Setting Up "Giant Miniature Weekend" 2018...

Well folks...here we go! After months of planning, worrying and hard work "Giant Miniature Weekend" 2018 is finally here. It's been another long road this year, battling uphill to get everything ready for the big weekend. Even the weather has been doing its best to thwart our efforts this time around and the cancellation of local rally Rushden Cavalcade really knocked my confidence the week before last. Thankfully though the sun decided to shine and a few days of hot weather resulted in two nicely dried fields ready for set-up to begin yesterday, on Thursday. A dozen of the 100 engines planned to attend arrived. Thursday gets more popular by the year, particularly with the long distance exhibitors who want to get booked in and settled...

Thursday, as always, was far more leisurely than Friday. The first engine arrived at around 10:30am with the last turning in at 6:30pm. I spent most of the afternoon on foot, marching back and forth up the field with wristbands, checklists, welcome letters - you name it. By Thursday evening things were slowly starting to shape-up. Ashley's Steam Gallopers had arrived and their large Scammell tractor unit had been busy shunting trailers. We couldn't wait to see the Gallopers all built up...

Alex and his team had been busy throughout Thursday getting the six rostered SBR steam locomotives ready for their weekend. "Isibutu", "Alpha", "Howard" and "Fiji" are seen basking in the evening sunshine on the shed...

In the running shed, Nick's team had also been busy, clearing away masses of tools and equipment to make the shed tidy for tomorrow's stand exhibitors to start arriving. This year we chose the 1899-built Krauss to stand as the centrepiece engine over the pit amongst the stands: I do like her...

I stayed over at Statfold on Thursday and we soon found our way into an early start for Friday. I was on the move at 6am and made my way into the running shed to chalk mark the floor for the arrival of the stands. Friday is always manic from 10am until late but this year was really something else. Down in the bottom field, known as the 'rally field', the first arrivals were enjoying the calm before the storm...

The various staff of the on site businesses started arriving from 7am and kindly parked in the field to allow the tarmac based exhibits to set up when they arrived later in the day. From 9am it really was absolute pandemonium of the highest order! Engines, exhibits, campers and lorries were turning up in their droves and without the invaluable assistance of the volunteers and staff of Statfold we couldn't have pulled this set-up off to the high standard which we did. In honesty, though it was manic, it went very smoothly. Engine after engine came through the gate and I believe there were 60 or more miniatures in the bottom field alone! It was shaping up to be quite a show but by mid-afternoon my adrenaline fuelled enthusiasm and energy was already beginning to fail. Every year I say I'm going to wear a pedometer and I forget! By the evening, as stands and engines continued to arrive, the bonfire was lit at 7pm alongside visiting Fowler Showman's engine "Repulse"...

With "Repulse" generating and her lights burning bright, not to mention her organ playing cheerfully across the way, the whole atmosphere - though still manic - was just what we wanted. I love "GMW" and it's been a pleasure to do it for the last 3 years. "Repulse" and the bonfire were popular right into the evening...

Meanwhile I was still marching back and forth across the fields, getting the last exhibits in. I think the last engine arrived at around 9:30pm in the end, though we did stay up and about until 11:30pm to let some of the final staff out. By then the rain was pouring but we hadn't had a drop all night so it worked out beautifully really - couldn't have asked for more. Despite the madness, stress and trauma the set-up really did go without hitch and it's always a great rush when a plan comes together. Just a few more exhibits to get in in the morning and we're away. Roll on tomorrow! Zzz...

Sunny Slow Moving Steam On The Road...

I've never made any bones about the fact that steam railway locomotives are 'my thing'; that is the way it's always been and that is the way it'll no doubt stay. This doesn't mean however that I can't appreciate the strange iron steamers of the road and the different circles in which they move. Today involved a very pleasant outing spent in good company with a pair of steam rollers. My friend Phil owns 1925-built Aveling & Porter 'F-Type' "Louise" and she is currently living in Quorn yard, adjacent to the GCR. "Louise" and her crew had planned to use this sunny Sunday to take a circular trundle around the lanes through Swithland, no doubt calling at a pub on the way for some liquid refreshment. The temperature was already rising well as I left home just after 8am, taking in the M1 and A46 route into Leicestershire to reach Quorn. "Louise" was already lit up and Phil was in the cab buffing up the brass work. When Phil bought the engine a few years ago she was named "Stortford Roll" and was looking a bit sorry for herself. Over the years he and his committed crew have transformed the renamed "Louise" into a very pretty and well maintained machine...

The weather this morning was quite unbelievable really after the long drawn-out winter we seem to have had. The sun was shining down from a bright blue sky and out of the shade it was already baking even before 10am. The rest of the crew soon arrived and we shared efforts cleaning the roller up for her day in the countryside...

Phil then uttered "you've not met Thomas yet have you?" and no he didn't mean everyone's favourite blue tank engine...myself and the various impersonators of the latter have met many times! "Thomas" is actually a 1924-built roller that would be accompanying "Louise" on her trip today and very nice he (she?) was too. By 11am we were starting to get ready to leave and the jobs of moving cars and shunting trailers about began. It's quite an interesting venue Quorn yard as on GCR running days there is regular activity through the platforms over the way. We did view a very steady departure by a shining Modified Hall before we pulled away. Watered up and coupled up, Midday saw "Louise" ready to...well...roll...

Clambering up onto the trailer behind "Louise", we perched atop some sheets which Phil had kindly laid out atop the mountain of coal. With a blast on her Great Western whistle, "Louise" pulled out of Quorn with "Thomas" following behind. From the station drive we took a right and proceeded towards the village centre. I could not get over the weather! It was a perfect scene rumbling through the quiet Sunday streets with "Louise" merrily chuffing along as we surveyed the garden of England from the trailer...

The life of a trailer passenger (or 'trailer rat' as they know them in the trade) is one where there is time to take in the sights. You spend a lot of time waving at happy onlookers who are glad to see the rollers in action, or as a complete opposite you marvel at the ridiculous impatience of certain road users who perform dangerous moves to overtake in all the wrong places. Some of the actions witnessed from the trailer are quite sobering to say the least: the world is in such a rush! After chugging through the village centre: where a crowd in a beer garden cheered at us as we passed: the Aveling duo had to climb some good hills on their way to Nunckley Hill: home of the Mountsorrel Railway. From the engine you rarely hear a steam rollers chimney: there's too much grinding and rumbling going on: but from the trailer you can hear all. After a strong pull the engines had earned themselves a break and we retired for an ice cream at the Nunckley Hill café. It's all quite civilised you know...

Sitting on a picnic bench in the sunshine with an ice cream on such a lovely day chatting with mates about steam engines was quite nice to be honest! Returning to the rollers I was asked if I'd steer "Thomas" for the run to Swithland..."of course!". "Thomas" is slightly smaller than 10-ton "Louise", at 8-tons...

With "Louise" leading again, off we went with "Thomas". After a few yards I was already finding it very pleasant aboard this 1924 'D-Type': what a lovely machine. Rumbling through the countryside with "Louise" chugging along in front, what's not to like? I particularly enjoyed the section passing Swithland Reservoir where the pleasant breeze making its way through the warm cab was most welcome on this hot day. In Swithland we came to rest at the pub where "Thomas" is pictured taking a breather...

Following some liquid refreshment we rejoined the rollers for the final slog back to Quorn. This time I'd be on the footplate of "Louise"...

Both of these rollers are compound machines, meaning that the steam is used first in the high pressure cylinder and then again in the low pressure cylinder. I did wonder why rollers required compounding seeing as their design purpose was mainly to shuffle back and forth rolling out the roads and many didn't cover great distances as they do now in preservation. Phil did explain however that there were considerable fuel economy improvements with the compound engines over the singles and as fuel was of course money the councils did prefer the 'fuel friendly' option. Neither engine is lacking in power and both go very well. During a brief servicing stop on the final run home I did manage to grab this shot from the cab of "Louise", showing the valve gear and main crank. When she's in motion this lot flies round at a right rate of knots...

It's definitely a different life with steam on the road: everything is that little bit slower and you can enjoy it more. The social side is definitely worth the trip. One interesting quirk is the lovely peppering of oil you get as the engine tears around in front of you: a welcome sunscreen in this weather! Soon enough we were pulling back up in Quorn yard after a very pleasant run with these road making machines...

What a very pleasant day indeed: great engines, great weather, great company, great fun. As I said at the start of this post these engines are a different breed to my rail mounted steeds but they are equally impressive and enjoyable to be involved with. I must thank Phil and his team for the invite and the experience and also say thank you to Andy (owner of "Thomas") for letting me have a go on his very nice engine too. A lovely day: couldn't fault it, very nice. Cheers all, Sam...

Tyseley: An Eastern And An "Earl"...

Evening all. Today was another pleasant volunteer Saturday at Tyseley Loco Works in Birmingham. In beautiful sunshine and under bright blue skies I arrived at the former 84E at just after 10am. There was already much activity in the yard near the turntable and the focal point was a brief Eastern visitor: the K1. 62005 "Lord of the Isles" is the sole survivor of the Thompson/Peppercorn K1 Class moguls which were principally a two-cylinder version of Nigel Gresley's earlier three-cylinder K4 Class. Only six K4's were built whereas the K1's eventually numbered seventy locomotives. A boiler pressed to 225psi feeding 20" cylinders driving 5ft 2" wheels gave the class a considerable tractive effort and they were versatile machines which, like the K4's, were mostly associated with the West Highland line. 62005 is owned by NELPG and spends a lot of time on the West Highland route between Fort William and Mallaig working the "Jacobite" excursions made famous by the route's inclusion in the Harry Potter movies. This morning, with rods dropped, 62005 was being collected by the Class 08 shunter from the main line depot next door for tyre turning on their floor mounted lathe. I believe the K1 is the biggest wheel they can do...

"K1 'Lord of the Isles' Alongside 7812"

Slowly disappearing from view, "Lord of the Isles" left us in the sunshine. What a nice old thing and I'm sure a very useful tool. In the works today we were continuing with maintenance on the beautiful Castle Class No5043. The "Earl" is a pleasure to work on and it's always nice to be amongst the various steeds which make up the Tyseley fleet. Behind "Edgcumbe" stands the equally lovely 4965 "Rood Ashton Hall". Hopefully we'll see her in steam again at the upcoming June open weekend...

I left Tyseley at around 5pm after another very enjoyable day with the lads. I have a busy few weeks coming up now as the ever looming "Giant Miniature Weekend" draws nearer - can't wait. Thank you all for reading, cheers, Sam...

Tyseley: A Date With The "Earl"...

Hi all. A very quick post from today. I was on the Saturday volunteer crew again at Tyseley Loco Works and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon helping with maintenance on No5043 "Earl of Mount Edgcumbe". It's always nice to work around such fine machines. Thanks all - nothing else to report, Sam...

Ryton: A Battery Box Sunday...

Hi all. Today in the persistent and miserable drizzle I was rostered as part of the crew at the Ryton Pools Miniature Railway, home of Coventry MES and its impressive 3.5"/5" gauge raised track. I arrived at midday along with the rest of the booked crew and as usual both trains and their traction were already on the track raring to go. I think we began running for the public slightly early at around 12:45pm and had a steady stream of customers throughout the afternoon. The rain was determined to carry on - heavy enough to be an annoyance but not heavy enough to call the job off. I had a mixture of guarding and driving spells on both trains and found the new guards trucks in particular a lot nicer to ride on than their predecessors. In service today were the two electric locomotives or 'flying battery boxes' as some know them. The Class 37 lookalike has received a new body in recent times and now wears an EWS-style livery. Its looks are much improved over its BR green incarnation...

I have nothing against these battery models but they just do nothing for me...give me a steam engine that is proving hard work any day! Despite this nobody can argue that they aren't useful, powerful and reliable for this sort of passenger work. By 4pm I think all of us were pretty soaked and ready for a cuppa' at home. We'd carried just over 100 passengers during the session which was a real surprise considering the dreary conditions. Until next time, Sam...

Tyseley: "Clun" On The Move...

Hi all. Today was spent at Tyseley Loco Works amongst its stud of Great Western express locomotives. Recently restored 1950-built Castle Class 4-6-0 No7029 "Clun Castle" is due to star in a photo charter next weekend as well as a public steaming and thus was being spruced up today for her outing. I spent the day in "Clun"s cab, buffing up the mass of copper and brass. It is a pleasure really to clean a Tyseley engine as everything comes up lovely. There is nothing more soul destroying than cleaning an engine that is absolutely filthy as the mess is just pushed from place to place - none of that here! After a good 6 hours of polishing my efforts were rewarding...

Just after 4pm, with an immaculate cab on 7029, I left Tyseley for home. Unfortunately I can't make next weekend but will be in the Saturday after. Thanks all, Sam...

A Bure Valley Railway Footplate Day with "Beaver 6"...

Each year on the footplate there comes a day or two when you think "that was a really cracking day" - this was one of them! Today, thanks to well known alarm clock snoozer 'Eddie the Late', I'd been invited over to the Bure Valley Railway at Aylsham for a day on the engine. Having stayed at Ed's last night, we rose with the dawn chorus before heading over to Aylsham along the quiet Norfolk roads. We were booked on the 'Steam 1' service, meaning a 7:30am sign on. With our kit unloaded from the car, we trotted through the workshop and into the running shed area where the two rostered locomotives: No9 and No6: stood quietly awaiting preparation. 'Steam 1' allows the crew first choice over which locomotive you take and, although the weather men had promised rain later in the day, we opted for No6 for the true 'tender engine experience'. Who cares about a little bit of rain? - easily said in the morning...

With the roller shutters now open, a group of us got together to push No6 outside by hand: a luxury afforded to 15" gauge locomotives although she was some handful! Once out in the pleasant morning sunshine, the large footplate of the 2-6-2 was apparent, as was the warmth emanating from the doorplate...

Eddie then explained the BVR preparation procedure (everywhere is slightly different) before setting me to work with the dart and shovel to clear the grate. We then moved to the front end to clear the accumulated char from the smokebox after yesterdays efforts. With checks complete, it was time to start the embryo fire. As instructed I threw a few handfuls of stone across the bars before laying a bed of coal. The stone helps to prevent any clinker from the Welsh coal sticking to the bars and is a process which increases firebar life. The 'Steam 2' crew duly arrived to start preparing No9 and this was a good thing as Ed had to go begging for a lighter...

With a soaked pile of rags blazing away on the grate, a mound of wood was added on top and then the doors closed until it caught properly. With the wood fire burning nice & hot the coal was added - you always need a good hot fire when starting this open cast Welsh I find. The draw from the already warm chimney helped the process along but BVR engines also benefit from an artificial blower provided by an airline from the shed compressor. Just a little touch keeps the smoke out of the cab and the heat continuously drawing through the tubes. A large engine in 15" gauge, No6 has a deflector plate and an arch to protect the tubeplate...

As I said yesterday, BVR No6 "Blickling Hall" was built for the Bure Valley by Winson's in 1994. She is one of a pair of ZB-type 2-6-2 tender locomotives based on the line and hasn't long returned from full overhaul. I really like the shape of this machine and the attractive blue livery. As the sun shone down on the shed during this warm Spring morning, I couldn't wait to get out on the footplate...

For the next hour or so No's 6 & 9 were prepared side by side. The first train on the 'Steam 1' service was scheduled for 10am and, half an hour prior, we were ready to go. With a pip on the Stanier style hooter, No6 hissed into life as Ed drove her off shed, expelling reams of condensate from the steam operated drain cocks...

The engine was backed clear of the shed before pulling forward onto the turntable road. The ZB weighs around 13 tons and isn't the easiest thing to push round! Once turned, No6 was ready to pull forward for water and ashing out...

With the large tender replenished, No6 backed down onto the waiting 8-car train...

Over on the shed No9 "Mark Timothy" was near to completing preparation in readiness to haul the 11:30am service to Wroxham. No9 is a 2-6-4 tank locomotive built by Winson's in 1999. Originally built as a County Donegal lookalike, she was rebuilt at Alan Keef's into her current Leek & Manifold Railway form in 2003...

Eddie leans out from No6 as 10am departure time nears...

Right on time, the Guard gave us the "Right Away" and off we went. No6 picked up the 8-car train and eased out of Aylsham passing the control box. Once clear of the station limits, No6 increased speed on the downward gradient towards the tunnel. From there on we headed to Wroxham. I tell you what, the whole experience is fantastic and isn't at all far removed from steam on the main line. If it wasn't for the size of the locomotives, everything else about the whole job is main line style. Watching Ed at work with the controls, it was clear that you needed to be on the ball with this job. As the driver here you are the driver and fireman together, operating a locomotive at speeds of up to 20mph on a 9-mile route, as well as having to contend with request stops, crossings, passing loops etc. It's quite a job to keep on top of! Here, No6 steams happily towards Hautbois Hall and its 10mph crossing...

The following video clip should give some idea as to the Bure Valley footplate experience. The engines are worked just like a main line engine. When accelerating up gradients the regulator is most often in second valve with the reverser being wound back as the need dictates. It's all quite exhilarating...

Flying along towards Wroxham aboard "Blickling Hall"...

Dropping down into the terminus station at Wroxham: adjacent to the Network Rail station: BVR 6 came to a stop in the platform. We uncoupled the locomotive from the train before turning her on the table and coming to rest in the centre road...

Once the passengers had taken their souvenir snaps, the engine chuffed to the other end of the loop in readiness to back down onto the returning train. The BVR engines are blown down between trips. Ed looked like he was listening to ABBA as the suspended solids were violently expelled from the boiler...

A quick oil round for "Blickling Hall" before the 11:10am departure for Aylsham...

With a bacon cob on the tea tray, Ed makes up the fire ready for departure...

The return run was equally energetic. No6 approaches Coltishall from Wroxham...

A typical cab shot on No6: regulator well open and sounding a treat...

As the sun shone and the chimney shouted, No6 was definitely the right choice...

I just couldn't decide which shots to include for this post so there are many!...

At Brampton Loop near Aylsham we crossed over with No9 on the 11:30am train...

Flying along towards Aylsham tunnel on the approach to the station...

Right on time, we arrived back at Aylsham after a great first trip. What a railway - exhilarating, delicious, amazing. Once coaled, turned and watered, No6 was placed at the head of the next departure - the 12:40pm off Aylsham. Note the interesting coupling arrangement - not unlike that of a car and caravan...

I was kindly allowed to chuck a few round on the second and third trips, under Ed's instruction. The firebox on the ZB's is considerable for their size at 5.5ft sq...

The second trip was just as good as the first - I loved it. A nice level fire keeping the holes filled keeps the needle near the red line (180psi) and as long as you're ahead of the game with the injectors No6 is a dream. For saturated engines these machines steam beautifully and their performances are nothing short of staggering when you consider their scale. Here, No6 waits at Wroxham ready to depart on the 2pm...

Returning to Aylsham, Ed radios in to control having entered a section...

At this point it would probably be good to talk about the BVR radio system. So, tokens aren't used in regular service at Bure Valley. Each locomotive has a radio name (so in our case 'Beaver 6') and is given permission to enter sections of the line via radio authority from the control box at Aylsham. As an example, if you're approaching a loop you radio in to alert control to this fact, control will then give permission to proceed in (or not) and wait, or proceed through depending on the situation. All transmissions are completed using the phonetic alphabet and professionalism is constantly maintained. It's an interesting system to see in action but it clearly works. As you can see though, the radio is just another job for the driver whilst the engine tears along...

At Buxton on the second train, we passed No9 again on her second outing...

At Aylsham we coaled, turned and watered No6 once again in readiness for our third and final train of the day: the 3:30pm to Wroxham...

'Eddie the Cake' couldn't resist a slice as we awaited departure from Aylsham...

Looking ahead from Aylsham in the sun: the control box is on the right...

A crew shot of me and Ed before our final run of the day (check out those clouds!)...

A final on-time departure was followed by a sunny drop down into Aylsham tunnel...

We did hit some rain on the approach to Hautbois but I was thankfully saved by the shelter of No6's warm backhead - Ed and his 'Toad of Toad Hall' goggles got a soaking! At Wroxham we turned the engine and ran round before grabbing a cuppa' prior to the final homeward run. No6 sat at the head of a quiet train...

The run out of Wroxham is always fantastic, stomping alongside the standard gauge track with the 7" cylinders powering the wheels for all they're worth! It was a great last run back and despite the horrid forecasts that the weather men had issued we got off very lightly with only a couple of showers. It was well worth taking a chance on No6! Back at Aylsham with a nicely run down fire, we steamed back through the station before pulling into the shed prior to disposal. What a cracking day...

We then disposed 'Beaver 6' prior to signing off after 54 miles of main line in miniature! I must thank the team at the Bure Valley for their kindness and hospitality during my visit - what a railway. It's great: the locomotives are pristine and yet are worked hard doing a 'real' job, the scenery is lovely, the staff friendly and the outlook professional...can't beat it. If you haven't been - go for a visit. Massive thanks must also go to Eddie and Lynn for arranging the visit and for having me. It was an all round great visit...maybe Ed wasn't so selfish moving to Norfolk afterall! I can't hope to do the railway full justice in this post but I've had a go and I hope you've enjoyed it. Thank you all for reading - this was one unique steam experience...