Tyseley: Setting Up For The Open Weekend...

Hi all. The blistering heat of recent weeks has been a pleasure to sit out in in the garden with a cold one after work but has been horrendous for any work involving steam engines. Today, under cloudless blue skies and the hot sun, we were at the former 84E preparing for the open weekend. I arrived at Tyseley at around 9:30am and was immediately put to work oiling up the inside motion on Pannier Tank 9600. By now most of the locomotives were sitting outside and the cleaning team were hard at work. 9600 had already been lit up and so a scattering of coal around the grate kept things moving in the right direction. It was already baking outside...

The inside motion of a Pannier requires the skills of a practised contortionist and I must admit I found it much easier to slide beneath the tanks on one in my younger years! Once you're in your legs tend to be trapped between the crank and the nearest eccentric strap, meaning you can't turn around so have to twist to reach everything. It's an experience! With the job complete it was time to take 9600 down for coal but not before I grabbed a quick shot of Peckett No1 that was standing in front. No1 (Peckett No2004 of 1942) left service for her ten yearly overhaul after the open day last Autumn. She now awaits her turn in the overhaul queue but hopefully it won't be too long until we see Tyseley's Pet Peckett in steam again. It's a lovely thing this - a really lovely thing. All of its charm makes it as attractive as any big engine...

The trusty 08 soon growled into view and took 9600 down for coal with No1 sandwiched in between. A lorry with a hydraulic bucket did the honours amidst a foul dust storm from the Welsh coal. By now the Pannier was well into usable pressure and we later began shunting the yard with her. It always amazes me how strong yet subtle the Panniers are: they're great for shunting. Here, No1 is about to be pushed into position alongside the toad to go on display for the weekend...

 After many moves, 9600 rests on one of the turntable roads...

One of my last moves with 9600 was to fetch "Defiant" and "Kolhapur" down to the turntable from the annex. These two normally live upstairs in the old coal stage but are dragged down for display on most of the open weekends. Here, "Defiant" basks in the evening sunshine on the turntable in readiness for the little Ruston to push her back into place. Maybe one day she'll steam again...

At around 6pm I decided to head for home after an enjoyable but dusty day at Tyseley. The relentless heat had all but ruined us but we kept going. The lads were still well on with shunting after I left! It's amazing how long a good shunt takes with so much kit to move. I'm at Tyseley for the next two days and it will be great I'm sure. As well as 9600, "Clun Castle" and "Rood Ashton" will also be in steam. Cheers all, Sam...