Evening all. Today saw me once again firing on the Great Central Railway at Loughborough, working turn A23 aboard 1953-built BR Standard 2 No78018. My book on time today was 15:00 and I arrived in good time to sign in, read the notices and get changed into my overalls. The loco roster stated that myself and driver Dave would be taking 78018 today which, for me at least, meant a change of locomotive as most of my recent turns have been aboard the larger class 5 No73156. Running on time, 78018 soon appeared back in platform two with the returning "South Yorkshireman" lunchtime diner. She then ran back to the shed for her crew swap. Duty fitter Tom kindly offered to refill the tender with the JCB ready for our three return trips...
The morning crew had already brimmed the tender with water and so, with 180psi on the clock and a quiet fire, myself and Dave left the shed and proceeded to the head of the passenger stock for our 16:00 train in platform one. With 20 minutes to go until departure I started to make up my fire, sparingly however to save any unnecessary blowing off. Unfortunately for me, the very good but smoky current coal we're using (from somewhere near Russia by the looks of it) had other ideas. Even with a smallish fire I had to try to thin the smoke using some top air and the blower. The resulting rise in boiler pressure however caused one of the safety valves to start lifting. With steam however being less of a complaint than smoke, I just had to live with it...
Leaving Loughborough on time with the 16:00 passenger departure, the engine soon quietened down as we set into the run towards Quorn. From then on she wasn't a problem and we managed to keep strong steam and water levels with the smoky coal. Apart from the smoke, I find that everything else about it is very good. The 16:00 departure also saw us performing a memorial service for a passenger, where the ashes of a loved one are passed through the firebox of the locomotive before being scattered via the chimney exhaust. These are very poignant events and I've been part of a couple of them over the years at different places. Returning to Loughborough, the engine is spotted waiting at the five-coach stop marker...
Once back at the shed, 78018 was partially disposed. This involves emptying the smokebox, cleaning the fire and doing the ashpan. This is done so that there is less to do when we return to shed later on in the evening, reducing the noise for our neighbours as best we can. Partial disposal completed, we ran round via the totem pole to reach the waiting diner stock in platform two. Once coupled on, the lamps were mounted on the front and I was given "The Charnwood Forester" headboard to fit in readiness for this evening's two round trips of the line. The last time I did a Charnwood diner was the night I passed for firing a few months ago aboard 48305...
Below is a hazy shot of the tidy footplate on 78018. The heat emanating from the boiler and firebox is causing the camera to go out of focus, as per...
The engine now sat quietly simmering away to herself, with around an hour before our planned 19:00 departure for Leicester North. During this layover, many of our passengers visited the footplate before they boarded for their on train meal. It's always nice to see people taking an interest in the locomotive, many of whom have never stepped aboard a footplate before. As departure time neared, the light was already starting to fade and so I decided to light the BR (M) lamps...
We left Loughborough on time with our five-coach train and had a nice trundle to Swithland reservoir. Here there is a 15-minute wait, offering a picturesque view across the water. 78018 once again simmered quietly during the break...
Leaving Swithland on time at 19:30, we steamed to Rothley and had a very brief pause whilst I left the footplate to collect the single line token from the exchange box. Having raised the token to show the signalman that I'd received it, I returned to the footplate and confirmed with Dave that the token was correct. The Guard then gave us the "right away" to proceed to a quiet Leicester North. After a brisk run round and recouple, 78018 waited for her northbound departure none-stop to Loughborough...
The second run of the evening was quite exhilarating, with 78018 steaming beautifully as we marched on through the night. On the up line we have to drop down to 10mph for the Quorn foot crossing before accelerating back to line speed to Rothley. Token collected once again, we barked southward to Leicester North for another brisk run round before a line speed none-stop run back to Loughborough. I can't think of any other preserved lines where you can run through platforms at 25mph like you can on Quorn's down platform. It's quite an experience. Once back at Loughborough, we uncoupled before topping up the tender at the water column. 78018 was then returned to the shed and disposed. After a quick rake through the fire to release any clinker, I removed the baffle plate before checking the firebox over. With all considered okay, I closed the doors and filled up the boiler to the required level. Dave completed his driver's paperwork and we left 78018 for the night at around 22:30...
I must thank my driver Dave and our guard Michael for a pleasant evening out on the railway. It had been a very nice 48 miles out aboard 78018 and a good workout for me. I'm sure that the well fed passengers aboard the Charnwood diner had had a good time and the few that we saw later in the evening were certainly in good spirits. If anyone reading ever fancies a night out with a difference aboard the diner, click here to visit their part of the website. Thanks all for reading once again...
Please note any views or opinions expressed in this blog are merely personal and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person, group or organisation.
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