Last Chance Saloon On No92214...

"9F No92214 works northward on the down line at Swithland"

This morning I was rostered for an 08:00 book on at the Great Central Railway's Loughborough shed, ready to work the B2 turn. I arrived a touch after 07:30, in good time to sign in and read the notices. Third man Alex was already there, fresh from completing the three day practical element of the 2023-2024 Firing School last weekend. Once signed in, I wasn't disappointed to see that we were allocated to the mighty 9F No92214, the last steaming of which will be February 26th (a week tomorrow). Today would be my fourth run out with the 9er in recent months but, allas, this one most definitely would be the last. It's always sad when engines reach the end of their ten year ticket but the big 2-10-0 has certainly had a good run, proving herself to be a reliable and popular performer throughout. This morning, still hot from yesterday's efforts, she awaited us in the drizzle on No2 shed road...

Clambering up onto the footplate with my mound of kit, I started by checking the pressure gauge which was still reading a healthy 40psi. Opening the two gauge frames revealed 1/2 a glass of water and a quick look in the firebox showed a fairly thin bed of ash spread across the bars. With everything looking good, I climbed into the firebox and had a good sweep around before we rocked the two sides of the rocking grate. Cleaned, rocked and locked, the grate inside the 9F's 40ft square firebox is seen in a state fit for throwing in some coal prior to lighting up...

For an engine ten years into its ticket and working through an extension to boot, this old gal' is in remarkably good condition. The firebox in particular looks to be in great shape, with some engines you come across being in a worse state only a couple of years in! With the firebox sorted and ready for lighting, we proceeded to the front of the engine where Alex opened and checked the smokebox. With all well, I returned to the footplate whilst Alex went off to find some wood. Having thrown a good bed of the Kazakhstan coal around the firebox, I lit up some paraffin-soaked rags to get things started. For a few seconds I thought: I wonder if I'll ever light this old thing up again?...

"My last fire in the 9F?...Definitely for now!"

With the rags now burning well atop the coal, I threw in two barrows full of wood and let the engine get on with it. The encouraging crackle and the smoke climbing from the double chimney assured me that all was well and so it was time for a quick breather. Driver Neil meanwhile was going around the engine with the oil cans as the persistent drizzle refused to give in. Alex then went off to make us a much appreciated cup of tea which was accompanied by an even more appreciated homemade brownie: delicious. Myself and Neil both agreed...he can come again! Tea supped, it was time to turn our attention to the ashpan. This task is much easier than on something like the Hall or the 8F. The 9F (much like the Brits and other wide box BR Standards) has the four side pockets which allow the ashpan to serve the area outside of the frames. These pockets: two per side: are emptied first and the accumulated ash is raked or washed downward to meet the larger accumulation atop the hopper doors...

"Driver Neil oils up whilst Alex washes out the pan's side pockets"

Once the ash from the pockets had been washed down, we dropped the main bulk of the ash via the hopper doors. With the doors closed again, we then washed the area around the two damper doors to ensure that they weren't blocked, before rocking the hopper again for a final time. All of this preparation, much like with the grate this morning, would help us later on. It's always the same, the more effort you make to get a clean grate and a clean pan, you will be rewarded by better steaming later on...or you'd like to think so anyway! By now the pressure gauge needle was climbing nicely and the fire was burning well, no doubt helped by the sudden inrush of primary air when we did the pan. Soon enough, it was time to drop the engine back to receive a bucket of coal from the loader before setting back to the southern side of Empress Road bridge so that the ash pit could be emptied with the engine clear...

As it was still drizzling at this point, the pit was emptied rather than cleaning the engine as this would be futile in these conditions. Whilst Neil and Alex emptied the pit, I went around with a barrow collecting the dropped coal which fell from the tender during coaling. In these times where coal is a small fortune per ton, you can't afford to have it crushed into the floor of the yard! No92214 meanwhile simmered quietly with 180psi on the clock and a boiler 4/5 of a glass full. One of the nine preserved examples of Robert Riddles' formerly 251-strong class of heavy freight engines, at the time of writing three of them are operational: this one, 92134 and 92203: soon to be one less!...

Today's turn should be described as gentlemanly. We had an 08:00 book on, two trips to do and then dispose, with a sizeable layover between them compared to normal. The other engine in steam: Standard 5 No73156: would work the first passenger train of the day before we took over passenger duties for two trips. The 4-6-0 meanwhile would work the Sunday lunchtime diner before working the final passenger train of the day whilst we disposed of the 9F. Below, No92214 prepares to depart Loughborough's platform two with the 12:00 passenger train for Leicester North...

Departing on time in a cloud of condensate, the 9F's 20" cylinders soon had the train up to line speed as we romped towards Quorn on the up line. At Leicester there was an extra 15 minutes built into the timetable to allow passengers to visit the footplate before running round in readiness for the return journey. By now the rain had stopped and there was even the odd glimpse of the sun as we passed through Swithland...

"Passing 73156 and the diner at Rabbit Bridge"

The 9F returned the train easily to Loughborough where we had to swiftly run round and shunt the ECS across to platform one. (This was due to a points issue with the crossover which usually takes you from the down line to platform one). Even now, with the shunt completed, we still had well over 35 minutes before our 14:15 departure: very civilised! Whilst we waited time, the 9F simmered quietly whilst heating the six-coach stock, the first coach of which was an afternoon tea service...

On this trip I elected to swap with third man Alex and he did the firing throughout as part of building his practical experience. Below, No92214 gets the train away from Rothley Brook with a lovely bit of wintry sun shining down on the exhaust...

This time at Leicester it was just the normal run round and so we were soon back on the northern end of the train and getting ready for departure. Below, the 9F stands ready to depart, with the sun from behind causing a significant shadow...

There were a few folks about purely to see the 9F, with a big farewell weekend planned for next weekend to see the old gal' out properly. Here, with the sun still trying to stay out, we await time at Leicester whilst Alex prepares the fire...

Driver Neil kindly allowed me to drive the 9F back to Loughborough which, as always, was an opportunity that I was most grateful for. The significance of this being my very last go on the 9er was in the back of my mind as I awaited the Guard's "right away" in the driver's seat. What a big old thing this is...

"Last time in the driver's seat of No92214"

Leaving Leicester North on time, the engine easily got the six-coach train underway and we had a bit of an energetic jog out towards Greengate Lane. Alex had the fire well under control, being mindful to run the engine down ready for disposal once we'd pulled into Loughborough. Booked driver Neil meanwhile kept an eye on the both of us as we worked the train northward, calling at all stations. We were held on the approach to Loughborough at the outer home whilst No73156 moved the now empty diner stock out of platform two and over into one. With the road pulled, I took the 9F and her train into platform two, running parallel with the class five. Once uncoupled from the stock, we ran cautiously back down to the shed via the water column...

All that was left to do was to run the rake across the firebars, empty the ashpan, check the smokebox and then fill the boiler, before leaving the 9F to simmer away to herself for the night. What a great little turn this was and a fitting goodbye for me to No92214. It's always sad when an engine reaches the end of its ten year ticket but it is perhaps more so these days as, with the ever uncertain economics behind running these vintage locomotives, you can never quite guarantee that something will ever return. I hope we'll see No92214 steam again but, as with everything, you never quite know until you see it these days. The ever increasing cost of coal (plus the arguable scarcity of it nowadays) is a major factor in my mindset. It's hard not to be negative but, looking at it another way, we should be thankful that we've had them this long!

Thank you Neil & Alex for a great day on the B2 turn and thank you all for reading this muck once again. We had a great last day on the mighty 9F which, as of next Monday, will now take a few years well earnt rest whilst she awaits her turn in Loughborough's overhaul queue. Ciao for now folks!

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.