Review of the Year - 2010

It's hard for me to believe that this is the fifth 'Review of the Year' I've produced since starting this blog. It's even harder to believe I've really had all these wonderful experiences. Yes, I think I've been exceptionally fortunate. Forgive me if I draw attention only to the highlights. The year has had its bad bits and boring bits but I'm sure we don't want to dwell on those.

I've grouped the activities into 'TRAVEL', 'RAILWAYS' and a little bit on 'BREWOOD'.

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My Mother was always an intrepid traveller, although her opportunities were rather limited. I've only developed the taste for it in the last few years, but I've tried to make up for lost time.

Java, Bali, Sarawak, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur

The 'Pandaw' fleet are all based on the design of the original 'Irrawaddy Flotilla' flat-bottomed river craft used in Burma

When I discovered that the 'Pandaw' company had started river cruises in Borneo, the idea immediately appealed and, through the Travel Club Wexas, arrangements were made. To make best use of the cost of flying to the Far East, we "topped and tailed" the river trip with other visits. For some time, I'd wanted to visit Borobudur - the largest Buddhist monument in South East Asia. This is situated on the island of Java, which is part of Indonesia. After Borobudur, I would see a little of Yogjakarta before flying to the Indonesian island of Bali. Then on to Sarawak in Borneo, to look at the city of Kuching before joining the river cruise at Sibu. After exploring the Rajang River, I would fly on to Sabah for a couple of nights before flying to Kuala Lumpur. After a couple of days exploring the city, I would return to England.

If that sounds exhausting, it was, but it was also one of the most stimulating trips I've undertaken. Click for detailed reports on the trip

The Arctic

'Prince Albert II' anchored off Storstappen Island, Norway.

I'd enjoyed my earlier trip to the Antarctic Peninsula, so I decided to visit the 'Other End' of our world on the luxurious exploration ship 'Prince Albert II', operated by Silversea. I flew via Oslo to Tromso where I joined the ship which headed north. We made one stop on mainland Norway at Nordkapp, then headed further north to the group of islands known as Svalbard. We virtually circumnavigated the main island, Spitsbergen, getting as far as 81 degrees north before ending our cruise at the town of Longyearbyen.

This trip provided a host of unforgettable memories. Click for detailed reports on the trip

Burma

The Swezigon, a revered massive stupa in the Bagan area.

On this visit, I took the 'Road to Mandalay' cruise ship north from Mandalay to Bhamo. It was good to see my friends on the ship again and we had some marvellous experiences on our various trips ashore. We visited a number of schools where 'Road to Mandalay' distributed stationery and we also cruised past a number of other schools where the pupils were lined up on the river bank to say 'Thank You' for stationery delivered by smaller boats. The trip ended at magical Bagan. During a road trip to Mount Popa, I was invited to participate in the official opening ceremony of a new school building at Htee Pu - this was a very moving experience for me.

Click for detailed reports on the trip

RAILWAYS

During 2010, I added some more technical pieces to the blog on railway signalling describing the arrangements at Spring Vale Sidings and Princes End. Both these boxes are long gone but many of the principles described are still in use. All the articles on railway signalling are here.

At the request of my friend Phil, I started the lengthy process of transcribing traffic notes I made at Sedgeley Junction in 1962/3. Phil also organised a splendid slideshow attended by some invited fans of the South Stafford Line.

During my visit to Indonesia, I snatched a little time to look at the railway system in Java - see Part 1 and Part 2. Returning via Kuala Lumpur, I also made a few journeys on the Mass Transit system and the KTM suburban railways. There's a brief report here.

Jan, on Thomas, collects the Single Line Staff leaving Shackerstone (photo: Sam Brandist)

'Thomas' celebrated his 65th birthday in 2010. I was involved at Shackerstone on a number of dates, but I missed the 'official' birthday celebrations on 1st May 2010 due to a prior engagement. See reports (part 1) and (part 2).

The 'prior engagement' was driving the '8F' at Peak Rail on the day the turntable was inaugurated by Pete Waterman.

Jan Ford and Pete Waterman on the '8F' after turning (Photo: Sheila Rayson)

On 15th May 2010, I travelled to Liverpool by rail for the OLCO Annual General Meeting. There's a brief report (with pictures) here.

On the 27th June, 2010 I reluctantly had to declare 68013 a failure at Peak Rail after the link in the dome between the regulator handle and the regulator valve became detached. I finished the day as supernumary on 'Penyghent'. There's a report here.

The 'Anything Goes' weekend at Peak Rail featured two-train working with the passenger train and a demonstration freight train. This time, 68013 behaved but there were one or two problems with the diesel locomotives as the report describes.

Intense activity around the Steaming Bays at the Kinver track

'Lionsmeet' was held at Kinver on 31st July. My report is here.

5542 waiting to depart from Shenton

My first 'turn' on a 'Light Prairie' came on 22nd August at Shackerstone. There's a short report here.

My trip to Burma included a train ride from Katha to Naba and back. I travelled in the locomotive cab both ways. See reports 'Cab Ride from Katha' and 'Cab Ride back to Katha'.

On the left D6586, on the right 33021 in the North Yard at Shackerstone.

During the year, I had a number of turns on the DMU at Shackerstone but the booked turn on 25-Sep-2010 was changed into conductor driver on a visiting 'Class 33'. I got to drive two visiting 'Class 33' during the day so I was quite happy. There's a report here.

'Planet' on a passenger train passes 'Rocket' during the 180th anniversary workings.

The 'Planet' replica was in service at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester throughout the year and I had a number of driving turns. To celebrate the 180th anniversary of the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, 'Planet' was joined by the 'Rocket' replica and train. I was rostered as driver on the 19th September and there's a report here.

5786 at Shenton

On the 2nd October at Shackerstone, I had a very pleasant day on the visiting Pannier Tank 5786. These are capable, versatile engines and, as my friend John likes to remind me (after I used the phrase on a railway video) "You can do anything with a Pannier'". More pictures.

In December, I did a couple of 'Santa Special' days at Peak Rail (see report).

BREWOOD

During the year, I've spent a fair bit of time in the Small Barn used by Ford Electronics where I work.

Brewood Hall is bit like the Forth Bridge in that maintenance or improvement work never ceases. In 2010, the new oak door to the Ice House and the new oak double gates to the yard adjacent to the Big Barn were installed. Then I discovered that the wooden main gates at the front of the house were decaying quite badly so I'm trying to arrange repair of these. The small brick shelter for the Buddha image in the garden has been completed, replacing the tent-like structure perviously in use. Inside the house, the list of things to do keeps extending.

On 21st July 2010, the ladies of Inner Wheel visited for a 'Faith Supper' and a short tour of the principal rooms (see report).

In 2010, Barnfield Sandbeds in Brewood became a public open space. High-quality sand was extracted from the 14-acre site until around 1970, after which nature reclaimed it. South Staffordshire Council, in conjunction with Friends of Barnfield Sandbeds have done a marvellous job. My pictures are here.

Earlier reviews:

2009
2008
2007
2006

Peak Rail 'Santa Specials' 2010

This view shows the rear of a down train, hauled by 'Penyghent', standing in the down platform at Darley Dale. The single lamp on the right of the buffer beam (looking from the cab - that's left looking at the photograph) is the essential tail lamp.

I had a couple of driving turns at Peak Rail on the 2010 'Santa Specials', both on the 'Austerity' tank, which is currently posing as 68013. As usual, we ran four 7-coach round trips in the day. Every train was fully pre-booked.

A year ago, we were able to top-and-tail using the 'Austerity' and the 'Class 8' but, sadly, the tender engine has moved away from Peak Rail so this year the 'Austerity' worked the service with the main-line diesel 'Penyghent'.

Derbyshire had had quite heavy snowfalls but I was fortunate in that the two days I was there the weather wasn't bad at all, although the wind rather whistled through the locomotive cab!

It was already getting dark by the last round trip so we needed the two lamps lit - one white lamp over each front buffer (Express) on the way to Matlock where we brought one white lamp into the cab and arranged the red 'shade' on the other lamp to give a red tail lamp as we were dragged back to Rowsley.

Because of the very cold weather, we shunted the tank wagon which had provided our water supply into the shed at the end of the day. Although we'd only used power in the up direction, we supplied the very essential steam heating to the train throughout the day so we'd boiled a fair drop of water!

Running the 'Santa Specials' requires a great deal of volunteer assistance in all departments, to ensure that all visitors have a good experience.

After the arrival of a down train at Darley Dale, the signalman and trainee open the gates to road traffic.

A few more photographs are here.

An English Winter 2010

Brewood Hall in the snow. Tai is rolling in the snow just outside the garden wall

It's still December as I write this but we're having one of the hardest winters I can remember.

In early November it became cold and windy with very hard frost and then we had snow. It snowed a number of times, although we only had about 3 or 4 inches in Brewood. The snow was still on the ground on Christmas Day but this morning, it's virtually all gone. Today it's wet, foggy and very overcast. At least it's warmer.

As usual, our transport services crumbled on the arrival of adverse weather. Road, rail and air were very adversely affected. But most British architecture performs badly in cold weather. Apart from thermal losses through windows, walls and roofs which modern Building Regulations seek to minimise through increasing restrictions, we have the curious tradition of putting a lot of our plumbing on the outside of buildings.

Since Brewood Hall is a Grade 2 Listed Building, it's difficult to make performance improvements so we experienced intermittent loss of water supply and a couple of leaks (so far). The building has partial central heating which is very expensive to run so most of the time the problem is trying to keep warm indoors.

My dog, Tai, is completely unfazed by these weather conditions and still loves to go out for long walks, delighting in rolling in the snow when he finds an attractive spot.

Cyclone Giri

'Road to Mandalay' volunteers packing clothing for the first relief trip (Photo: Dr. Hla Tun)

At the end of October 2010, Cyclone Giri made landfall in Rakhine State, Myanmar and also in Bangladesh. For over 12 hours, there were winds over 100 m.p.h. and a tidal surge of 3 to 4 metres.

Some two and a half years earlier, when Cyclone Nargis hit the Delta area of Myanmar, the loss of life was very high because the area is low-lying and people were unable to escape the tidal surge. In Rakhine State which is hilly, more people were able were able to flee the tidal surge but none-the-less it's estimated that the destruction of buildings has made another 70,000 people homeless in Myanmar.

Once again, the 'Road to Mandalay' team have organised relief for the affected areas.

The work started by collecting surplus 'Road to Mandalay' and 'The Governor's Residence' staff uniforms (about 330 items) and clothing, sandals and shoes left by guests which were packed into sacks. Staff also donated money to assist cyclone victims.

Rakhine State is in the remoter North West of Myanmar with poor roads.

There is still need for continuing medical relief work in the Delta Region and so the trips to Rakhine State form a "second front".

First Trip

The first trip was commenced on 8th December 2010, involving a journey of some 24 hours using bus and boat. Doctor Hla Tun opened a free mobile clinic and distributed the available clothing at the townships of Myay Pon and Min Pya which lay in the worst-affected areas. On the first trip to Rakhine State, 1,467 patients were treated.

First trip: Victims waiting for treatment.

Second Trip

The second trip to Rakhine State extended from 19th January 2011 to 24th January 2011. Clinics were opened on three different islands at the villages of Kyoon Thar Yar, Nga Pa Thon and Kokko. Larger boats were used to cross the sea and then bullock carts transferred the medical supplies and old uniforms to the clinic sites. If the tide was low, small boats were needed to ferry the supplies ashore. The RTM Team were assisted by the local midwife and other health personnel. Translators were required because the RTM Team did not speak the local Rakhine Tribe language. Being winter, it was very cold and the old uniforms distributed to the victims were very welcome since most of them lacked adequate shelter. This trip treated a further 1,552 patients, bringing the total to 3,019.

Transfer of supplies from bullock cart to boat for transfer to another island.

Third Trip

The third trip commenced on 6th April 2011 and lasted for six days (whilst the 'Road to Mandalay' had stopped operation for two weeks during the Myanmar Water Festival). On this trip, 642 patients were treated, bringing the total for Rakhine State to 3,661.

There are more pictures of the relief work in Rakhine State here.

See the Wikipedia report here.

[Statistics added 15-May-2012: Further additions 30-May-2012].

Traffic Movements at Sedgeley Junction 1962-1963 (Part 12)

This is one of a series of posts describing traffic movements I observed whilst unofficially working Sedgeley Junction signal box.

As described in Part 1, you can find the passenger timings here and the freight timings here. The notes are intended to go with a copy of the Train Register Book which is missing so, forty seven years later, the meaning of some of the original notes is not very clear. The original notes appear in italics with minimal editing, sometimes followed by my recent comments attempting clarification. The numbers in brackets have been added to assist in locating entries.

Sedgeley Jn. Friday 10th May 1963

A short period of observation this time.

(1) 4873, tender first, goes down with 39. The load is 4 vans, 2 Plate wagons, 4 vans, 6 sheeted open wagons, 12 vans, 2 Ferry wagons and a LNER brake van.
(2) 6429, also tender first, takes the Parcels down - 1 LMS Full Brake, 1 BR Full Brake.
(3) A light engine on the down is for Tyseley - 6403 chimney leading gently heading home.
(4) 4910 on the Up has 20 coal, 1 Hybar, 2 Ferry wagons, 1 Plate, 20 coal, 1 van, 1 Tube and an LNER brake van. 8269 is providing banking assistance.
(5) T63 goes up with 20 Dudleys comprising vans, open wagons, a 4-wheel Trestle EA, a dozen slack, coal, a van, a Tube and an LMS fitted brake.

Traffic Movements at Sedgeley Junction 1962-1963 (Part 11)

This is one of a series of posts describing traffic movements I observed whilst unofficially working Sedgeley Junction signal box.

There's an introduction to the box and a simplified signalling diagram here.

As described in Part 1, you can find the passenger timings here and the freight timings here. The notes are intended to go with a copy of the Train Register Book which is missing so, forty seven years later, the meaning of some of the original notes is not very clear. The original notes appear in italics with minimal editing, sometimes followed by my recent comments attempting clarification. The numbers in brackets have been added to assist in locating entries.

Sedgeley Jn. Saturday 4th May 1963

(1) After the Up Walsall, the Parcels up at 8.30 a.m. is 46456 facing Dudley with a 4-wheel long wheel base luggage van, an LMR full brake and a Siphon 'G'.
(2) T47 comes up behind 8767 with 23 container wagons, 3 tarpaulined mineral wagons, 2 container wagons, 4 tarpaulined open wagons, 2 plate wagons, 12 slack, low wagon, a loaded Trestle 'E', 6 coal and a BR brake. 4914 is banking.
(3) Later, we're told "WR1 will run with Stourbridges" and he comes up behind 8724 with 6 mineral wagons of coal, 2 empty mineral wagons, open wagon, mineral wagon loaded with slag, open wagon, sand wagon, BR brake, 2 mineral wagons loaded with scrap, 1 'Midland Tar Distillers' tank wagon and a WR brake marked 'Ruabon'.
(4) T39 goes down with 2 mineral wagons loaded with scrap, 2 Tube wagons and an LMS brake.
(5) The Parcels engine backs down to Dudley Port, dragging the Siphon and full brake.
(6) The Stockport Parcels is seen to arrive at Dudley Port High level with a 'Scot', a full brake and 6 vans.
(7) The Parcels engine returns early from Dudley Port with two vans, the BG and the Siphon.
(8) T65 goes up with 8747 going very well. The load is 42 (actual) for Stourbridge, coal, vans, a Tube wagon, one empty Conflat, more coal, vans (south Wales empties) and an LMR brake van with a pounding banker.
(9) T63 follows up. He's already approaching our home signal by the time we're able to offer him to Dudley on the Main. 4840 has a train made up of tarpaulined Hybars, a Tube wagon, GWR-style 20-ton coal wagons and a SR brake.
(10) 47 is advised as loading back with Bescots. He passes on the down with 4 Tube wagons, 1 loaded Plate wagon, 2 Tube, 3 Plate, 2 Tube, 1 Plate, 4 Tube and a BR brake van (17 equal to 26).
(11) 8474 rattles by on the down with an LMR brake after working WR2.
(12) WR1 passes on the Up, advised as 38 equal to 43 Stourbridge. The load is an open, a Plate, 2 Plate with ingots, 2 coal, Pipe wagons loaded with drain pipes, a Plate wagon with a Match Truck, 6 Pipe wagons and a BR brake. T63 is providing banking assistance.
(13) T65 passes Engine and (piped) Brake.

Traffic Movements at Sedgeley Junction 1962-1963 (Part 10)

This is one of a series of posts describing traffic movements I observed whilst unofficially working Sedgeley Junction signal box.

As described in Part 1, you can find the passenger timings here and the freight timings here. The notes are intended to go with a copy of the Train Register Book which is missing so, forty seven years later, the meaning of some of the original notes is not very clear. The original notes appear in italics with minimal editing, sometimes followed by my recent comments attempting clarification. The numbers in brackets have been added to assist in locating entries.

Sedgeley Jn. Saturday 20th April 1963

(1) 8175 with a grey S.R. brake passes on the down (off the 'Cuckoo'?).
(2) The 7.25 a.m. down is a 3-car DMU set 325. He's showing Empty Coaching Stock headlights on the rear!
(3) 8674 T47: 4910 T39: 28 equal to 32 Stourbridge with a LMR brake painted bauxite.
(4) Notice Dudleyport local going the wrong way! [Without the train register, I can't be sure what this cryptic note means. I suspect we pulled off to Horsley Fields for a down Dudleyport but the driver stopped whilst we got the road to Dudleyport and cancelled the train to Horsley Fields].
(5) Dudley stops the 'Western' turning out '47' then sends on '39' which is to remain.
(6) 3H47 goes up the Loop while the returning Dudley Port local rolls out of High Level. The down Stour Parcels is just arriving 'on top'.
(7) At 8.14 a.m. 46429 has run round his van [I think this means run round between the two crossovers to the Up Loop at Sedgeley Jn.] and puffs up to Dudleyport.
(8)'39' goes to 'The Port' early with six mineral wagons (2 with steel turnings, 4 with scrap) and an LMS brake.
(9)'39' comes off pushing two steel turnings and his brake. He stands on the Up Main, clear of the crossover while we wait for the Down Walsall to clear Horsley Fields.
(10) WR1 goes down behind 8415, BBC, low BBC(?), 6 tarpaulined wagons, BBC and a WR brake (BBC loaded with rods).
(11) 10.55 a.m. Parcels is two vans and a BG.
(12) T63, behind 4914 is "15=20 Dudleys", slowed by Dudley. (13) 8747 is going powerfully at the head of WR1 with 65 on - 2 mineral wagons of sand (one with 'Timken' axleboxes) odd wagons, Conflat, steel turnings, coal, a BR brake and T63 pounding at the rear. He's 'wired' "Round Oak and Stourbridge only".
(14) 8478 takes WR2 down, reported as 18=30 with Tube wagon, Plate wagon loaded with 4-inch square bars, 4 mineral wagons loaded with coal, one steel open painted (in amateur fashion) "To be cleaned before 6.44 loading" and a WR brake marked 'Bristol St. Phillips Marsh'.
(15) 8415 has ten 3-container wagons, tube wagons, loads of plate, bar, rods, ten coal wagons and a BR brake.

Liverpool & Manchester 180th Celebrations

'Planet' on a passenger train passes 'Rocket' waiting for its next working.

The Liverpool & Manchester Railway can claim to be the world’s first inter-city passenger railway. The original opening ceremony on 15th September 1830 was marred by an accident involving William Huskisson MP, a keen supporter of the new railway, now better remembered as "the world’s first railway casualty". The injured Huskisson was carried by 'Northumbrian' at speed to Eccles for treatment but died of his injuries. Notwithstanding this inauspicious start, the railway was a great success and still forms an important part of England's railway network.

The Manchester terminal station was in Liverpool Road and a number of the original buildings survive. Although rapid growth in passenger numbers required new facilities elsewhere and the Liverpool Road station closed to passengers in 1844, the site remained in use as an important Goods Depot until 1975. When the site closed, a group of far-sighted Mancunians set up the Liverpool Road Station Society to preserve the unique collection of buildings as a working steam museum. That initiative has now become the Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester which likes to be known as 'MOSI' (that always makes me think "Let's mosey on down to MOSI").

In 2005, the Liverpool and Manchester railway was 175 years old and MOSI hosted a 4-day celebration which they called 'Riot of Steam', featuring replicas of the contenders at the earlier Rainhill Trials. I was lucky enough to take part in this event, managing a drive on all of the replicas and giving a talk on the design of early locomotives. My 'Riot of Steam' pictures are here.

The 180th anniversary of the line in 2010 was marked in various ways. At Edgehill station, Liverpool, the Arts Group Metal provided an exhibition starting on the 15th September and going on until the 23rd October. Edgehill claims to be the oldest passenger railway station in the world still in use.

On 11th September, there was an open day at Eccles Station, organised by the Friends of Eccles Station, with street theatre, a brass band, family activities, refreshments and free return trips from Eccles to Patricroft.

At MOSI, the museum's 'Planet' replica was joined by the replica 'Rocket' with its own train. These locomotives gave passenger rides on the museum's line on the 11th and 12th September, the 15th September (the date of the original opening ceremonies) and the 18th and 19th September. I was 'Planet' driver during the afternoon of the 19th and, when we'd finished, I moved across to 'Rocket' as fireman. Charlie from the National Railway Museum let me drive the last passenger trip but, because the fire had been deliberately run-down prior to disposal, the low boiler pressure gave us some problems reversing at the ground frame.

'Rocket' has undergone a number of changes since I was last on her in 2005 - new trailing wheelset, new water barrel, new brake system, a handbrake added, new firebox, boiler tubes closer to the original design.

'Rocket', showing the driving axle and slip eccentrics. The transverse shaft is operated from the foot treadle on the footplate to change direction.

The 'Rocket' replica has Slip Eccentric reversing. This type of motion was also fitted to the 'Planet' class. It was a few years before Gab motion became common and this was quickly superceded by Link motion which not only gave reliable reversing but offered variable cut-off for more efficient working.

'Rocket' - Note rectangular valve chest mounted underneath the LH cylinder; transverse shafts with valve setting levers pointing downwards at 'five o'clock'; Eccentric rods terminated in burnished handles with semi-circular recesses engaged with round bosses on valve setting levers

The set-up of the Slip Eccentric motion on 'Rocket' is more straightforward than on 'Planet' because the cylinders on 'Rocket' are high up at the back, next to the driver. The levers for manually setting the valves drive through transverse shafts. Locking the valves to the (rather splindly) extended eccentric rods is also simpler. Each eccentric rod has a semi-circular recess which is engaged with a round boss on the valve setting lever so that the extended eccentric rod imparts the required motion to the valve setting lever and (through the transverse shaft) the valve. To start the engine manually, the driver knocks the extended eccentric rods out of mesh with the valves, works the valves as required and then re-engages the extended eccentric rods with the valve bosses. Link motion, when it appeared, with its distinctive curved, slotted expansion links was a massive improvement! The simple 'semi-circular recess and boss' method of disengaging the eccentric from the valve can be seen on many stationary engines.

The day I was there, the weather was rather indifferent (it rained intermittently and was cold) but I think the public and the railway operating staff still enjoyed themselves - I certainly did.

My pictures of the 180th event.

Two 'Cromptons'

On the left D6586, on the right 33021 in the North Yard at Shackerstone.

The Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon 'Type 3' diesel electrics became 'Class 33' but were often referred to as 'Cromptons' after the manufacturer of their electrical equipment, Crompton Parkinson.

My first 'hands on' experience with a 'Crompton' was on the Mince Pie Specials at the Battlefield Line with 33019 'Griffon' on 1st January 2008. That locomotive is still at Shackerstone but, for the recent Diesel Gala, two more 'Class 33' visited the line. Before these visitors left, it was decided to put them in service on the weekend of 25th and 26th September 2010. That meant that I was not needed for my rostered DMU turn on the 25th, but I was asked to turn up as a 'Conductor Driver' so that a driver from the owners' group could drive his '33' later in the day.

I arrived just as Simon was 'striking up' one of the vistors, 33021. Simon explained that the other '33' was being used for the service trains on Saturday but that a battery charge would be needed before we attempted an engine start. A new set of batteries were already on order and would be fitted before the locomotive left Shackerstone. With the two visitors coupled together, 33021 drew D6586 down to the charging point and Simon placed the locomotive on charge. With the handbrake on D6586 firmly applied, I then 'split' the two engines and drove 33021 through the station to the south end. The signalman had just arrived so Simon made arrangements for us to carry out the Line Inspection with our 'Light Engine'.

Simon invited me to drive, so we set off for an uneventful run down to Shenton where we changed ends and I drove back to Shackerstone. I seem to remember this dyed-in-the-wool steam enthusiast muttering "I could get used to this" at some point in the journey. Having signed off the line as fit-for-service at the signal box, we returned through Shackerstone station and buffered up to the waiting D6586.

The Sulzer 8LDA28 engine in the '33' is arranged for 'air start', like a number of main-line diesel electric designs. This means that the batteries are used to drive the Pre-Start Compressor to charge the main air receiver and this compressed air is then used to 'crank' the engine for starting. Simon showed me how another locomotive (in this case 33021) can be 'piped' to provide air for starting. Very soon, D6586 was started so it only remained to 'park up' 33021 ready to work the service on the following day and put D6586 on the waiting train (six coaches including the visiting Observation Car E1719E).

This took me a little longer than it should have done but we were ready to take the 11.30 a.m. service out a few minutes late with the cheerful secondman and Pete as a supernumary. We had a good trip down to Shenton, the presence of a number of permanent way restrictions making the driving more interesting.

At Shenton, once the locomotive was 'hooked-off', I drew forward into the headshunt and changed ends. When running round with a main-line diesel on the Battlefield Line, the driver always changes ends so as to be at the front of the movement. This involves changing ends three times for each run-round. It's possible to change ends by walking through the engine room although it's noisy and the gangways are narrow. On D6586 the engine room is clean, but I've been on some locomotives that are swimming in oil, so passing through the engine room in such cases is definitely not recommended. Most drivers prefer to avoid passing through the engine room so, when changing ends, they'll climb down at one end, walk along the ballast and climb back up at the other end.

Once attached to the train, I created the vacuum, watched for the temporary drop in vacuum as the guard carried out his brake continuity test and waited for the secondman to relay the Guard's 'Rightaway'. It was a bright, sunny morning so we had a pleasant trip back through the Leicestershire countryside, meeting numerous pheasants along the way who scurried along the track ahead and, as always, seemed very reluctant to move to a place of safety. Somehow, they always appear to escape unhurt. Ian, from the owners' group, was on the platform by the time we arrived back at Shackerstone, so I turned the locomotive over to him for the rest of the day and had a fairly easy time in the right hand seat.

For once, I was glad of an easy turn as I was faced with an 11-hour shift on the footplate of 68013 at Peak Rail the following day.

My pictures are here.

Railways on the Air 2010

The 'Radio Shack' at Shackerstone viewed from an arriving train.

I was unaware of this interesting annual event until I turned up at Shackerstone on 25th September 2010 and found members of Hinckley Amateur Radio and Electronics Society on Platform 2, in a tent sprouting a very professional-looking aerial system.

Every year, amateur radio enthusiasts set up temporary radio stations at participating preserved railways and try to collect as many 'contacts' as possible. For more details, click here.

There were a few pictures but they're currently missing, sorry .

Beyer Peacock, Gorton

During the 2009 Transport Festival, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester organised bus trips to the former Beyer Peacock Boiler Shop at Gorton

The Beyer Peacock works was established in 1854, ultimately expanding to occupy a site of around 22 acres and employ over 2000 workers. The site lay on the south side of the M.S. & L. line out of Manchester (which became part of the Great Central), in between the stations of Ashburys and Gorton. This line was eventually electrified as part of the Manchester, Sheffield and Wath route through the Woodhead Tunnels.

Plan of the site in 1950 (note that north is downwards). Click on the plan for a high-resolution version.

The plan above gives an idea of the range of skills involved in manufacturing a locomotive, with 'Shops' for the various disciplines all integrated on a single site.

The period after WWII was particularly busy as railways around the world attempted to recover from the ravages of the conflict. Later, as demand for steam locomotives reduced, Beyer Peacock produced diesel-hydraulics but the Glory Days were over and in 1966 the famous Gorton Works closed, although diversified production of steel roofing systems and large fans continued on other sites.

Around 8,000 locos were built by Beyer Peacock. More than 1,000 of them were of the articulated 'Beyer Garratt' type.

The first Beyer Garratt to emerge from Gorton in 1909 was the 'K1' for Tasmania. Repatriated and restored, this locomotive now works on the Welsh Highland Railway. On the 17th August 2009, as a publicity event, the 'K1' was taken back to her birthplace at Gorton during the 2009 Transport Festival at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester (MOSI). This co-incided with the 'Great Garratt Gathering' at MOSI with full-size and model Garratts. The K1, as the world's first Garratt, took pride of place alongside 'William Francis' and MOSI's resident 1930 Beyer-Garratt, which ran on the South African Railways until 1972.

Much of the Beyer Peacock works at Gorton has been razed to become a modern Industrial Estate but the huge boiler shop remains, now owned by Manchester City Council. It now serves in various roles as storage, taxi inspection garage and cleansing department maintenance garage for the city.

As part of the 2009 Transport Festival, bus trips were run from MOSI to visit the Boiler Shop on Saturday and Sunday 15, 16 August 2009. I managed to join a trip on the Sunday.

The museum preserves extensive documents and drawings from Beyer Peacock. In addition, Manchester Library has a collection of photographs taken around the works.

Wikipedia have an article on Beyer Peacock here.

There's an interesting site on Beyer Peacock here.

A useful list of Garratts built at Gorton can be found here.

My post on the 2009 Transport Festival and the Great Garratt Gathering is here and my pictures are here.

Pictures taken on my trip to the Boiler Shop are here.

Traffic Movements at Sedgeley Junction 1962-1963 (Part 9)

This is one of a series of posts describing traffic movements I observed whilst unofficially working Sedgeley Junction signal box.

As described in Part 1, you can find the passenger timings here and the freight timings here. The notes are intended to go with a copy of the Train Register Book which is missing so, forty seven years later, the meaning of some of the original notes is not very clear. The original notes appear in italics with minimal editing, sometimes followed by my recent comments attempting clarification. The numbers in brackets have been added to assist in locating entries.

Sedgeley Jn. Easter Monday 15th April 1963

(1) The Up 'Western' at 8.00 a.m. is Set 315, a 3-set coupled to a twin, with no passengers.
(2) The 'Western' returns on the down at 8.20 a.m., displaying Set 303 on the twin.
(3) The 'Walsall' DMU goes up to Dudley and returns on the down a little later.
(4) The Down 'Western' at 9.00 a.m. is three single units coupled together marked Set 105.
(5) The Up Walsall at 9.05 a.m. is formed of two twins. Soon, it's heading back to Walsall.
(6) The 10.00 a.m. Down Western is a 3-car set marked '325'.
(7) The three single units (Set 105) return on the Up at 10.20 a.m.
(8) There's an Up Special from Snow Hill - a 3-car set absolutely packed.
(9) At 11.00 a.m. the down is Set 105.
(10) The 11.23 a.m. Up is Set 105.[This is surely wrong]
(11) A 'Western' 3-car set passes on the Up at 11.41 a.m.

Now it gets interesting!

(12) Dudleyport sends 1X71 for Dudley. 5398 with the reporting number board on the buffer beam and ten non-corridors coasts past with a well-loaded train. We get the message that a Conductor from Aston is not required.
(13) The 12 o'clock Down Western is the 3-car set marked '325'.
(14) We take on 1X69 on the Up. He stops in Dudleyport Low Level and finally heads up the bank making a lot of smoke.
(15) Light engine 5398 off 1X71 clanks by on the down, presumably 'Rightaway Bescot MPD'.
(16) The Up 'Western' at 12.27 p.m. is Set 325 (?), standing room only.
(17) There's an Up Relief following at 12.37 p.m. and this is packed.
(18) We get Empty Stock on the Down for Snow Hill. This is 'Prairie' 4137 with 3 LNER coaches, 4 LMS coaches and one BR(ER) coach, having worked a Malvern - Dudley excursion.
(19) The Western at 1.00 p.m. is Set 105.
(20) Set 325, the 3-set, passes on the up at 1.20 p.m., with the Guard giving a friendly thumbs up.
(21) Excursion 1X39 is taken on on the Up. The train engine is 45641 (carrying the reporting number). But he's '12 on' and 46527 has been hooked on the front as a pilot. Both engines were working well as they came by the box.

Sadly, that's the end of my period of observation, although I saw one more steam-hauled excursion, from Derby I think, with 45611 'Hong Kong' in charge.

Traffic Movements at Sedgeley Junction 1962-1963 (Part 8)

This is one of a series of posts describing traffic movements I observed whilst unofficially working Sedgeley Junction signal box.

As described in Part 1, you can find the passenger timings here and the freight timings here. The notes are intended to go with a copy of the Train Register Book which is missing so, forty seven years later, the meaning of some of the original notes is not very clear. The original notes appear in italics with minimal editing, sometimes followed by my recent comments attempting clarification. The numbers in brackets have been added to assist in locating entries.

Sedgeley Jn. Friday 29th March 1963

Another night turn!

(1) 8375 backs downhill very gently with a long train, Bogie Bolsters and a long line of tube wagons, with a 'Western' brake: it's Target 47.
(2) On the Up line, T65 is 'put on the block' ('Is Line Clear accepted from the box in rear). We're told that the 'Tanks' are already at a stand at Goldshill so we get the road for T65 and his assisting Engine and Brake 'up the loop'. He's going rather poorly as the 'Class 8' passes the box with loaded Plate wagons, coal, Midland Tar Distiller's tanks, open wagons and a BR Brake, helped by another Class 8 with an LMS Brake. The Guard on the rear brake has already set the correct side light to white. The load is reported as 37 equal to 44 for Stourbridge.
(3) On the Down, the 'Gloucesters' come by early with a 'Class 9' on a train of 39 wagons, a brake, 2 open wagons, 1 Conflat and a BR Brake.
(4) WR3 comes downhill with 8459 and vans, open wagons, Plate, BBC, open wagons and a BR Brake.
(5) T63 comes down and slowly shunts Coneygree Siding, putting off one and picking up one open wagon. We get him away to Dudley Port for water, tender first and with a recently-painted LMS Brake.
(6) The Soho Road tanks go down.
(7) 48417 tender first goes down, with about six and the brake.
(8) At 4.00 a.m. WR3 passes on the Up with 30 for Stourport. 48459 is on the front and 48713 with a BR brake van (8T13) is working hard at the rear.
(9) The down Newspaper Train scuttles by on the down as WR3 labours up to Dudley.
(10) The telephone gives an update "WR4 is 28 equal to 36 for Hartlebury, with the 'Cuckoo' to follow."
(11) As advised, WR4 comes up from Great Bridge with a number of 21 ton mineral wagons included in the load. He goes up the loop because the parcels is still on the main line block at Dudley East.
(12) At 4.51 a.m., an engine and brake creeps downhill, 48767, chimney leading, dragging a BR brake (with one of the sidelights out), probably T65.
(13) Just as dawn is breaking and a few birds are calling, the 'Cuckoo' comes up with 25 equal to 30 for Round Oak. The train engine is blowing steam and puffing dark smoke dragging a line of 16-tonners which look empty. The LMS brake van has the tail lamp knocked over and 48713 is in the rear, working hard as usual.
(14) Later, the Parcels Engine, 46425, coasts by on the Up.
(15) I notice the Stoke Parcels on the Down Stour at Dudleyport. He detaches the Dudleys in the South Sidings at Dudleyport. A little later, the Parcels Engine goes down light to Dudleyport to pick up the Dudleys. He's soon heading back to Dudley with a Long Wheel Base 4-wheeler, an Eastern Region Full Brake and an LMS Full Brake.
(16) T39 is a Class 8, 3 vans, 4 mineral wagons and a BR brake.

Cab Ride back to Katha

In the post 'Cab Ride from Katha' I described the journey from Katha to Naba. In this post, I describe the return journey to Katha.

On arrival at Naba, I'd gone on the village walking tour so, by the time we got back to the station, the train was ready for the return journey. We got back to the station by walking alongside the railway, giving me a good view of the 'fixed at danger' bracket signal at the Mandalay end of the station. I also passed a well-preserved water crane situated between the through and platform tracks (on our arrival I'd seen a second water crane at the northern end of the station). Adjacent to the platform, there was a complex gantry of water pipes, with frequent taps over the through and platform roads. I assumed that this was for replenishing lavatory tanks but it wasn't obvious whether the facility was still in use. A large water tank on a steel tower presumably serves (or once served) these watering facilities. It looked as if the branch train to Katha once ran out of a bay platform (provided, at its outer end, with a lengthy inspection pit), but the pit has become a repository for rubbish and a cafe has expanded itself across the track with a series of awnings.

It would have been nice to watch the shunt because, as well as running the locomotive round the train, the Luggage Van had been shunted so that it would be the last vehicle. I said to Mai that I was quite happy to travel in the train if the driver preferred, but he indicated that I was welcome in the cab, so, after a quick inspection of the relative luxury of the passenger coaches, I clambered up into the leading cab, which was as battered as the one at the other end. I noticed that, as a precaution, the bag of stone chippings had been transferred to the leading coupler but conditions were now better and they were not used on the return journey. The diesel engine had been shut down and it was re-started from the engine room. I presumed that either engine start is not provided from the cab or the facility no longer works. The engine started up easily enough and ran with an even beat. I'd noticed that the Engine Room and Cabs were three separate structures so, although it was noisy in the cab, it wan't deafening.

The clipboard of papers were in position on the control panel. A partially-obscured form appeared to be the Train Order - in English I could read "... here by authorised to proceed to ..." and the form had two vertical overprinted bars in red, presumably tro re-inforce its importance. I photographed the form on top and later got it translated - it listed the various speed restrictions and their location.

On the return journey we had the same Driver, Secondman and Inspector but not the other railwayman who'd travelled to Naba with us.

On receiving the rightaway, we slowly moved out of the platform. The Pointsman at the south end was displaying a green handsignal and he'd set the platform road trailing points to let us onto the main line. But the second set of facing points which would divert us onto the Katha branch were set for the main line to Mandalay, so it was clear that we were going to do a 'shuffle' as we had on our arrival. The driver kept going until the whole train was clear of the platform points and then stopped. The Pointsman set and clipped the Platform road points for the Through road and then called us back. The driver propelled the train along the Through road, until we were clear of the points leading to the Katha branch. Whilst the Pointsman was setting and clipping the branch points, I was able to study the Platform road points, which were provided with an EIC locking box. A key had been inserted into the locking box, presumably releasing the lock slide which was provided with two handles. The arrangement is presumably that the key unlocks the lock slide which can be moved so as to allow the points to be moved, with the key remaining held in place until the lock slide is moved back to hold the points in position. Quite how this is used today I haven't worked out because there's no sign of a similar lock on the branch points! But at least they use point clips - a simple threaded hook bolt with a large washer and nut used to hold the switch rail against the stock rail. Another green handsignal and we were able to draw our train onto the branch and proceed towards the trap points which had intrigued me on the way in. The signal protecting the trap points was 'off'. It appeared to be a 3-aspect semaphore arm adapted to 2-aspect!

We started our climb, with the speed indicated as 10 m.p.h. I judged this to be about right but my confidence in the 'Hasler' was eroded having noticed that it read 5 m.p.h. when stationary in Naba. It might just have been a sticking pointer because the next time we stopped (near the summit of the line) it showed 'zero'.

This time, I had some idea what to expect. At first, there were lush green fields on either side but, having passed the two manned level crossings, the jungle began to close in. The locomotive kept grinding on and, with the rails now dried off by the sun, we had no problems with slipping.

Mileposts indicated our location and the driver seemed to scrupulously observe the specified 'slacks' (speed restrictions). Mileposts are a substantial round wooden stake, shaped to a 'V' near the top. A metal plate, also folded to a 'V' is fixed to the stake with the mileage printed twice, once on each face of the 'V', so that the number is visible to trains travelling in either direction. I couldn't actually read the distances, because the numbers use Burmese characters.

Sometimes, the rails were almost covered by greenery so that the state of the sleepers was hidden. It was more worrying where the sleepers were exposed as the track wasn't in brilliant condition. Some maintenance was being carried out on a 'spot replacement' basis. The occasional new ironwood sleeper with well-defined edges just drew attention to the adjacent more dubious timbers. Reinforced concrete sleepers were sometimes used.

The flat-bottom rails were joined with conventional fishplates. Looking down from the cab, I could see that some of the gaps between adjacent rails were rather large. At one particularly wide gap, I waited for the 'thump' as the wheels bridged the gap but, to my surprise, the locomotive passed over smoothly. I spotted one two- or three-inch length of rail used to 'plug' a wide gap - there were probably more. This was something I'd observed in Yangon on the circle Line (see my earlier post).

Drainage was rather poor on some of the jungle section and the track was waterlogged in places - I presume some of the 5 m.p.h. sections.

We stopped briefly at a Stop Board near the summit of the line and picked up a railwayman who stood behind the driver almost to Katha - he dropped off on one of the slow sections.

The driver applied careful braking on the descent to control our speed. We rumbled over the various river bridges without incident. At one bridge, a motor cycle preceded us, running on the boards placed between the rails to form a footpath but he was perhaps 100 yards in front so the driver seemed to consider this behaviour quite normal. Once over the bridge, the motor cycle turned off onto one of the dirt tracks leading away from the railway.

As we approached Katha, I was intrigued by a lattice signal post which appeared quite old and must have been British, still with access ladder and maintenance platform but with no signal arm or finial. A square white plate bearing a black diamond is now displayed about halfway up the post.

At Katha station, the pointsman displayed a green handsignal so we rumbled over the loop points and the level crossing and slowly ran along the platform. On our left, the afternoon 'mixed' train to Naba, headed by sister locomotive DD1515, was standing in the loop ready for departure with plenty of passengers either aboard or wandering around outside. We came to a smooth stop so it was time to thank the locomotive crew and rejoin my fellow 'Road to Mandalay' passengers for the trip back to the ship.

The railway is significantly underfunded but I was impressed with the professionalism of the railwaymen I'd seen.

Pictures of this journey are here.

Cab Ride from Katha

Tuesday 31st August 2010

As I described in travel post 'Train Ride to Naba', I managed to 'blag' a cab ride in the rather beat-up diesel locomotive which hauled a special passenger train from Katha to Naba and return in Myanmar. The Myanmar Railways running number was DD1527. I think the first 'D' indicates 'Diesel', the second 'D' 4-axle (the bigger locomotives are 'DF' and carried on six axles). The '15' might refer to a 1500 h.p. power plant but I'm not sure. The locomotive carries a Krauss-Maffei maker's plate (F.-Nr. 4611 of 1964) and I surmise the transmission is diesel hydraulic. Certainly, Krauss-Maffei supplied a batch of 30 off M1500BB of roughly similar appearance to neighbouring Thailand in 1969 and these were diesel hydraulic.

The cab is right-hand drive so I easily spotted the brake stand mounted on the right cab side. There was a large valve to control creation and destroying of vacuum to control the train brakes (the British introduced railways into Burma as it then was so the familiar 21 in/Hg is used). The driver’s valve was already pushed forward so that the exhauster released the train brakes. I was surprised that the driver had hung his bag on the handle, thinking this would impede making a brake application. Later I spotted a vacuum pipe rising from the floor, terminated in a flap valve to form an emergency brake. The driver used this flap valve (with great delicacy) to make all train brake applications, leaving the main valve in the ‘create’ position throughout.

On top of the vacuum brake valve, and co-axial with it, was the handle for the locomotive air brake – a simple rod threaded at the end for a ball knob which had disappeared long ago. This valve was also pushed forward to release the brake. I didn’t find a handbrake. The small air valve for the horn was mounted on a bracket on the cab side just behind the brake.

On the right of the inclined fascia in front of the driver were two duplex gauges confirming brake status – air reservoir and brake cylinder air pressure, vacuum reservoir and train pipe vacuum.

Engine speed was indicated on a tachometer directly in front of the driver. Idling speed was about 700 r.p.m. and, when we were working hard on the climb, it rose to a little over 900 r.p.m. To the left of the tachometer a clipboard held a number of forms. I assumed that one was a 'Train Order' authorising us to travel on the single line to Naba.

A small control desk jutted out at an angle to the left of the driver. The most obvious feature was a large 3-spoke ‘steering wheel’ which formed the power controller. The round mounting collar was notched to give a reference to power being demanded as the wheel was turned but the notch seemed to traverse only a series of radial ‘scratches’ in the paintwork of the top of the control desk. To the left of the power controller was the direction selection control, forward-off-reverse, another round rod with threaded end for a long-gone knob. Further to the left was a 5-position master selector.

The window pillar in the right-hand front corner mounted a 'Hasler' speed indicator.

In addition to the driver, there was a Secondman, an older man who appeared to be some sort of Inspector and a younger man whose role I couldn't fathom. At departure time, the driver sounded a long blast on the horn and shortly afterwards the Secondman relayed the 'Rightaway' from the Guard travelling in the 'Luggage Van' at the rear. The driver made a modest adjustment to the power controller and, after a short delay, the train slowly moved away.

Even at the rather modest speed we were making (10 m.p.h. indicated on the 'Hasler') we were soon out of the town and passing through a wooded country area. The railway provided a convenient 'footpath' for the locals and I was intrigued that, in many places, people prefer to walk down the middle of the track.

Fairly frequently, we crossed small river gorges where the British Legacy was a series of well-built brick and stone abutments with steel girders to carry the track. The track itself had received only indifferent maintenance so, although the bridges themselves looked fairly reasonable, some of the permanent way looked decidedly 'iffy'. Permanent way over bridges was normally provided with Guard Rails to help keep vehicles upright in the event of derailment but no form of handrail was ever provided. The space between the guard rails was usually covered with an erratic selection of longitudinal planks for the convenience of local people using the railway bridge as part of the network of footpaths.

Before long, we passed a fixed distant signal and approached a stop signal protecting a facing junction with a branch curving off to the right. A word about signals. As I was to discover, they come in a range of shapes and sizes, the only common feature being that (as on a number of model railways I've seen) they don't look quite 'right'. They look as if they were built by someone who didn't really understand signalling and didn't get the scale quite right. Many of the stop signals are fixed at danger but some can be operated by a lever near the base of the post (again, just like some model railways) but I saw no evidence of any interlocking with points.

At the junction, a thatched bamboo shelter had been provided for the 'Pointsman' who was standing on the left of the track displaying a rather grubby green flag. We trundled over the facing points and I could see that the branch was recently-constructed using concrete sleepered track and well-ballasted. As we continued, another line trailed in on our right and, after running parallel for a few hundred yards, joined our line. There was a single lever for the turnout on our left and a point indicator on our right. From the above observations, I presume the new line makes a triangular connection with the original branch but I've not yet found out exactly what is being built.

A little later, we passed the station of Netyetwin - a couple of nameboards in Burmese and English and a simple open shelter for waiting passengers, nothing more. After we'd passed a second primitive station, conditions became more rugged. It was clear that we were climbing and the jungle closed in on both sides.

It had been wet since we started but now the railhead was noticeably wet and the driver was clearly concerned about reducing adhesion. He started leaning out of the side window and looking back, I think checking for incipient slipping. Our speed had reduced but whether that was due to gradient or slipping I couldn't tell. The two windows at the front of the cab were top hinged and had been left open a couple of inches for ventilation but now the driver pushed his window right open so that he could look down and assess the railhead condition. It was very wet. Suddenly, the indicated speed shot up and it was clear we were in a bad slip. The driver removed the power and let the train come to a standstill, issuing instructions to the Secondman at the same time. As I'd boarded the locomotive at Katha, I'd noticed the sack on the floor half-full of crushed stone but the significance hadn't dawned on me. The Secondman climbed down with this sack and laid a trail of dust and stone on the rails in front of the leading wheels. He then balanced the sack on the front chopper coupling and straddled the coupling himself, facing the cab.

The driver started away and we continued, at about 5 m.p.h., with the Secondman periodically dribbling stone onto the rails. In this manner, we continued to what I took to be the summit of the route where the driver stopped the train so that the Secondman could come back to the (relative) comfort of the cab.

In places, the track seemed fairly badly waterlogged and the driver was clearly observing speed restrictions from time-to-time but, now we were on the downhill run, the train was in general much livelier with 15 m.p.h. indicated in places. The driver made full use of the vacuum brake flap-valve to control the speed. In places, bullocks or cows would be grazing on the line but, after running ahead of us for a while, they all managed to jump clear into the undergrowth on one side or the other. The driver kept going at moderate speed and I'm sure he'd have stopped had it been necessary.

We passed a couple of level crossings equipped with very primitive gates to partially close the road side only where dirt coads crossed. In each case, there was a Crossing Keeper displaying the regulation dirty geen flag.

After passing a fixed distant signal, we approached a stop signal at danger on a long straight section. A little way on our side of the signal there was a round sign on a post which I afterwards learned said 'STOP'. We stopped and a railwayman started walking towards us, carrying a pad of forms. It appeared that we were being issued with a Train Order to complete our journey to Naba. The Driver, Secondman and Inspector solemnly read the new form and counter-signed it. The railwayman, satisfield, walked back towards the stop signal and knelt down in the track. The track is generally so overgrown that it's hard to see the rails, let alone any pointwork but I realised that there must be a set of facing trap point beyond the signal which he was setting and clipping for us to pass. Remember, we'd been descending for some time so the railway builders were probably worried about runaways carrying on out of control to Naba station ahead of us, hence these trap points.

The railwayman (well, Pointsman, now I knew he'd a set of trap points to look after) operated the stop signal to 'Off' and displayed a green flag. The signal arm was a rather odd corrugated steel type with unusual proportions. The 'traps' actually led to 'gauntletted' track where the 'run-off' rails formed a sand-drag. Each rail was provided with an inside and outside continuous check rail and the gaps were filled with sand to retard a train on the 'run-off'. This sand drag continued for a few hundered yards and then a 'common crossing' turned the 'gauntletted' track into a separate siding on our right. This siding was then lost from view in the grass.

At this point, the single-track 'main line' from Mandalay came parallel on our left. The two tracks, each provided with guard rails, crossed a substantial river bridge and then we were faced with two more odd stop signals - lattice posts and proper stop arms provided with a typical lower-quadrant spectacle frame (just frame - no glass and no signal illumination) but somehow re-arranged for upper-quadrant operation! Our signal was 'off', so we continued to a crossover which switched us to the main line, encouraged by a green flag displayed by a Pointsman on our right. We then came a two-doll bracket stop signal, the left upper arm probably relating to the 'Through' road, the right-hand lower arm reading to the 'Platform' road. No signals are provided relating to movements onto the loops to the left of the 'Through' road. Unfortunately, both arms were fixed at danger. I've seen this 'fixed stop bracket' signal at other stations in Burma and don't currently have an explanation. Well, my train carried on along the through line, with a couple of trains on our left, with only one surprise left, because we didn't stop but sailed majestically through the station and out the other side. As we finally stopped, I realised we were going to set back and propel the train into the platform track. I'm still puzzled as to why. When we'd finally stopped in the platform, I said 'goodbye' to the Driver and Secondman (the others had disappeared) and rejoined the other passengers for our walking tour of Naba.

The outward journey pictures are here.

My notes on the return journey to Katha are at 'Cab Ride back to Katha' and pictures taken on the return journey are here.

Communication Problems

Monday 6th September 2010

We lost the satellite link which provided internet after a few days of sailing north but they expected to re-acquire it. Unfortunately, it never came back. When we arrived at Mandalay, they were sure I'd get internet at the Sedona Hotel (where I'd stayed on my second visit to Burma) but the link went down just before I arrived and didn't come back. My last day in Yangon was spent at the The Governor's Residence and, after some initial difficulties, I managed to get some e-mails out but my Blog remained inaccessible.

It was only when I arrived in my suite at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok that I obtained a good Wi-Fi connection (144Mbps, sometimes lower).

How quickly we take for granted these amazing technical achievements, commenting only when they're denied us.

Opening of New School Building at Htee Pu

Saturday 4th September 2010

Jan, Dr. Hla Tun, the Head Monk and the School Headmaster after the ceremony

The official opening ceremony of the new school building at Htee Pu had been arranged to co-incide with the afternoon trip from the ship to Mount Popa.

I'd first visited Htee Pu last year when we diverted into the village on the way back from Mount Popa. My report on the trip to Mount Popa is here, my report on our visit to Htee Pu village is here. The Doctor had introduced me to the Head Monk and the Headmaster of the school and I'd decided then that the project to extend teaching to older pupils was well worthwhile supporting. This was my opportunity to see for myself what had been achieved.

We left the ship in a number of buses headed for Mount Popa. My bus, and I think one other, was to detour to Htee Pu for the ceremony before continuing to Mount Popa. Htee Pu is about ten minutes drive from the tarmac road along a rutted track of beaten earth. The bus driver made a good job of negotiating this track and delivering us safely to the school compound.

The new building is the fourth donated by 'Road to Mandalay' guests and it stands at right angles to the other three, slightly apart. A bamboo archway had been erected on the broad path leading to the new building. The archway had been decorating and a large banner across the arch read 'Welcome to Road to Mandalay Family'. The broad path had been trimmed with short whitewashed posts and the overall effect was very impressive. The galvanised corrugated sheet roof of the new building gleamed in the afternoon sun but, before we took a closer look, there was to be a performance for the visitors next to the earlier third building.

The verandah at the end of the third building formed a convenient raised stage so bamboo had been used to form a temporary structure extending outwards for the audience. The roof of this structure had been covered with sheets of thin material to keep the sun off the visitors and the vertical poles had been swathed in material to give a very gay effect.

About thirty plastic chairs had been provided for the visitors and, once we had taken our seats, a group of the youngest pupils walked onto the stage and recited a poem with great earnestness. Next, four older girls performed two dances. Finally, a choir of girls sang for us.

It was clear that a lot of preparation had gone into this performance and teachers could be seen in the 'wings' checking the performers prior to their appearance. Standard school uniform is a green longyi with a white top and all the performers were impressively turned out. I was a little surprised to see that some of the older girls were wearing lipstick on stage. I was not the only visitor to be very moved by this concert.

Now, it was time for the simple opening ceremony, so we moved through the archway and down the broad path to the new building. There were already lots of pupils watching from the shade of the verandah on the new building and a large party of villagers, who had been watching the concert from a distance, now moved towards the new building to observe the formalities. Two pairs of the senior girls were holding tapes across the path. A cluster of gas-filled balloons had been tied in the centre of each tape. An American donor of medical aid and myself were nominated to cut the tapes and two pairs of kitchen scissors were presented on round trays. We simultaneously cut the first tape on either side of the balloons. The balloons slowly rose into the sky. We then repeated the performance on the second tape and that was it!

Cutting the second tape

I was then presented with a commemorative banner for the event. After various photographs were taken, we decided that the banner should be retained by the school for display. A rather emotional Jan, after being presented with the commemorative banner

Just one more task remained - the presentation of stationery to pupils. Quite small donations by passengers on 'Road to Mandalay' can make a massive difference to large numbers of pupils.

Jan assists with the distribution of stationery

It was now time for the coaches to leave for Mount Popa and my intention had been to continue to Mount Popa - it's such an improbable and special place. However, when the Doctor offered to take me back to the ship with him, I accepted the offer. I'd picked up an infection on this trip which left me rather tired and the opening ceremony had left me emotionally drained. The bonus was that, instead of hurrying away, I was able to study the construction of the newest building in detail and talk to pupils, teachers and villagers. I say "talk" but that was mainly through the good offices of the Doctor or San as interpreter or non-verbal communication. However, when we talked to the 20 senior pupils who formed the first intake to the new building, their English was good. English is the most common second language taught in Myanmar.

In fact, the nationally-issued textbooks for all but two subjects taken by the seniors are in English. I particularly checked the textbooks on Maths and Physics and confirmed that there was no sign of "dumbing-down" here. The syllabus covered solid knowledge which an English-speaker would find difficult - it must be particularly challenging when English is your second language.

In the country districts, the nearest high schools may be miles away from the family home, denying extended education to poorer children. Even at Htee Pu, it's been necessary to provide simple boarding facilities for the new senior pupils. All this has been organised by the head monk, using an older wooden building as a dormitory and temporary schoolroom. Electricity has been provided from a petrol generator to cover the long study periods the pupils are faced with - the one senior pupil timetable I looked at covered a 12-hour day whilst another ran from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m.!

The philosophy of "All must have Prizes" which has infected our education system is quite absent in Myanmar. The results of the tests which the senior students have undertaken are on display with unsatisfactory results highlighted in red for all to see.

It's impossible not to admire the dedication and determination of the Burmese people. Chatting to these hard-working youngsters convinced me (once again) of the importance of the charitable work being carried out by 'Road to Mandalay'. From a Western perspective, it's hard to realise that relatively small sums of money can affect the lives of many people for the better.

My pictures of the Opening Ceremony are here, pictures taken by RTM are here.

Meeting Working Elephants

Wednesday 1st September 2010

The Programme offers a trip to see elephants at work.

I was up before 6.00 a.m. just after we'd raised anchor and continued our journey downstream. Whilst chatting to the Captain, the sun burst upon us in a spectacular way and began its ascent into the sky. We entered the Third Defile and our course took us nearer the starboard (western) bank so each fairy-tale village we passed was brilliantly lit by the rising run.

I was puzzled by a spot with dozens of boats but only a few houses. Each boat appeared to have a substantial plastic pipe leading ashore. One of the waiters explained that, less than a year ago, gold was found in the vicinity and this has led to a 'Gold Rush'.

Before I'd finished breakfast on the open Sun Deck, we arrived at the pretty village of Thabeikkyin on our left and I could see our two Fast Boats moored at the foot of a set of broad concrete steps. The Captain swung the boat around to point upstream and we moored mid-channel.

Shortly after 8.0 a.m., we were being ferried ashore by Fast Boat. The small landing stage was lined with curious villagers. A short, steep climb led us to the main street. We were told we had a few minutes before we were to board the waiting local buses, so a few of us went wandering off. The street was parallel to the riverbank for a short distance and various shops and tea shops lined both sides. At each end of this parallel area, the road climbed a steep hill and turned inland. In addition to the landing steps we'd arrived at, nearby was a small rock-strewn shore where the smaller, wooden boats landed. The range of goods on offer was amazing - all sorts of foodstuffs I couldn't identify, a wide variety of hardware (including plastic piping and aluminium propellors for boats). One set of premises appeared to be a mechanic's. As I climbed beyond the shops, I came to quite substantial teak-built houses so I retraced my steps. Everyone seemed keen to smile at the group of foreigners.

Pictures of the village are here.

Now we boarded the fleet of local buses waiting for us. The seats were pitched very high off the floor to allow plenty of luggage space underneath. To add to our difficulties, the gangway end of all the seats was welded to a steel beam running from front to rear of the bus so getting into the seat involved lifting one's legs over this beam. With the customary lack of shock absorbers and the state of the country roads, I never did find a way of getting comfortable as our convoy drove through a series of villages for our rendezvous with the elephants.

Pictures taken on our bus ride are here.

More to follow ...

More elephant pictures here.