Wednesday 3 January 2007

Lion

It should be clear, from even casual inspection of this blog, that steam railways form an important part of my life. People often ask how I became actively involved. The short answer is 'Lion', the longer answer follows.

I was always interested in railways and engineering. That probably partly derives from my grandfather, who was an engineer and liked nothing better than explaining how things worked with an enthusiasm which was infectious. When I was quite young, I saw the comedy film "The Titfield Thunderbolt" which made quite an impression. I originally hoped to go into railway signal engineering. British Railways offered me a post, but not quite what I was after so I went into industrial electronics with a local company instead and rather turned my back on the railway scene. I could have joined the railway preservation movement then but I chose not to. After a few years, I started my own business and that left little time for hobbies. But I always retained a rather distant interest in railways.

I was already in my mid-40s on one fateful day in 1988 when I went to Manchester on business. The train I took to Manchester was routed via Crewe, instead of by the more usual Stoke-on-Trent line. As we clattered over the pointwork at Crewe North Junction, diverging onto the Manchester line, I glanced across at the site of Crewe Locomotive Works. Part of the largely redundant site had recently been converted into what was then called 'Crewe Heritage Centre' and visible above the fencing was the tall chimney of an ancient locomotive. I recognised it as the locomotive I'd seen 35 years earlier in Ealing Studios film 'The Titfield Thunderbolt', which I remembered was actually called 'Lion' and had survived from the early days of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.

I went about my business during the day and eventually returned to Manchester Piccadilly station for the journey home. I made my way onto the platform for the express back home via Stoke on Trent, then I noticed a local train for Crewe on the adjacent platform. "Oh!", I thought, "Shall I get the express and get home quickly, or shall I get the local to Crewe and see if I can look at 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'?".

Well, I went to Crewe, walked to the Heritage Centre and found the 'Lion' supporters group, the Old Locomotive Committee (or simply OLCO) still running 'Lion' up and down the demonstration line. They gave me a ride, let me stand on the footplate and the Chairman said "You seem to be interested. Why don't you join our group?" To my surprise, I found myself saying "Why not?" and the rest, as they say, is history.

I didn't know at the time that they were short of a Secretary, so I served in this role and others for a number of years. But they let me fire the locomotive and occasionally drive before the locomotive was finally 'laid up' so I think myself very fortunate. With no great prospect of 'Lion' steaming again, I'd rather devote my efforts to working steam, so I resigned from my Secretary's role, but resumed it later.

All my posts on 'Lion' and the Old Locomotive Committee can be found here.

All my photographs of 'Lion' and the activities of the Old Locomotive Committee can be found here.

There's quite a collection of technical photographs of the prototype 'Lion' at Lion (Up close & personal).

[Links added: 9-Oct-2016]

Work

I still work more or less full time, but this important part of my life doesn't figure very strongly in these blogs. Considerations of commercial confidentiality mean that lots of things I'd be inclined to talk about can't be aired. Probably just as well, as my readers would probably find many of the topics even more mind-numbingly boring and obscure than my usual musings. My interest in engineering probably partly derives from my grandfather on my mother's side, who liked nothing better than explaining how things worked with an enthusiasm which was infectious. Prior to his retirement, he had been Chief Jig and Tool Designer at the Sunbeam Motor Company. I had originally hoped to go into railway signal engineering. British Railways offered me a post, but not quite what I was after, so I went into industrial electronics with a local company instead. In 1966, after a few years with the industrial electronics company, I started my own business in electronic engineering. I remained on good terms with my previous employer and they provided me with a number of our early orders. Since then, we've seen periods of growth, periods of contraction, good times and lots and lots of bad times. But overall, it's given me a fascinating and often challenging life. The business is now settled, at a very intimate scale, in a 350 year old barn next to my home. The commuting is better than it's ever been for me!

2018 Update:

Well, I'm still working and I have added a few more posts labelled 'Work'. There's an index of 'Work' posts here.

[Link to index added 16-Nov-2018]

Poland

The photograph, by Mike Leatherdale, shows Jan on the Ol 49 bringing the afternoon train from Posnan into Grosdysk (Click on picture to enlarge).

To celebrate a major birthday, my friend Mike Edwards had been given the present of an engine-driving holiday in Poland organised by the Wolsztyn Experience. Mike had already invited two of his motor bike enthusiast friends to join him and he asked if I'd like to make up a foursome. After some hesitation, I booked. In September, 2003, I met up with the three other participants at Stanstead and we had an excellent flight with Air Berlin to Berlin.

We'd a number of hours in Berlin before catching our train to Poland, so we caught the shuttle bus to the city to see some of the sights like the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and the remains of The Wall. We travelled on the subway system and ended up at the excellent Museum of Technology where we spent a fascinating few hours. Suspended above the entrance to the museum is a complete aircraft - a Douglas C47, the military version of the famous DC3 'Dakota'. This is the aircraft which was the mainstay of the post-war Berlin Air Lift when the Russians tried to break the spirit of West Berlin by imposing a supply blockade. The splendid collection of railway locomotives was of particular interest to us all and outside there was even a working railway giving rides to a nearby museum site, sadly using diesel haulage. Eventually, we made our way to Berlin Zoo station, to catch the electric hauled express which was to take us to Poland. As the train made its slow departure from the city, we passed through areas which not so long ago had formed part of East Berlin and been virtually inaccessible.

An uneventful journey took us into Poland and we got off at the station where we were to be met, to continue by road to Wolsztyn. We were allocated rooms in the Wolsztyn Experience Clubhouse and a nearby flat. During briefings by Howard Jones, the organiser, the week was mapped out for us.

Mike and I volunteered go 'on the cushions' (travel as passengers) to Posnan to help fetch back a 2-8-0 freight locomotive which was returning from another part of Poland. We caught the early train from Wolstyn to Posnan, crewed by other people on the experience. There wasn't too long to wait before we heard the clank of an approaching steam locomotive and the class 'Tr5' stopped to pick us up. The Polish crew had some English so, once introductions were made, we set off light engine for Wolsztyn. On this leg, Mike drove and I fired. It had been decided, at some stage, that we would be combined with the following steam-hauled passenger train, so we were stopped to wait for the passenger train and shunted onto the front so that we made our first entry to Wolsztyn doubled headed in fine style!

On each day, we would work one of the 'diagrams', sharing the driving and firing and, of course, under the supervision of the Polish crew as we were handling public services on the PKP nationalised railway. When we were there, there were three basic 'diagrams':-

- an early service from Wolsztyn to Posnan, returning in the middle of the day.
- an afternoon service from Wolsztyn to Posnan, returning in the early evening.
- an afternoon service from Zybaszynek via Wolsztyn to Leszno.

Wolsztyn to Posnan is 50 miles reasonably flat, with about 21 stops, ending up 'under the wires' at the major station at Posnan, for which two hours is allowed.

Zebaszynek to Leszno is 50 miles, with a fair bit of 'collar work' (uphill), with 18 stops, for which one and three quarter hours is allowed.

The diagrams are designed for diesel haulage so, when using steam, there's no time for hanging around.

We were lucky in that we got to work on three different tender engines on the various diagrams:-

4-6-2 Pm 36-2 'Piekna Helena'
2-8-2 Pt 47-65
2-6-2 Ol 49-111

Of course, I also got to fire the Tr5 2-8-0 freight locomotive.

Jan, with Peak Rail driver Mike Edwards, on the footplate of Ol49 111 at Wolsztyn (Picture: Bob Roberts)

All of the trips were special, but I remember two particularly. First, an early train to Posnan which I drove from Wolsztyn with the massive Pt47. It was dark, it was raining, and we thundered towards Posnan, whistling for the many level crossings. Secondly, the afternoon train from Zybasynek to Lesno with the Pm36 'Piekna Helena' ('Beautiful Helen'). Mike had driven light engine tender first from Wolsztyn to Zybasynek to pick up the stock and I took over just after Zybasyn. We had to drive quite hard to meet the required sectional timings. As we passed through the forest section, the wailing of the whistle echoed back from the trees at each minor crossing. All too soon, we were at Lesno, dropped the coaches and then Mike drove light engine, tender first again, from Lesno back to Wolsztyn for disposal.

My photographs of this trip are at Polish Railways (PKP).

China

Back in 2002, when I read about the Three Gorges Project in China and how the completion of the hydro-electric project would permanently alter the appearance of the famous Three Gorges (raising the water level some 300 feet), I determined to see the area for myself before the flooding commenced.

I flew to Beijing (Peking) and was amazed at the huge modern airport. My guide took me to an equally modern American-style hotel in the centre of the city. Later, my guide took me to Tiananmen Square, crowded with tourists from every part of the huge country which is China but with very few Westerners. Despite the historic associations, I found it unthreatening. The huge parliament building lies on one side of the massive square, but the natural focus is the massive outer walls and gatehouse of the Forbidden City, carrying a large painting of Chairman Mao.

Along with hordes of tourists, we entered the Forbidden City, on payment of a few Yuan. For centuries only the highest castes of Chinese had been allowed into this palace (hence the name) and, when the Communsts took over, they lost no time in throwing it open to the people in a highly symbolic act. China has been criticised for its former poor standards of conservation and, it has to be said, some parts of this incredible city are rather down at heel. But there is a lot of work in progress and it appears to be of high qualty. The city is arranged as a series of concentric walls with hundreds of guest houses and palaces, becoming more important as you reach the centre of the city where only those closest to the Emperor were allowed. The overall effect is mind-boggling. One jarring note as we were fairly near the centre of the Forbidden City was a building attracting queues of people. "Starbucks!" said the guide proudly and he seemed quite disappointed that I had no desire to visit this particular building.

On an evening walking tour on my own of the brightly-lit city, I found modern shops representing all the Western designers and it was hard to believe that you were not in Europe. But I managed to work out how the Subway works and I went further afield where the lights were not so bright and the department stores more modest. I saw very few Europeans but I did not feel uncomfortable. Of course, I had some technical interest in how the Subway was built and operated. At the front of the train, it was possible to get a restricted view into the driving cab and along the track ahead. The trains are Driver Only Operation and the drivers follow the Japanese practice of pointing at each signal as they approach it and declaiming out loud the aspect displayed. I also visited the huge main line station which, even late at night was thronged with people. Eventually, I returned safely to my hotel to prepare for the organised private tour the following day.

First, we went to the Ming Tombs, out in the country, where successive emperors were buried. The scale of the place is impressive, particularly the underground tomb chambers. There were plenty of tourists, both Chinese and overseas visitors. Next, a visit to a Chinese 'hospital'. Coachloads of tourists were arriving for a brief consultation with a Chinese doctor, resulting in the prescribing of various herbal remedies on sale in the adjacent dispensary. Diagnosis is principally by the taking of the pulse on both wrists simultaneously, together with a careful assessment of the patient's appearance. The male doctor only spoke Chinese but a 'nurse' was on hand to translate the doctor's comments. The Chinese idea of 'chi' flowing through 'meridians' in the body is contrary to Western medicine, but the effectiveness of some Chinese techniques is slowly being accepted in the West. We then moved on to a factory where Cloisonne work was being produced. It's a fascinating and very labour-intensive process and I was happy to make some small purchases before being whisked away to see the Great Wall of China, where we arrived late afternoon.

All the pictures I'd seen of the Wall didn't prepare me for the sheer scale of the construction, as it snaked away into the distance following the contours of the exceptionally hilly terrain. In many places, the Wall has been lost or is in a poor state of repair but here, North of Beijing, a lot of work has been carried out and this is the section of the Wall that the majority of tourists see. I would have been content to have spent a lot longer walking the Wall: most tourists are happy to walk a few hundred yards and return so it's fairly easy to get to quieter spots where you can readily imagine the patrols charged with guarding the empire, so many centuries ago.

I took an internal flight to the city of Xian (pronounced 'see-ann'), which is a major modern city with an ancient core still surrounded by a massive brick-built wall. After studying the walls, which have survived remarkably well, we travelled through the noisy, bustling city to the quiet of a Bhuddist monastery. Helped by the number of visitors, they have been able to fund a new temple, built in the traditional style. The other attraction is the medieval Big Wild Goose Pagoda which you can ascend, on payment of a modest fee. From the top level, there is a marvellous panorama of the city.

I spent one night in a very pleasant Western-style hotel in the suburbs, before moving on to view the Terracotta Army. The Emperor Qin ('chin') prepared a huge mausoleum for himself during his lifetime, with thousands of clay soldiers, life size, to guard his remains. This prototype strong man of China was so reviled that his body lay undisturbed for only a few years before the whole complex was sacked and burnt. The extent of the works were forgotten until a few years ago, when three farmers digging a well started to uncover fragments of the soldiers. There are already three different museum buildings covering the excavations so far. The largest is built like an aircraft hanger, filled with excavated trenches containing rank after rank of clay soldiers. Each soldier's head was individually modelled and, originally, painted. Most of the figures currently on display have a brownish, clay appearance. It is a truly amazing site. My visit was out of season and I was able to get around the museums quite easily. But, be warned, I'm told it can be a real scrum at the height of the season. The international airport at Xian was built specifically so that China could exploit the tourist potential of the Terracotta Army. I also visited a factory in Xian where they produce wonderful furniture and, in various scales, models of the terracotta warriors using the local clay. I was so impressed, I arranged for the firm to ship back a full-size kneeling archer and full-size senior officer. These replicas invariably attract a lot of interest when people visit me.

Then on again, by another internal flight to the city of Chungking, where I arrived late at night. I think Chungking is currently the largest city in the world, as people leave the poverty of the countryside to try to achieve a better standard of living in the city. China's remarkable growth rates are being fuelled by this flight from agriculture but life in manufacturing is very tough, by Western standards.

We drove through the city to the banks of the Yangtse River, where I was to join a cruise ship for a trip through the Three Gorges. There's a series of concrete steps leading down to the water's edge, difficult to negotiate in the dark when you're tired. Worse was the very insubstantial-looking duckboards stretching right out into the river, ending at the brightly-lit cruise ship. Members of the crew were positioned on the duckboards every so often, holding rather ineffective electric torches by way of encouragement. At least my luggage was brought out for me. The ship, the 'Pinghu' was modern and spacious and within a few minutes I was able to collapse in my very decent cabin, re-united with my luggage.

Next morning, we bade farewell to Chungking and slipped our moorings to cruise downstream to the Three Gorges. It was raining and a heavy mist lay over everything, but I braved to upper deck to see what could be seen. The rain continued for quite a bit of the journey - it was certainly atmospheric, even if perhaps I didn't see the Three Gorges at their best. I hadn't realised that the Yangtze is such a vital communications artery in this part of China. The river traffic was amazing with large and small vessels of all descriptions. There is a wide variety of passenger ferries and quite large cargo vessels. The oddest and fastest vessels are perhaps the hydrofoil ferries, which appear to follow the Russian design, looking more like an aircraft with the 'fuselage' set in a sit-up-and-beg attitude on the hydroplanes. These noisy craft overtake everything on the river, throwing up a huge plume of spray at the stern. Quite a lot of coal is loaded into barges for river transport - the working practices would shock a European Heath and Safety Inspector. All sorts of towns are visible, mainly of modern construction. Once the dam is in service, the river level will rise to inundate most of the adjacent land, so newer towns have been built on higher land. I got a better look at this when we tied up for a shore visit.

We left the ship by the usual duckboards leading to the shore and were taken by bus to an ancient temple on high ground. Looking down towards the river, we could see a moonscape, where the old town was being demolished, a bleak vista of great lumps of broken cement, all covered in dust. When we returned to river level, I walked in the old town where hundreds of workmen were engaged in the demolition work. Although there were a few machines involved in the work, most of the demolition was being done by hand. I saw men precariously balanced on the remaining parts of the building under attack, flailing at the structure with large hammers. The rubble and reclained material is loaded onto large lorries, often by hand, and carried away in a swirl of concrete dust. After a day working in these conditions, the men eat and sleep in home-made tents dotted around the site. This was just one town - this pattern is being repeated all along the length of river affected by the dam project. The scale of the project is enormous.

Let's break off there, cruising down part of the Yangtze, longest river in Asia, third longest in the world. The rest of the trip was described (but not until 2020!) in the post China (part 2).

My pictures of the 2002 trip

Beijing, China
Xian, China
Yangtse River, China

[Link to part 2 added, pictures linked 26-Nov-2020]

Ukraine 2005

My friend Mike Edwards announced his intention of going on a steam driving holiday in Ukraine late in 2005. The more I thought about it, the more I became intrigued and I ended up booking myself following a late cancellation with the U.K. organisers East Europe Railtours. They had organised the visit in partnership with Dzherelo SPK in the Ukraine. The opportunity to drive Russian-designed steam locomotives on Ukraine's 5-foot gauge network seemed too good to miss.

The trip was nearly a washout for me as, exhausted by trying to complete various tasks at work before I left, I seriously overslept on the departure date. Telephone calls failed to alert me and I only got up at all because my dear friend Marion drove six miles to physically rouse me. Although it seemed hopeless to even attempt boarding the booked flight, I was driven to the airport, still in a stupor, and to my amazement was accepted on the flight. I have never been processed through an airport (with checked luggage) more quickly!

The flight took me to Schipol with a connection onwards to Kiev, where I met up with the organisers and the other participants. We spent some time at Borispol Airport, as other participants arrived on other flights. We then joined a coach for a short road tour of Kiev, disembarking at the main railway station for an overnight journey to Ivano Frankovsk.

A slight wobble: although the organiser had attempted to book a sleeping compartment for a 'lone female', the arrangements had been made on the basis of sharing with one of the male participants. It was explained to me that, in Ukraine, it is quite normal to share with a stranger of the opposite sex. However, I explained that it wasn't normal for me and I felt it was a bit late for me to change my ways. The compromise was to move me to a compartment with three Ukrainian ladies and we had an interesting evening of mis-communication. The tradition seems to be that each compartment sit around drinking, eating and talking until quite late, then the beds are deployed and everyone goes to sleep. I was with two middle-aged ladies and a teenage girl. All three were in some sort of conservation society and they'd been up to Kiev for a National Conference. The teenage girl spoke reasonable English and one of the ladies, a schoolteacher, understood English and was able to assist the girl. From time to time, Galina from the Ukrainian tour company joined us and we had a pleasant evening with wide-ranging (if rather stilted) discussions.

It was a long and fairly slow journey but early morning saw us disembarking at the busy station at Ivano-Francovsk. Ivan Franco was a poet and patriot and the communists renamed the city after him presumably as the "acceptable face of communism". A coach was waiting for us and another drive took us to the base of our operations at the town of Kolomiya, where we stayed at quite a reasonable hotel next to what I imagine may be the world's only decorated egg museum, which is built in the shape of an egg. Elaborate, decorated eggs - 'pysanky' - are a tradition in Ukraine.

We saw the following steam locos:-
Em 735-72
Er 797-86
Su 251-86
Yea 2026
b 2137
L 3535
L 5141

I got to drive the first three of these locomotives. During the trip, I was also able to visit the Motive Power Depot at Chernovtsy, look at Russian railway signalling at Mikulichin and visit two Locomotive Repair Works in Kiev. There are links to my pictures below.

I'm afraid it was some years before I added more posts describing the trip in more detail, but you can find these starting at Driving Steam in Ukraine (Part 1)

Photographs:

Ukraine Steam.
Ukraine Modern Image.
Chernovtsy Motive Power Depot, Ukraine.
Signalling at Mikulichin, Ukraine.
Kiev Locomotive Works (Passenger).
Kiev Locomotive Works (Freight).

I wasn't totally single-minded about railways on the trip - my travel photographs are at Ukraine.

[Links to pictures added 1-Jan-2013: Link to 'Driving Steam in Ukraine (Part 1)' added 7-Jan-2015]