2003 - 2013 Bye bye

Being a humble wage slave, I can't get along to the railway as often as I'd like, and last Thursday was definitely one of those days where I would have liked.  A lack of holiday and a looming deadline all conspired to keep me chained to my desk.  Why last Thursday in particular?  Well the reason for that is that it was scheduled to be the last running in normal traffic of Foremarke Hall before her 10 year boiler ticket expires and she has to be withdrawn from traffic for a major overhaul.  She will be available to cover in the event that one of our other locos fails, but she will not otherwise be working on any of the Santa Specials. The fact that I wasn't able to be there won't thwart my attempts to report on Foremarke Hall's last day in regular service, as a number of kind souls who were able to be there have forwarded me a selection of photos to use here:

The crew on this notable occasion were Andy (driving), Ade (firing) and Mark as cleaner:

As noted on previous blog entries, even with the clock gone back by an hour, it's still good and dark when the crew clocks on:  Ade sets to work cleaning out the grate by torchlight:

Photo courtesy Matt Showell

 Mark gets on with cleaning the boiler barrel:

Photo courtesy Matt Showell

Meanwhile, Matt inadvertently catches his own reflection in the gleaming brass safety valve bonnet that I presume he has just cleaned:

Photo courtesy of Matt Showell

Whilst still on shed, Foremarke Hall was kitted out with the headlamp code, which according to our rule book means amongst other things, 'photographic charter train requiring to stop in section'.  It was almost certainly just placed there because it was the most convenient spot for the person who prepared the lamps to reach, but given the number of people who appear to have been out and about with cameras, it seems appropriate.

Photo courtesy of Mark Shere-Massey

Finally, it seems she was ready for departure with her headlamp on the correct bracket for an ordinary passenger train:

Photo courtesy of Mark Shere-Massey

Numerous photos of Foremarke Hall hard at work were taken too:

Photo courtesy of Mark Shere-Massey

On Stanway viaduct, photo courtesy of Dan Wigg

 In true end of steam style, some wit chalked "2003 - 2013" and "Bye bye" on the smoke box door:

Photo courtesy of Mark Shere-Massey

The final crew (Andy & Ben) and guard (Claudette) confer to try and establish who the culprit might be:

Photo courtesy of Matt Showell

I don't know for sure, but some detective work by Dan appears to have uncovered some incriminating evidence:

Photo courtesy of Dan Wigg

Various unkind comments on social media have suggested meanings for the D in the red circle in the photo above.  It means neither 'dunce' nor the mark which Ben got on his driving exam,  but indicates the power class and weight restriction of Foremarke Hall.

My thanks to Mark, Matt & Dan who provided the photos used here.  

And finally, I have it on good authority that Foremarke Hall will run at least once more during this ticket on the first day of the Christmas Cracker, which is coincidentally the last day of her boiler ticket.  Work won't get in the way this time, I'll be there to cheer her on.