Who opened the oven door?!

Summer has decided to return with a vengeance, making working out on the engines incredibly difficult. Water and general fluids are an absolute necessity, especially if you’re out on 35006.

I’ve been lucky enough to have a stint of alternating weekends between my departments, although it means my ability to get into the shed is rather hindered. Those of you wondering about the general engineering updates, I’m planning on contacting the various owning groups and seeing what they can provide, so bear with us whilst we get that sorted. Updates are coming!

Out on the line, 7820 and 7903 spent the majority of June and July running, whilst 4270 came in for her washout and 35006 waited patiently for her next turn. I’ve been lucky enough to be invited out onto the footplate a few times now, although it doesn’t yet feel like I’m getting the hang of swinging the shovel. Warming fires tend to not have the baffle plate in place, so my swing is currently hitting slightly too high and the coal is landing in the middle rather than the front. Ah well, practice makes perfect!

Slightly warm when it's 30+ degrees outside

We’ve seen more passengers these last few weeks, particularly families who are not very familiar with steam engines and how they work. Ian B gave a quick seminar whilst we were on our lunch break at Toddington a few weeks ago, much to our amusement. I had the benefit of our former blogger as the fireman, who handily pointed out the blog-ability of the situation. 

No idea what Ian was explaining but he must have been doing a good job!

I, meanwhile, suffered my first wardrobe malfunction whilst I was firing up to Broadway, when all of a sudden I felt a “ping” at my hip, and the button on my blues decided it wanted to be part of my outfit no more! Turns out safety pins don’t quite work on blues, so I spent the return journey holding the two sides together. Thankfully, I wear leggings underneath my ensemble, so all modesty was protected. It makes the heat a little more difficult to deal with though!

Oops! I also got the straps caught in the pipes coupling up

We picked up some stowaways at Toddington as well, though they appeared to be a little bit distracted… We didn’t ask too many questions.

No comment...

Following the lifting of restrictions earlier this month, we are now freely running for the foreseeable. We also have the GWSR 40th anniversary exhibition at Winchcombe that is free to visit, celebrating the work of the stalwart volunteers who got us going back in the 1980s. This, plus the return of the Train 1 bacon sandwich means the GWSR should definitely be on your list of places to visit this summer!

Finally, in training news, things are progressing nicely, and by nicely, I mean we have two new firemen!

Martin passed out at the end of June, and was swiftly followed by Mark last week. 

Congratulations both!

Always check the background

Summer came… and, as of writing, summer seems to have disappeared again. Oh well, it makes managing steam engines slightly more bearable; coal dust and sun cream do not mix well!

Anyone in more than one department will agree that sometimes managing your roster inevitably ends up either with some clashes, or some weekends that don’t feel like weekends as you work both days. Last weekend (the sunny one) was one of those for me, starting off with my second day out on the footplate, this time on 7903. Day one had been spent trying out the shovel, this time I was labouring up and down on coupling duty.

It is safe to say having everything you’re working with around shoulder height makes things slightly more difficult. It will be denied, but, when watching from the safety of the platform, the coupling process seems a lot easier when you have a height advantage! I had worried previously whether or not coupling would be something I’d be able to do. However, down at Cheltenham Racecourse, “thunk” and it went over - what a relief! 1 down, about 6 more to go.

Safe to say I did not stay that clean

As has been for the last couple of weeks, 35006 was on the other train, and spent the weekend on train 1. All of our engines look good in the sun, and the cleaners have been doing a good job keeping them shiny and photogenic. Who could resist?

Can you spot the rogue photobomber?

It seems our esteemed former blog writer has been missing recording the antics and experiences of the department, as when he spied me taking this shot, he decided it needed something extra in the background. Unfortunately, he also still has overall control of this blog, as well as a significant amount of say in progression within the department, so any ‘obvious’ attempts at retribution are fruitless…

It’s so good to see people on the platforms again

Sunshine brings heat, and heat brings dry kindling in the trackbed, particularly down at Cheltenham. I stepped out of the brake carriage, and, upon greeting the station master, was met with the smell of bonfire. My usual query as to whether the engine crew wanted tea (or ice cream) whilst filling the tender this time began with “chaps, I know it could be a bit tenuous between guards and crew in the old days, but that didn’t mean you had to try and set me on fire!” Meanwhile, the stationmaster was extinguishing a very well placed, thankfully small, trackbed fire dancing merrily away directly under the guard’s compartment. Only slightly disconcerting!

In the shed, things carry on as normal. The 2807 group had a victory this past week as they added a component back onto their loco, rather than removing one. In a Covid world of delays and setbacks, this is a very welcome victory.

Tucked in amongst the steam engines in the David Page Shed are two ongoing overhaul projects. One is a Class 26 diesel, as the Diesel dept needed some more space to work than was available, and the other is a wagon, currently displaced from its usual home in Winchcombe and being cosmetically restored. Newly qualified guard Alex has done a write up on the C&W blog and I expect will be updating on its progress on there, but to whet your appetite…

I understand from Alex’s write up that this is a 5 1/2 plank GWR open wagon

Alex, I will leave further information provision to you and the C&W blog team! I personally am more interested in the boiler and smokebox peeking out behind but all signs are pointing in the right direction for future planning.

That’s all for this week, however I shall leave you with the highly amusing (to me anyway) background on one of the computers in the new loco office that greeted me on Saturday. Alas, the current version of Windows means they randomly rotate so I doubt it will be a permanent fixture, but it made me giggle all the same.

Hello there!

Bryony

Back to training

The recent silence on this blog should not be considered a cause for concern, loyal readers! Team blog has recently experienced some significant changes on the wage-paying side of life, but hopefully, much like the railway, normal service can soon resume. Anyway!

May’s usual standards of weather since I’ve been at the GWSR seem to have disappeared this year, leaving a few crews on the slightly soggy side in the wet and windy period. Despite what some may think, even guards don’t escape the inclement weather, and at the moment, one of the brake cabins doesn’t have a working heater - guess which one I’ve been stuck with most recently…

Thankfully, the sun has still come out on a few occasions, most notably a few weekends ago whilst cleaning 7903. A new polish has been procured by the ‘Working Engines’ team that apparently can be a “one polish does all” and I undertook a crash course in how to use it, both slightly nervously up one the safety valve bonnet, and then more comfortably on 7903’s driver’s side nameplate. If I do say so myself, the nameplate came out quite well!

The wheels were also cleaned up, after the photo was taken!

My time spent sat atop a loco is still minimal at the moment, so pictures from up there are few and far between. The view is nice though, if a bit warm! Not really surprising, given what’s in the firebox at the time.

Anyone for bbq?

Eventually 7903 left the shed for the day, and I got stuck in helping with various tasks that come with bedding in a new building - none of which are really blog worthy, but I did pop round to snap a quick shot of 7903 before she left for the day’s trips.

Sat waiting to join the stock

The following weekend was slightly less enjoyable weather wise, and there was a slight irony in some of the activities occurring around the yard. Whilst most were engaging in restoration or various training sessions, John and myself got stuck in to building the new furniture for the outside mezzanine, and getting thoroughly drenched in the process.

And of course we got papped whilst doing so! (Keith S, I will have my revenge!)

The white chair is doing a very good job in highlighting the reason why we have gone for full benches rather than singular chairs, our thanks to the commenter who offered to donate, as there were concerns inclement weather could result in a “Mary Poppins” situation with chairs landing on the running line. The feet also had a nasty habit of sliding through the floor as you sat on them, hard as that may seem, so something more sturdy was needed.

Not the wind! It was decided it was easier to tighten bolts like this

Of course, every so often a washer or bolt would fall through to the ground below, with someone needing to run down and collect it; who needs a treadmill!

Out on the running line, some practical training has resumed, on those engines with the space to maintain a safe distance for crew members. The lifting of restrictions on 17 May also meant rostered cleaners could once again be invited to join the crew, much to my relief as I was rostered that coming weekend.

Looking resplendent in the sun

Having spent my minimal amount of footplate time out on 35006, this time I was very kindly invited by Jim and Andy to join them out on Dinmore Manor for the day, much to my excitement. Finally out on the “correct” style of footplate - reminder, I’m from Swindon, therefore I’m pretty much obliged by blood oath to say that. Tom, meanwhile, was getting back to grips with firing “the wrong way round” on 7903.

Can you spot him?

Whilst the recent return of the sun is welcomed 99% of the time, on a footplate it is slightly cursed, as has often previously been reported. We were afforded some comforts though, as the threat of rain and more than a slight breeze seemed to keep the temperature fairly manageable. From what I hear, 7903’s crew had more than just a threat, with the showers following them rather than us.

This being my first full turn out on a footplate, I was struck how different the line seems to be experiencing it in panorama as opposed to out of the brake van windows. It will be interesting to see how learning more about what the crew are doing impacts my decision making as a guard, and vice versa, as well as learning what all the noises I have just come to expect coming from the engine actually mean. It wasn’t until I got out on a footplate I realised just how many foot crossings the line has!

The mezzanine does provide a nice view!

It will be exciting to see what comes next.

Bryony

Did you know - it’s the GWSR’s 40th anniversary this year! Various events are being (provisionally) planned for the next few months, with one confirmed being a photography exhibition in the Tim Mitchell building at Winchcombe, opening on 18 July. If you’re thinking about visiting us, make sure to pop in and take a look through the GWSR through the years.

Welcome to 'The Goods Shed'

For the third time in 9 months, steam is back in the Cotswolds once again. 4270 powered her way up and down the line on 13 April, and then was joined by Dinmore Manor over the weekend. The GWSR social media team were live on the ground down at Cheltenham Racecourse to capture the first train of 2021, which you can relive here.

4270 heading north on 13 April (Ian Crowder)

Behind the scenes, the final touches have been made on the new welfare building; installing the fridge and dishwasher, moving in the new tables and chairs for the mess room, building the shelving units for the storage cupboards, moving the notice boards and pigeon holes over from the mess coach and deciding where everything is now going to live.

At long last, 17 April saw the “official” opening of ‘The Goods Shed’. No ribbon was cut, but volunteers are now able to use the new building and the facilities it offers, which means we can finally take you readers around too!

Final positions of some boards to be determined

As mentioned many times previously, the signing on point will be moving from the original office into the main building lobby. The lobby is also where a lot of the daily operational information, such as the daily roster, will be located. Dedicated notice boards have been being diligently installed by Nigel, much to the approval of one of the current roster clerks who was mightily pleased to be getting his own board.

Woe betide anyone who touches this board

In the background, you can see the new loco records board duly painted by Chris Smith, Alex and the C&W team (thanks team!). Alex has also taken on the mantle of blog-writer and now writes the C&W blog, so make sure you check that out to keep up to date on what our compatriots are up to (and what favours they’ve very kindly agreed to do for us!).

Now that the building is commissioned, the changing rooms are in use and are a welcome upgrade from trying to pull overalls on in a small, very confined space, especially if one of the legs decides it wants to play about and you need to hop about a bit to get them on. I may have accidentally caused a kerfuffle when innocently enquiring about whether or not there was anywhere to plug in a hair dryer in the female changing room and there was the realisation that for *ahem* “reasons of a hair length nature”, it simply hadn’t been considered, but I’m assured it will be resolved.

Having peeked in the storage cupboard, I wouldn’t be surprised if a rumour started flying round that our Chairman has shares in tea! Clearing out the mess coach uncovered just how much has been stockpiled, and some quick maths determined that there’s over 7,000 teabags waiting to be used. The GWSR steam department will be well fuelled for the next few months at least!

The new training room

Upstairs, the new meeting and training rooms sit waiting for the next round of restrictions to lift so they can be pressed into operation. The training room has a lovely view of the running line and siding 1, although not quite as lovely as the view from the first floor mezzanine. The new medical facility is also upstairs - the sorts of medicals that deem us allowed to be operational staff, rather than any form of surgery or general practitioning, I should point out.

The final, and some would say most important, room is of course the new mess room. 

   

Wall decorations are still due to be added, but I would wager more than 50 cups of tea have already been made at the time of writing, so the room is officially in use. Having a dishwasher is a new luxury, and the current record for the number of mugs able to be washed at one time is 60 - aka every mug in the cupboard! (This may or may not be being brought up only because the writer is the current record holder…) 

The results of mug tetris

The mess room can be used by any volunteer on the railway, donations to the tea fund welcomed, and this has been accommodated for, by providing chairs earmarked for clean clothes only. Those of us in multiple departments appreciate this mightily, and as I have guards shifts aplenty in May, I will be making use!

The structure of the roof has unfortunately put paid to the giant steam department OO gauge model layout pipe-dreams, however focus has instead turned to the first floor mezzanine and how that could be somehow converted into some kind of “leisure area”, complete with sun loungers, a hot tub and the type of wooden drinks service station that has been frequented by many since restrictions lifted two weeks ago (that is not allowed here due to this being an on work-site building). Galas would be the envy of all in the country I think!

Speaking of the mezzanine, the views provided are very much enjoyed by volunteers, the recent bright sunshine meaning “why are we sitting in here, let’s go outside” has been heard a few times. Some of us may have indulged the April sun a little too much, and by that I mean me when, upon looking in the mirror in the evening on Sunday, I noticed my face was more than slightly pink.

Completely worth the pink face though

I’m sure the location of the signal box directly opposite the mezzanine will certainly not mean spectators keeping a very close eye on token exchanges and providing “helpful” commentary should something go awry. Some signalmen have already been heard looking into the possibility of a winch/pulley system to have drinks sent over between trains.

Our former blog editor preparing to accept the token from Toddington signal box

 Dinmore Manor is now back in the shed, whilst Foremarke Hall comes out and gets some time steaming alongside 4270 on 2-train days. John Cruxon has recently published his book about 7903 and her history, which is available to purchase now through the GWSR online shop. John has been with 7903 for many years, having been involved in the initial rescue from Barry, all the way to present day, so please do check the book out.

Locomotives and Recollections by John Cruxon

Tickets for the next few months are on sale. It’s our 40th anniversary this year, and we’re hoping to be able to celebrate over the summer, so come and see us!

That’s all from me,
Bryony

An update from Toddington

Like much of 2020, all has been quiet on the GWSR Steam Blog for the last few weeks. Unfortunately, none of Team Blog live close enough to the GWSR to be regular members of the working parties that are still maintaining the running fleet during this lockdown. As a result, we, like you, are solely reliant on the updates provided by our network of sources and spies (and the odd social media post!). Hopefully we’ll be able to bring you more as we move towards reopening again, but for now, the team in ‘Camp 7903’ have sent through an update about what’s been going on for them in January and February.

First and foremost, there is the preparation of 7903 for its annual boiler exam and general winter maintenance. With all the boiler plugs removed and cleaned and the boiler washed out, as well as the firebox and smokebox cleaned, 7903 is ready for her cold inspection. 35006 and 7820 have already had their cold exams. (Editor's note - hot exams for 7820 and 7903 were completed yesterday!)

We've also been fitting four new sections of injector delivery pipe, two per side. There are three sections of pipe per side that feed water from the injector(s) by the bottom cab steps up to the safety valve on top of the boiler. The first two sections are steel as per Swindon design and the third section rolling up over the barrel is Copper. However, in preservation the steel pipes have corroded internally due to the engine spending more time out of use. In BR days, the engines would have spent more time in steam and therefore corrosion would have been less of an issue.

A look inside one of the old injector delivery pipes

When you put the injector on some of that rust and corrosion breaks free, and its next stop is the safety valve clack. This clack (non-return valve for those like myself who are less familiar/still learning the lingo) is made of bronze. The steel rust particles play havoc and damage the seat and valve itself, causing it to leak steam.

By replacing the steel pipes with copper, the corrosion will be eliminated and “hey presto” no more leaking clacks. This is a very common practise done in preservation nowadays. By the time these are painted and refitted you will not know they are actually copper! The fireman’s side is already complete and we managed to finish the last section for the drivers side in late January. The other reason BR probably used steel was this is thick gauge copper pipe and so a tad more expensive than steel to say the least!

Fitting and testing the fireman’s side delivery pipe 

We also have just a couple of little snippets to whet your appetite on the Welfare Building. We are hoping to run a full ‘opening day’ pictorial splash as and when, so keep your eyes peeled until then!

As mentioned previously in this blog, a new Signing on desk has been made thanks to Eddie Paton in Carriage & Wagon, and Alex Caulfield has beautifully sign-written us an accompanying sign. The Desk is currently awaiting installation but I think we all agree they have done a brilliant job. (Alex, I know, lurks around on here occasionally so thank you Alex!)

The new desk, ready and waiting

We have also installed an Eye wash station in the upstairs wash area for those odd bits of dust and dirt that we occasionally get. Goggles and other safety equipment is always used, but as anyone who has suffered with a ‘smut in the eye’ will know, they can sneak up on you out of nowhere!

Hopefully won't be needing this, but better to be safe than sorry

Lastly, a taster of the new concrete unloading road. The second big pour has been done and we’re awaiting the rest. The road will have three rows of drainage to take away any water, and it will make life so much easier for both steam and diesel departments, walking on a proper concrete surface without valleys of puddles. One more big pour is needed to finally take the road to the yard gate, and we hope this will be done soon, weather permitting. There will also be period lighting lanterns similar to those we have already fitted to the Old Goods shed to go on down the new building. We’re getting closer to completion by the week.

A much easier walk to the ash pit and back when disposing! 

That's all for now, folks!

Bryony

 The life of a Trainee Fireman - Part 2

This blog should have been published last year, at the end of March, so all references refer to last March!

So today’s training turn was somewhat different to a normal training turn!  As Bryony eluded to in her last blog, I was lucky enough to secure a training turn on one of the afternoon “race trains”.

It was so nice to have a book on time of 1330, and not 0615, although this did mean that I had to go to work first for a couple of hours before booking on at the railway.  I was, however, very careful to ensure that I did not exceed a 12 hour working day.

My afternoon started as soon as I booked on. The early afternoon crew had to put a warming fire into the standby loco, which, for me, meant lighting up 35006, P&O.  I was looking forward to this, because although I am right handed, I naturally fire with a left handed action, so firing a Southern engine, where the fireman stands on the opposite side of the footplate, is far more natural to me.

Firing a Western loco is not natural to me, given my prefered left handed technique

After doing all the checks on the loco (it was already warm from having had a warming fire put in it the day before), it was time to light her up.  Every fireman will tell you the “correct” way to light up a loco (wood first then the coal or coal first then the wood then more coal), but in truth, so long as you reach the correct pressure at the correct time, there is no right or wrong way, just different! My personal preference is wood first, then coal.

It was just at about this time that our loco that we would be taking to Cheltenham and back (7820, Dinmore Manor) arrived back on shed.  After a quick handover chat with the outgoing crew, it was nearly time to take our loco and 8 empty carriages to Cheltenham Racecourse.

The journey to Cheltenham was non stop, which meant no stopping at Winchcombe or Gotherington, to give the fireman a chance to look at the fire and sort any issues before moving off again.  Once we arrived at Cheltenham, we did the “Racecourse Shuffle” so that the trains were in the right order to depart after the last race.

7820 Dinmore Manor stands at Cheltenham Racecourse, waiting to depart for Toddington

One of the interesting things with an afternoon race train is that by the time we are ready to depart, it has turned dark, which means we have to use lamps to communicate, not flags and arms!  As I am a trainee, my trainer, Jamie, thought it would be a good idea to test me on what light signal I would get from the guard for various instructions.  I am pleased to say that I got them all right, with the odd bit of coaching.  As I say, lamp working is not something we do a lot on our railway, so it is good to be tested now and again!  There is something mystical about being on a loco in the dark.  Not least, the fact that the train appears to be going a lot faster, although a quick glance at the speedo soon confirms that we are not!

Dark and blurred, we were really flying (at 22mph!)

The race trains are a great way for the railway to kick start the season, both in terms of crewing, as there are plenty of turns to go around, and financially, as it is always very well supported.

I am pleased to say that we arrived on time in Toddington, with no issues along the way, and a train load of very happy, some may say merry(!) passengers!

Although tired, I booked off, looking forward to my next training turn.  I wouldn't have to wait too long for my turn, as in fact I had another one just two days later!  More on that another time

Thanks for reading

Tom

Wrapping up for the winter

Playing with locos and taking passengers up and down the line is wonderful, and as the loco passes by, it all looks so tranquil and serene. However, behind all the tranquility and serenity, there is a band of volunteers who have been coming in on a weekly basis since October, to dispose (clean out) and light up the locos, ready for their next outing.

Then, at the end of the season, we have to “winterise” the locos, as they are not going to be used for a while. This includes several elements, so it is not a 5 minute job!  Bryony and I joined one of the winterisation teams on December 29th to get our hands dirty for the last time in 2020!

Each loco had been “out”, and therefore needed the fire grate cleaning and sweeping off, the smoke box swept and emptied, the ashpan washed through and emptied, and the boiler and water tanks draining down.  We needed to drain the gauge frames, lubricators, blow the condensing coils through and disconnect the pressure gauges. As I said, no 5 minute jobs here!

Breaking these jobs down, one by one:

Fire grate cleaning

One of the muckier jobs, and not for the claustrophobic, involves someone climbing into the firebox, lifting out 3 or 4 fire bars and then scraping all the ash down into the ashpan.  Once all the big lumps have gone, the grate then gets swept with a hand brush, all the way round, including the brick arch, the walls and crown sheet (ceiling of the firebox).  Once this has been done, the “lucky volunteer” can then exit the firebox for a well earned breather and back stretch!

Bryony sweeping out the grate of 4270 - head torch recommended

Smokebox emptying

Open up the smoke box door, and hopefully you are greeted with a nice pile of ash, right by the door, which makes it nice and easy to clean out.  However, as we don't live in a perfect world, the ash has normally spread right up to the tube plate at the far end, meaning that you either use a very long broom, or, in my case, climb into the smokebox to reach and sweep it all with the hand brush.  Once the ash has been removed, the tube plate needs to be brushed down to remove as much dust as possible.  A hoover would make this job a lot easier!

Tom Cleaning out the Smokebox of 4270

Ashpan emptying

This job forms part of the Fireman’s list of jobs to do in the morning if the loco were going “out”. All our locos are slightly different, but they all involve going underneath with a hose pipe and washing out the ashpan, making sure there is no ash left inside them. Funnily enough, most Firemen are normally only too happy to delegate this job to their Cleaner for the day, as with some locos, it can be a VERY messy and wet affair! They then get made to shovel it all out of the pit after the loco toddles off for the day, as well.

Boiler drain down

A relatively easy job; at the bottom of the boiler, under the footplate, is the blow down valve.  This has a safety bolt on it to stop it opening up when you don't want it to!  Undo the safety bolt, undo the valve, and out the water goes! Done!

Water tank emptying

This is even easier, as it is just a case of making sure no one is standing too close, as they will get wet feet, then open up the feed valves for the injectors. A sure fire way to learn whether your boots are still water-proof or if you need to invest in a new pair!

Draining the Lubricator

This involves draining the water from the bottom of the lubricator, but more importantly, draining the water from the glasses.  This is to stop them freezing and cracking the glasses.  One glass decided it was time to retire and cracked whilst loosening the nut, so we had a quick crash reminder course on switching glasses and seals, courtesy of a very patient Jamie.

Fully drained Lubricator glasses on 4270

Condenser Coil draining down

Another easy job (so long as you’re taller than 5’5); undo both pipes, get an airline and blow it through the coil.  Best to make sure you are not standing underneath it though, as you will get an impromptu shower, which in December is not very welcome!

Pipes split and drained on 4270’s Condenser Coil

Pressure Gauge drain down

Although technically no water should get to the Boiler Pressure gauge and the Steam Heat gauge, it is good practice to take the pipe off the bottom of these gauges, so that any water that may have accumulated is released. Water has a habit of hiding in nooks and crannies, and our owning groups may have something to say if something decided to run afoot over the next few months!

Pressure Gauges on 4270 with pipes released

Gauge Frame drain down

Another easy job!  Ensuring that the frame has been isolated from the boiler, take the Gauge Frame cover off (easier said than done for some people!), then slacken the top and bottom nuts off, and the glass should then move enough to ensure there is no trapped pressure.

Gauge Frame on 4270, cover removed and nuts slackened

Masons Valve repair

One of our firemen had booked a problem with a steam leak from the Masons Valve, so while we were on the footplate, we thought we would take the opportunity to try and rectify the fault.

It turns out that the Masons Valve on 4270 is in fact just for show (sshhh, don't tell anyone), and doesn't actually have any working parts inside it. We took the bottom of the Masons Valve and found that there was a small hole in the blanking plate, which was letting steam past, under pressure.  The decision was taken to put the bottom casting of the valve on to the diamond miller, and flatten back the surface to get a much better seal.  Jamie then put it all back together, using some “Steam tight” on the threads, and back on the loco.  This will be monitored the next time the loco is in steam, to see if the leak is still present.

The bottom casting off the Masons Valve, taken off and milled, then refitted by Jamie

Fusible Plug repair

4270 had also been “red carded” on Christmas Eve, which meant that it was no longer fit for service, due to having a very small steam leak in the crown sheet of the firebox.  This only manifested itself when the boiler was under pressure, so anyone lighting the loco up would not be able to see it.

Jamie took the plug out, after marking where the leak was coming from, so it can be repaired and reinstalled.

Fusible plug (left) and the hole in the Crown Sheet where the plug has come out from.  The yellow mark denotes where it was leaking. Note the telltale marks in the dust in the area around the leak

With the current situation, only essential maintenance is currently allowed at Toddington, so who knows when we can report on more work being undertaken!

Any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments, and we will do our best to answer them

Thanks for reading

TTFN

Tom