A Bure Valley Railway Footplate Day with "Beaver 6"...

Each year on the footplate there comes a day or two when you think "that was a really cracking day" - this was one of them! Today, thanks to well known alarm clock snoozer 'Eddie the Late', I'd been invited over to the Bure Valley Railway at Aylsham for a day on the engine. Having stayed at Ed's last night, we rose with the dawn chorus before heading over to Aylsham along the quiet Norfolk roads. We were booked on the 'Steam 1' service, meaning a 7:30am sign on. With our kit unloaded from the car, we trotted through the workshop and into the running shed area where the two rostered locomotives: No9 and No6: stood quietly awaiting preparation. 'Steam 1' allows the crew first choice over which locomotive you take and, although the weather men had promised rain later in the day, we opted for No6 for the true 'tender engine experience'. Who cares about a little bit of rain? - easily said in the morning...

With the roller shutters now open, a group of us got together to push No6 outside by hand: a luxury afforded to 15" gauge locomotives although she was some handful! Once out in the pleasant morning sunshine, the large footplate of the 2-6-2 was apparent, as was the warmth emanating from the doorplate...

Eddie then explained the BVR preparation procedure (everywhere is slightly different) before setting me to work with the dart and shovel to clear the grate. We then moved to the front end to clear the accumulated char from the smokebox after yesterdays efforts. With checks complete, it was time to start the embryo fire. As instructed I threw a few handfuls of stone across the bars before laying a bed of coal. The stone helps to prevent any clinker from the Welsh coal sticking to the bars and is a process which increases firebar life. The 'Steam 2' crew duly arrived to start preparing No9 and this was a good thing as Ed had to go begging for a lighter...

With a soaked pile of rags blazing away on the grate, a mound of wood was added on top and then the doors closed until it caught properly. With the wood fire burning nice & hot the coal was added - you always need a good hot fire when starting this open cast Welsh I find. The draw from the already warm chimney helped the process along but BVR engines also benefit from an artificial blower provided by an airline from the shed compressor. Just a little touch keeps the smoke out of the cab and the heat continuously drawing through the tubes. A large engine in 15" gauge, No6 has a deflector plate and an arch to protect the tubeplate...

As I said yesterday, BVR No6 "Blickling Hall" was built for the Bure Valley by Winson's in 1994. She is one of a pair of ZB-type 2-6-2 tender locomotives based on the line and hasn't long returned from full overhaul. I really like the shape of this machine and the attractive blue livery. As the sun shone down on the shed during this warm Spring morning, I couldn't wait to get out on the footplate...

For the next hour or so No's 6 & 9 were prepared side by side. The first train on the 'Steam 1' service was scheduled for 10am and, half an hour prior, we were ready to go. With a pip on the Stanier style hooter, No6 hissed into life as Ed drove her off shed, expelling reams of condensate from the steam operated drain cocks...

The engine was backed clear of the shed before pulling forward onto the turntable road. The ZB weighs around 13 tons and isn't the easiest thing to push round! Once turned, No6 was ready to pull forward for water and ashing out...

With the large tender replenished, No6 backed down onto the waiting 8-car train...

Over on the shed No9 "Mark Timothy" was near to completing preparation in readiness to haul the 11:30am service to Wroxham. No9 is a 2-6-4 tank locomotive built by Winson's in 1999. Originally built as a County Donegal lookalike, she was rebuilt at Alan Keef's into her current Leek & Manifold Railway form in 2003...

Eddie leans out from No6 as 10am departure time nears...

Right on time, the Guard gave us the "Right Away" and off we went. No6 picked up the 8-car train and eased out of Aylsham passing the control box. Once clear of the station limits, No6 increased speed on the downward gradient towards the tunnel. From there on we headed to Wroxham. I tell you what, the whole experience is fantastic and isn't at all far removed from steam on the main line. If it wasn't for the size of the locomotives, everything else about the whole job is main line style. Watching Ed at work with the controls, it was clear that you needed to be on the ball with this job. As the driver here you are the driver and fireman together, operating a locomotive at speeds of up to 20mph on a 9-mile route, as well as having to contend with request stops, crossings, passing loops etc. It's quite a job to keep on top of! Here, No6 steams happily towards Hautbois Hall and its 10mph crossing...

The following video clip should give some idea as to the Bure Valley footplate experience. The engines are worked just like a main line engine. When accelerating up gradients the regulator is most often in second valve with the reverser being wound back as the need dictates. It's all quite exhilarating...

Flying along towards Wroxham aboard "Blickling Hall"...

Dropping down into the terminus station at Wroxham: adjacent to the Network Rail station: BVR 6 came to a stop in the platform. We uncoupled the locomotive from the train before turning her on the table and coming to rest in the centre road...

Once the passengers had taken their souvenir snaps, the engine chuffed to the other end of the loop in readiness to back down onto the returning train. The BVR engines are blown down between trips. Ed looked like he was listening to ABBA as the suspended solids were violently expelled from the boiler...

A quick oil round for "Blickling Hall" before the 11:10am departure for Aylsham...

With a bacon cob on the tea tray, Ed makes up the fire ready for departure...

The return run was equally energetic. No6 approaches Coltishall from Wroxham...

A typical cab shot on No6: regulator well open and sounding a treat...

As the sun shone and the chimney shouted, No6 was definitely the right choice...

I just couldn't decide which shots to include for this post so there are many!...

At Brampton Loop near Aylsham we crossed over with No9 on the 11:30am train...

Flying along towards Aylsham tunnel on the approach to the station...

Right on time, we arrived back at Aylsham after a great first trip. What a railway - exhilarating, delicious, amazing. Once coaled, turned and watered, No6 was placed at the head of the next departure - the 12:40pm off Aylsham. Note the interesting coupling arrangement - not unlike that of a car and caravan...

I was kindly allowed to chuck a few round on the second and third trips, under Ed's instruction. The firebox on the ZB's is considerable for their size at 5.5ft sq...

The second trip was just as good as the first - I loved it. A nice level fire keeping the holes filled keeps the needle near the red line (180psi) and as long as you're ahead of the game with the injectors No6 is a dream. For saturated engines these machines steam beautifully and their performances are nothing short of staggering when you consider their scale. Here, No6 waits at Wroxham ready to depart on the 2pm...

Returning to Aylsham, Ed radios in to control having entered a section...

At this point it would probably be good to talk about the BVR radio system. So, tokens aren't used in regular service at Bure Valley. Each locomotive has a radio name (so in our case 'Beaver 6') and is given permission to enter sections of the line via radio authority from the control box at Aylsham. As an example, if you're approaching a loop you radio in to alert control to this fact, control will then give permission to proceed in (or not) and wait, or proceed through depending on the situation. All transmissions are completed using the phonetic alphabet and professionalism is constantly maintained. It's an interesting system to see in action but it clearly works. As you can see though, the radio is just another job for the driver whilst the engine tears along...

At Buxton on the second train, we passed No9 again on her second outing...

At Aylsham we coaled, turned and watered No6 once again in readiness for our third and final train of the day: the 3:30pm to Wroxham...

'Eddie the Cake' couldn't resist a slice as we awaited departure from Aylsham...

Looking ahead from Aylsham in the sun: the control box is on the right...

A crew shot of me and Ed before our final run of the day (check out those clouds!)...

A final on-time departure was followed by a sunny drop down into Aylsham tunnel...

We did hit some rain on the approach to Hautbois but I was thankfully saved by the shelter of No6's warm backhead - Ed and his 'Toad of Toad Hall' goggles got a soaking! At Wroxham we turned the engine and ran round before grabbing a cuppa' prior to the final homeward run. No6 sat at the head of a quiet train...

The run out of Wroxham is always fantastic, stomping alongside the standard gauge track with the 7" cylinders powering the wheels for all they're worth! It was a great last run back and despite the horrid forecasts that the weather men had issued we got off very lightly with only a couple of showers. It was well worth taking a chance on No6! Back at Aylsham with a nicely run down fire, we steamed back through the station before pulling into the shed prior to disposal. What a cracking day...

We then disposed 'Beaver 6' prior to signing off after 54 miles of main line in miniature! I must thank the team at the Bure Valley for their kindness and hospitality during my visit - what a railway. It's great: the locomotives are pristine and yet are worked hard doing a 'real' job, the scenery is lovely, the staff friendly and the outlook professional...can't beat it. If you haven't been - go for a visit. Massive thanks must also go to Eddie and Lynn for arranging the visit and for having me. It was an all round great visit...maybe Ed wasn't so selfish moving to Norfolk afterall! I can't hope to do the railway full justice in this post but I've had a go and I hope you've enjoyed it. Thank you all for reading - this was one unique steam experience...