5542: Sunny Summer Small Prairie...

Hi all. Today myself & JB had a pleasant but tiring outing aboard the lovely Great Western Small Prairie tank No5542 on the Battlefield Line. The 2-6-2 returned to Shackerstone just after Easter and is on loan from her South Devon Railway base for most of the year I believe, operating the regular steam services to Shenton and back. 5542 is no stranger to the ex-ANJR metals with this visit being her fifth in recent years. With five passenger trains booked to the engine today on the usual timetable, I opted to arrive at Shack for around 6am - it's always much nicer to have too much time than not enough! Having driven in and trudged up the pathway to the engine shed with my ever growing pile of kit, I found a heat-radiating 5542 quietly simmering just inside the door. As the lights warmed up, the Small Prairie came into clear view...

Having placed my kit in the real mess area I clambered aboard the engine to check the state of affairs: water well up the glass and 20psi on the clock. The next job is to take off the chimney cap and then check the inside of the smokebox, before returning to the cab to remove the baffle plate so that you can check the condition of the firebox. With all well, I started clearing the grate with the long iron. Thankfully it was very free and most of the ash dropped through the bars without the need for much cursing. Turning around and looking into the bunker I was surprised to see it fairly full, although the abundance of slack confirmed it was Welsh. I scattered a layer of coal across the grate before closing the doors and climbing down to grab some wood from the dry, chopped pile near the roller door. Taking some well soaked paraffin rags up with me too, it wasn't long before I had a blaze going on the shovel...

With the rags burning away nicely I added the wood on top before closing the doors. The warm chimney aided the draft and the wood was soon crackling away. Once the wood had taken well it was time to add a few shovelfuls of coal and, in my own way, leave the engine to get on with it. The old saying "a watched pot never boils" is unbelievably true in every sense with steam engines so it's best to set them up and get on with the next job. If the fire is doing what it should then the tell-tale crackling and energetic smoke from the chimney will confirm this! JB soon arrived and performed his usual "threaten it til' it works" mentality on the mercilessly beaten tea boiler. We then enjoyed a cuppa' before I went underneath to oil up the Stephenson's motion. John meanwhile went around the outside of the engine.

My next task is one of the most hideous during a day on any footplate in my view: ashing out. No matter what you do you get covered in ash, filthy water, oil and grease as whatever misses you will find its way to your sleeve via the angle of the iron! 5542 thankfully has an ashpan wash which allows water fed in from the hose to wash the ash as best it can from the inside. Meanwhile, beneath the simmering beast and its encouraging glow, it's raining in the pit as you stand poised with the rake...

With the oiling up and ashing out complete the time was now just gone 8am. Whilst JB brewed up for us again, I drove the 55xx carefully outside. Having gently warmed the cylinders to persuade the majority of the condensate to depart, I opened the regulator that little bit more and 5542 cautiously edged forward. Closing the regulator was followed by the ringing drop of the snifting valves and the almost gunshot-like bang of a vacuum pump indoors! Slowly but surely we rolled outside and came to rest on the gradient. Having supped our next cuppa' we set to cleaning the engine and made a real effort with her. She's Great Western so you have to...

Whilst JB got to work brushing and washing down the running boards, I was on the top buffing up the whistles and bonnet before polishing the boiler cladding. I'd already shined up the door straps before blackening up the smokebox and chimney. Attention later turned to polishing the tanks and JB moved onto the brasswork whilst I made my way along each side on the green stuff. 5542 comes up like new, particularly the attractive shirt-button which looks freshly painted...

"JB - When I'm Cleaning Numbers"

We had planned to go off shed early as we seemed to be before time as it were but in the end we stayed on shed cleaning until gone 10:30. 5542 was coming up a treat - they always look amazing when they're clean...

Trainee fireman Callum had arrived during our cleaning session and kindly got to work buffing up the rods whilst JB and myself finished polishing the bunker and then the cylinder covers. It's always worth making the effort to make an engine really clean but it's just that sometimes, with only two of you, you can't do everything in the allotted time. Foot-Ex days in particular are a nightmare as the time is gone before you know it! Washed and changed, we took a gleaming 5542 over to the waiting four coach train. She didn't even need water as the tanks were full from the hosepipe...

Railway photographer Clive Town was out and about on the lineside today as we trundled around with 5542. There is a link right here to his very nice video of the day. Here, we depart Market Bosworth on time with the first train...

"Departing Market Bosworth Bunker First" (Pic - C.Town)

After a steady run with a 'cold' engine, we ran round prior to a northbound departure. The Welsh coal fires differently to the former Scottish stuff and I did find that it lasted longer once it was burning hot. We had no trouble keeping steam and rolled back into Shack on time with our short train. The Prairie is later seen simmering in the hot sunshine at Shenton with the returning 12:50 departure...

We collected our breakfast from the Shenton Café just before we got the "Right Away" from the Guard. 5542 got the weight moving and crept over the 5mph slack across Ambion Lane bridge before accelerating upgrade towards Far Coton. On a beautiful Summer's day like this the railway is beautiful...

As the Flag of the Boar disappears into the distance behind the train, you cross Shenton Lane bridge before the track curves into the cutting before the Three Bridges section towards Market Bosworth...

With the needle hugging the red line, a good fire in the box and a gentle 18mph or so tick from the vacuum pump, everything was going wonderfully. Here, 42' waits at Bosworth for the final passengers to alight before a homeward departure...

Having uncoupled and watered at Shackerstone, 5542 was coupled to the front of the train to bask in the sunshine whilst we had our short lunch break...

John and I swapped duties for the 13:45 and 15:00 departures. Trainee Callum did most of the firing on these trips, watched over at all times by JB. It brought back a lot of memories as I remember being in exactly that position 10 years ago! After a pleasant 13:45 round trip on the handle we returned to Shackerstone where good friend David was waiting to join us on the last one at 16:15. He and JB sat chewing the fat for a while whilst Callum & I watered the engine...

Myself and JB then shook happily on a job well done...

I had a very nice trip driving the 15:00 departure but by now the heat was unbelievable in the cab. The sun didn't seem this warm at Midday! Nevertheless we soldiered on and 5542 is seen at the head of the final train of the day for Shenton...

David kindly elected to fire the 16:15 and JB did the driving, allowing me some time to grab a couple of shots during our station stops. Here, 5542 awaits the 16:27 "Right Away" from Market Bosworth as the sun continues to shine...

At Shenton I uncoupled the 1928-built 2-6-2 before JB dropped her back into the headshunt to start the run round procedure...

Once back at the head of the train, nothing could disturb the peaceful atmosphere of rushing fields and birdsong at a tranquil Shenton - that is of course except for the ringing of a shovel blade as David created an infamous 'Mountain of David' in the firebox. He must have been off up Shap...

With a 'right time' departure from Shenton, 5542 set off into the early evening sun. It was a very nice ride home on this last trip, although we did have to briefly stop under the second bridge at Far Coton to retrieve my work worn flat cap! It got knocked off by a large tree branch which struck me in the face on the way down...

Upon arrival at Shackerstone I uncoupled the engine before we ran her back through Platform 1 and into the shed yard via No11 ground frame. The fire was then raked thoroughly and spread evenly before the injector was started and I drove 5542 cautiously back into the shed for stabling. Boiler full, cap on and the necessaries isolated, the Prairie was left for the night after a grand Great Western day out. Thanks to JB and David for their great company and thanks to Clive Town for use of his image. Another enjoyable footplate experience. Cheers all, until next time, Sam...