Hi all. Today was another pleasant outing on the footplate at the 15" gauge Evesham Vale Light Railway, based within The Valley country park in Worcestershire. What should have been my first EVLR driving turn of 2018: back in March: was cancelled due to heavy snow and so today was my first run since Christmas. I arrived at the headquarters of Twyford station at around 8:15am, swiftly joined by owners Adrian & Sandra. Despite the bright, calm morning the weather men had forecast violent thunder storms for just after lunch and with this in mind the rostered locomotive had changed from Severn Lamb "Dougal" to Exmoor "Monty". I did wonder whether to take "Dougal" regardless as I have "Monty" quite a lot but the thought of being pelted with rain in a lightning storm put me off. With the loco shed opened up, "Monty" was rolled out into the morning sun in readiness for preparation to begin...
Thanks to a similar forecast "Monty" had been used yesterday too and so remained nice and hot. Having cleaned the grate with the iron and performed all of the usual checks both in the smokebox and the firebox, I lit a pile of rags on the shovel. Once burning well the rags would be tossed onto the grate and wood added...
Having bundled a pile of wood into the box with a few shovelfuls of the Welsh coal on top, the doors were closed and the engine left to get on with it. The Welsh coal is usually fairly smokeless but during the initial light up you do get some smoke effects. As usual a compressed air line was connected up to provide an artificial draft...
With the fire lit and burning well, efforts were turned to cleaning the engine: Peek for the brasses, Pledge for the paint work. Once the engine was clean it was time to grease the main rod bearings and top up the remote oil pots. One thing I like to do at Evesham is swap the regular disc for a headlamp...
With "Monty" now ready for service (and before time) we sat down for a quick cuppa' in the mess room. Tea supped, I returned to the red 0-4-2 as she simmered quietly on the shed frontage. With all ready I warmed the cylinders before gently driving "Monty" off shed. Out at the mouth of the yard, the usual blow-down procedure was performed, violently expelling any deposits which may have collected at the foundation ring. Evesham engines are blown down every morning...
With that it's time to lock the facing points for the day before backing the engine onto the waiting train. Coupled on, we awaited the 10:30am outing...
Right on time, "Monty" was given the "Right Away" and off we went. The engine steamed freely as normal. She's very pleasant to be on: willing, free steaming and powerful. After a good run around the 1.25-mile circuit, "Monty" returned to Twyford. As usual the job was easy with this lovely engine...
After a couple of trips on the three-car rake the fourth closed coach was added for almost the rest of the day and most trains were full. The forecast turned out to be completely incorrect and a mixture of sun and cloud in warm and muggy conditions resulted in a sweltering afternoon on "Monty". It was like being in a giant egg poacher...
Even in this relentless muggy weather a fire isn't far away...
The day's 13 trips went largely without hitch and on the whole it was a very pleasant afternoon - despite the heat in the cab. Next time I'm in the same position I'm taking "Dougal" come hell or high water! Talking of water, I tend to take water at the column with the red Exmoor every 3rd trip. This helps to not only keep the tanks topped up but also keeps the feed water cool for the injectors...
At 2:30pm the traditional Evesham Tea & Cake was kindly delivered to the footplate. This time though it was joined by an extremely welcome flask of cold squash to help with the temperatures. The cake was very tasty as usual...
"Monty" awaits departure with the 2:30pm train for Evesham Vale...
In bright sunshine, the engine is seen at Evesham Vale on the returning 4pm trip. The Met Men could not have got today more wrong...
Happy in her work, "Monty" strode homeward up Twyford Bank...
As per the summer timetable the last train left Twyford at 4:30pm and after a pleasant final trundle through the country park we returned to base. Unusually the last train returned to Platform 2 at Twyford as part of a positioning move in readiness for tomorrows Bank Holiday two-train operation...
It was actually quite a novelty pulling onto the turntable from Platform 2 road and running back light engine through an empty Platform 1...I've never done that before! Once out at the mouth of the yard I unlocked the facing points and set the road for the shed. "Monty" groaned steadily through the tight point work before coming to rest back on the shed frontage. It was then time to deaden the remaining fire, fill the boiler, empty the ashpan and give the engine a good clean. Finally, I reversed "Monty" back into the shed on her final breaths of steam before "Dougal" was shunted on top by the green Lister. That's it then folks - job done...
After another very nice footplate day I left Evesham at around 5:45pm for home. Thank you to Adrian & Sandra for rostering me and for your continued hospitality - always a very nice day. Thanks all, until next time, Sam...
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