Hi all. Today was our third annual jaunt to Welland Steam Rally, not far from Great Malvern. Each year Statfold sends its popular Erie Steam Shovel and one of the 2ft gauge fleet to be part of the show and the latter is usually crewed by myself & JB on the Sunday. We'd been booked for this job for a few months and in the recent weeks of seemingly unstoppable sunshine it looked like it was going to be a scorcher. How wrong we were! The event was battered by rain throughout Saturday night and it was just as well we took Britt's trusty Land Rover to cope with the muddy conditions. JB was already fuming when he picked me up, having missed the junction on the M6 and descended into a fit of rage blasting out every expletive under the sun (or cloud as it were!). Once on our way we had a good run down to Welland through the persistent rain and arrived a little before 08:00.
I'd lost our passes in the week due to an administration error at home (I think I binned them by mistake!) but thankfully we had a contact. Road Making display organiser Ken had kindly took pity on us and came to our rescue. Next year I won't lose the passes, Ken! Once successfully at our section, we discovered a very damp "Roger" the Wren with a very nice 'block of wood' chimney cap...
As the rain continued to fall it was a pretty miserable morning. The rally organisers did have a think I believe as to whether to continue but in the end the call came - "light the fires!". With any rally ('GMW' included) it's always a shame when such a massive amount of work is potentially ruined by the weather as its the one thing you just can't plan. All you can do is hope for the best...
Lighting "Roger"s fire was the next obstacle for us. There was some slack-ridden coal in the bunker but other non-sodden implements were slightly lacking. I did manage to find some wood which was a tad over-size for the Wren (you could have lit a standard gauge with it!) but needs must. I also managed to beg a lighter from the road making boys as well as the dirty remnants of a tea towel to get me going! Soon enough however, after plenty of effort, a very small but rewarding plume of smoke left the Kerr Stuart's chimney joined by a reassuring crackle from the firebox...
With the engine lit and warming gently, we wandered across to the nearby catering area to catch a Full English. We were one of the few on site that actually had our fire lit! After a stressful morning JB had calmed down at the sight of his snap...
Stomachs replenished, we trudged back through the mud to the engine. All around us there were various engines bogged down and the organisers did declare "no movements" for the bigger stuff until the ground could catch up. By now "Roger" was simmering nicely and the needle was just rising away from the stop. The warmth of the fire was very much appreciated on this bleak morning...
As "Roger" neared working pressure, John began testing the injectors. Unusually, the Kerr Stuart Wren's have the injectors mounted slightly forward of the cab. I can only think that they were designed with spending most of their time stationary in mind. With both injectors having picked up nicely, all was well...
The short 2ft demonstration line runs up through the road making display which is made up of all of the items you'd expect to see in such an area. The section gets busier with interesting exhibits every year and is a credit to Ken and his team. Once we had enough steam to drag our two loaded tipper wagons up the hill, we went for a trundle on "Roger". Without fuss, the little Wren steamed up the track...
After a few trips each on the regulator, JB elected that as the younger member of our duo I should fetch the "kin' tea". I don't know if that's a special brew? Anyway, on my way to the tea bar I couldn't help but stop by and take a look at the standard gauge engine this year: Hunslet Austerity "Wimblebury" of 1956...
I did see a bit of "Wimblebury" last year when I visited it's Foxfield home to oversee "Gomer" put in it's breathless performance at their gala. The Austerity had just returned from a 10-yearly overhaul that weekend but I think since then she's had even more work done. She's only recently been repainted and looked resplendent in her blue livery. She was delivered new to Cannock Wood colliery and I believe she spent her entire working life there before moving into preservation at Foxfield in 1973. The crew aboard "Wimblebury" kindly invited me aboard for a couple of trips on their fine steed. I like the Austerity's: powerful and workable machines that are capable of most of what preservation has to throw at them...
Starting away from the bottom of the bank at Welland with "Wimblebury"...
I really enjoyed my couple of trips on this blue beast. What a nice old thing...
Having thanked the Foxfield chaps for my ride, I quickly grabbed some "kin' tea" before returning to a gasping JB. Tea supped, we were asked to drop one tipper into the side road for unloading. The Welland lads have recently installed a small wagon turntable which allows this move to take place. The provided pickaxe was a bit infuriating to use, with the head sliding down onto your hands every time you swung it!...
Between the hours of 10:00 and 14:00 the rain did subside and a surprising amount of visitors came through the gate. Lucky we steamed up after all...
We later enjoyed a very nice Ice Cream from the nearby van, although JB seemed to have bathed in his rather than ate it! "Roger" meanwhile merrily trundled back and forth with little fuss. This 1918-built 0-4-0 is a very pleasant little thing to operate - unless you're ashing out, that's just awful. Just after 14:00 the heavens opened again and the threatening skies sent down some battering heavy rain. I took this shot from the small tin shed that acts as a tool store as "Roger" simmers in the pouring rain...
The downpour did go over slightly but was followed by persistent light rain and so disposal procedures very quickly began! Having removed the two tippers from the demo line using the wagon turntable, I took "Roger" up the line for one last run light engine. What a nice, if a bit damp, day we'd had...
Once back at the foot of the line we deadened the fire, filled the boiler and emptied that horrendous ashpan (you can't move in there between the frames!) before leaving "Roger" to simmer quietly with the chimney capped. She'll be heading home to Statfold tomorrow and will no doubt be glad of the cosy shelter of the Roundhouse...
By just gone 15:00 we were queuing out of the gate with a variety of other rain-soaked exhibitors before rumbling back along the M5 and M42 homeward...
All in all we'd had a very nice day that nearly didn't happen at all. Welland is always an enjoyable experience and it's always pleasant to crew "Roger" the Wren. Thanks to Statfold for asking us again, thanks to Ken for getting us in and thanks to JB for his usual comical company. I'm off to ring my cap out now, cheers all, Sam...
2 comments:
Hi Sam. Sounds like a damp day. I have a 7.25" Wren and they are a superb machine, strong and capable. Interesting to see and hear your exploits on the full sized version. Keep up the good work, Phil.
Hi Phil. Yes a great but damp day. The Wren's are very good. A friend had a 7.25" gauge one and it went very well indeed, just as you say. Take care, Sam
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