"Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen, when the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even" and so on and so forth! Here we are again: it's Christmas! Today I was booked for an afternoon turn at the Statfold Barn Railway for their ever popular 'Santa Express', along with fireman Chris and cleaner Stuart. The operational side of these jobs hasn't changed much over the years but a new addition for the 2023 stint was the return of the running shed at Statfold Junction, now back in use as a shed following the movement of Statfold Engineering into another building across the yard. I arrived in good time for my 13:30 book on, ready to park at the top and walk down to Strawberry Park and, latterly, the roundhouse. Once at the roundhouse I had a quick peek inside the shed before going for a cuppa' with the lads in the mess room. The main museum was festively decorated as usual...
The loco roster for the 2023 'Santa Express' was the usual: Hudswell Clarke "Fiji" and Peckett "Harrogate", with Hunslet Brazil class "Howard" waiting in the wings as the reserve. I was penned to be driving the big red engine on both of my Christmas 2023 turns. Having met up with both my crew and the relief duo for "Harrogate", we chewed the fat for a while before wandering out to the Strawberry Park platform to take over the engines for the afternoon/evening shift. Soon enough, an immaculate "Fiji" turned up on the tail of the top and tailed train, hauled by "Harrogate"...
With crews swapped, it wasn't long before I received the "right away" from the guard to take "Fiji" out of Strawberry Park for another lap of the field. Without fuss, "Fiji" hissed into life and off we went. Fireman Chris had the engine in fine form as we steamed around the field, with no issues with either steam pressure or water level. The first trip was nice and easy, followed swiftly by our second outing which was on the rear of the set, holding our weight and preventing any shuttling against the stock...
The evening went on much like that really: we pulled one, they pulled one. Each time we were on the front of the train we took water at Oak Tree and each time we were on the rear I gave the engine a check around whilst we sat at the foot crossing. Here, with light already fading, "Fiji" prepares to depart Strawberry with our third round trip (second leading). Chris has just added some coal to the fire...
And another view of the same moment from the other side of the engine...
The format of the 'Santa Express' remains largely unchanged from when they began a few years back, simply because it works! Passengers arrive in the reception area before being led out to join the train at Strawberry Park platform. At this point we will usually be pulling out of Oak Tree with the ECS and we perform a kind of 'grand entrance' if you like, with much whistling and perhaps a quick flick of the drain taps. Passengers then board the train before we reverse direction with the other engine leading, bound for the North Pole (Oak Tree) via Cogan Halt. Once we arrive at Oak Tree the passengers alight ready to take part in various activities, which will eventually lead them to the grotto and the big man himself. We then go off to pick up some more passengers and the system then repeats itself throughout the evening. Basically, it works! Here, "Fiji" (with headlamp on) prepares to leave Oak Tree for another 'grand entrance'...
By the time we did our third trip on the front of the train, the light was pretty much gone. Fireman Chris is seen here refilling the tender tank...
Chris drove the fourth trip on the front and the following trip on the rear, before I took over again for our final departure of the evening. The illuminated train looks quite striking after dark, particularly on a cold night like this which offered some great steam effects. Here, "Fiji" prepares for her last leading departure...
Driving at night is quite atmospheric, whichever railway you drive at. Sauntering around the railway with the glow of the Christmas lights and the steam generator powered headlamp beam shining out in front is always an interesting experience. After a very pleasant final trip leading, 1912-built Hudswell "Fiji" is seen resting at the Statfold end of the Strawberry Park platform. "Harrogate" would now haul the last round trip...
This final trip on the rear of the stock allowed Chris to run the fire down nicely, ready for disposal once back at the shed. With the final passengers having left us at Oak Tree, the festive lights were turned off and we returned to Statfold, with "Harrogate" leading, as ECS. We were brought to a stand on the bend outside Statfold, just before the home signal. Once we'd stopped, the home changed to red to warn us of the move at the other end of the stock. "Harrogate" was removed from the coaches and taken straight onto the shed, before I was given the road to propel the train back under radio commands to the required stabling point near the Statfold signalbox...
Once the coaches had been safely stabled and put on charge, "Fiji" was uncoupled before we ran forward slightly to get behind the inner home peg. The road was then given for us to proceed up onto the shed and, with a nice quiet fire, we could go straight inside and screw down for the night. What a pleasant little evening...
The Hudswell Clarke was then disposed for the evening on No2 shed road, with Peckett "Harrogate" having the same treatment alongside. It was refreshing to be able to take the engines into the warm confines of the heated running shed, rather than having to squeeze them behind the gates in the roundhouse yard as we have done in previous years. I must thank Alex for rostering me and Chris and Stuart for doing the firing. It was a very nice little evening, spent in good company. I'm next back on "Fiji" on December 23rd, all being well. Cheers all and Merry Christmas...
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