for his company aboard our fine steed and say well done to Mick for putting on another fine 1940s event. Myself & JB may well find ourselves on the Prairie again quite soon, as last minute plans are brought together. Cheers all, thanks for reading, Sam...