I've never made any bones about the fact that steam railway locomotives are 'my thing'; that is the way it's always been and that is the way it'll no doubt stay. This doesn't mean however that I can't appreciate the strange iron steamers of the road and the different circles in which they move. Today involved a very pleasant outing spent in good company with a pair of steam rollers. My friend Phil owns 1925-built Aveling & Porter 'F-Type' "Louise" and she is currently living in Quorn yard, adjacent to the GCR. "Louise" and her crew had planned to use this sunny Sunday to take a circular trundle around the lanes through Swithland, no doubt calling at a pub on the way for some liquid refreshment. The temperature was already rising well as I left home just after 8am, taking in the M1 and A46 route into Leicestershire to reach Quorn. "Louise" was already lit up and Phil was in the cab buffing up the brass work. When Phil bought the engine a few years ago she was named "Stortford Roll" and was looking a bit sorry for herself. Over the years he and his committed crew have transformed the renamed "Louise" into a very pretty and well maintained machine...
The weather this morning was quite unbelievable really after the long drawn-out winter we seem to have had. The sun was shining down from a bright blue sky and out of the shade it was already baking even before 10am. The rest of the crew soon arrived and we shared efforts cleaning the roller up for her day in the countryside...
Phil then uttered "you've not met Thomas yet have you?" and no he didn't mean everyone's favourite blue tank engine...myself and the various impersonators of the latter have met many times! "Thomas" is actually a 1924-built roller that would be accompanying "Louise" on her trip today and very nice he (she?) was too. By 11am we were starting to get ready to leave and the jobs of moving cars and shunting trailers about began. It's quite an interesting venue Quorn yard as on GCR running days there is regular activity through the platforms over the way. We did view a very steady departure by a shining Modified Hall before we pulled away. Watered up and coupled up, Midday saw "Louise" ready to...well...roll...
Clambering up onto the trailer behind "Louise", we perched atop some sheets which Phil had kindly laid out atop the mountain of coal. With a blast on her Great Western whistle, "Louise" pulled out of Quorn with "Thomas" following behind. From the station drive we took a right and proceeded towards the village centre. I could not get over the weather! It was a perfect scene rumbling through the quiet Sunday streets with "Louise" merrily chuffing along as we surveyed the garden of England from the trailer...
The life of a trailer passenger (or 'trailer rat' as they know them in the trade) is one where there is time to take in the sights. You spend a lot of time waving at happy onlookers who are glad to see the rollers in action, or as a complete opposite you marvel at the ridiculous impatience of certain road users who perform dangerous moves to overtake in all the wrong places. Some of the actions witnessed from the trailer are quite sobering to say the least: the world is in such a rush! After chugging through the village centre: where a crowd in a beer garden cheered at us as we passed: the Aveling duo had to climb some good hills on their way to Nunckley Hill: home of the Mountsorrel Railway. From the engine you rarely hear a steam rollers chimney: there's too much grinding and rumbling going on: but from the trailer you can hear all. After a strong pull the engines had earned themselves a break and we retired for an ice cream at the Nunckley Hill café. It's all quite civilised you know...
Sitting on a picnic bench in the sunshine with an ice cream on such a lovely day chatting with mates about steam engines was quite nice to be honest! Returning to the rollers I was asked if I'd steer "Thomas" for the run to Swithland..."of course!". "Thomas" is slightly smaller than 10-ton "Louise", at 8-tons...
With "Louise" leading again, off we went with "Thomas". After a few yards I was already finding it very pleasant aboard this 1924 'D-Type': what a lovely machine. Rumbling through the countryside with "Louise" chugging along in front, what's not to like? I particularly enjoyed the section passing Swithland Reservoir where the pleasant breeze making its way through the warm cab was most welcome on this hot day. In Swithland we came to rest at the pub where "Thomas" is pictured taking a breather...
Following some liquid refreshment we rejoined the rollers for the final slog back to Quorn. This time I'd be on the footplate of "Louise"...
Both of these rollers are compound machines, meaning that the steam is used first in the high pressure cylinder and then again in the low pressure cylinder. I did wonder why rollers required compounding seeing as their design purpose was mainly to shuffle back and forth rolling out the roads and many didn't cover great distances as they do now in preservation. Phil did explain however that there were considerable fuel economy improvements with the compound engines over the singles and as fuel was of course money the councils did prefer the 'fuel friendly' option. Neither engine is lacking in power and both go very well. During a brief servicing stop on the final run home I did manage to grab this shot from the cab of "Louise", showing the valve gear and main crank. When she's in motion this lot flies round at a right rate of knots...
It's definitely a different life with steam on the road: everything is that little bit slower and you can enjoy it more. The social side is definitely worth the trip. One interesting quirk is the lovely peppering of oil you get as the engine tears around in front of you: a welcome sunscreen in this weather! Soon enough we were pulling back up in Quorn yard after a very pleasant run with these road making machines...
What a very pleasant day indeed: great engines, great weather, great company, great fun. As I said at the start of this post these engines are a different breed to my rail mounted steeds but they are equally impressive and enjoyable to be involved with. I must thank Phil and his team for the invite and the experience and also say thank you to Andy (owner of "Thomas") for letting me have a go on his very nice engine too. A lovely day: couldn't fault it, very nice. Cheers all, Sam...
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