Friday 29 June 2012

Russian Railways

Locomotives Er 797-86 and Em 735-72 stand at Mikulichin, Ukraine.

My introduction to Russian railways was in 2005 when I went to the Ukraine with my friend Mike (now, alas, passed on) for a steam driving experience. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Ukraine became an independent country. Part of its legacy from the Soviet era was a railway system built to the "Russian Gauge" of five feet using Russian-designed equipment. That trip is described in an earlier post titled Ukraine 2005.

At the time of my visit, this Siemens locomotive was the most modern in the Ukraine.

In addition to the steam trains, I experienced overnight rail journeys from Kiev to Ivano-Francovsk and back and we made fascinating visits to two railway works which overhaul diesel and electric locomotives. In addition, Kiev has a Soviet-built metro system which I also tried out.

Then, in 2011, I travelled from Moscow to Saint Petersburg by ship, using rivers and canals. That trip is described in a series of posts titled Trip to Russia. As you can imagine, railway photographic opportunities were limited but I grabbed what pictures I could and they are linked below in 'Russian Railways'. In Moscow, I was accompanied with other guests from the ship for a couple of rides on the famous Metro system but in Saint Petersburg I made a number of trips on the Metro on my own which are described here. I also spent some time looking round the terminal station for Moscow-bound trains in Saint Petersburg.

St. Petersburg: The station for Moscow-bound trains. Left to right, the 'CHME3T' has brought in 18-coaches to form a Moscow train, the glimpse of a High Speed train and Electric Multiple Units in the local platforms.

The class 'CHME3T' Co-Co diesel-electric was first introduced in 1964 and over 7,000 units were built. The 'T' indicates rheostatic braking. This uses a 4-stroke 6-cylinder engine, CKD type K6S310DR producing 993 kW to power six 134 kW CKD type TE-006 electric motors.

There matters remained until mid-2012 when, at short notice, I had to cancel a trip to Tibet because the Chinese suddenly stopped issuing visitors' visas. As an alternative, I suggested Mongolia and my travel people came up with the idea of travelling back from Mongolia on the 'Golden Eagle' private train on its 'Trans-Mongolian Express' service to Moscow. This train joins the Trans-Siberian Railway at Ulan Ude and travels 5,507 km to Moscow (the full distance from Vladivostok to Moscow is 9,157 km). My travel posts on my journey in July 2012 can be found here.

The present Russian Railway Company (RZD) emerged from a re-organisation in 2003, producing a state-owned company that is profitable. The structural reform was designed to preserve the unity of the railway network and separate the functions of state regulation from operational management. Would that my country had shown such wisdom! RZD has a comprehensive website here. RZD now brands everything with a smart red logo that looks more like 'pid' to English eyes.

This baggage car (photographed in sidings at Irkutsk) bears the new Russian Railways (RZD) logo, which looks more like 'pid' to English eyes.

Railway Photographs (not including the 2012 trip):

Ukraine Steam.
Ukraine Modern Image.
Chernovtsy Motive Power Depot, Ukraine.
Signalling at Mikulichin, Ukraine.
Kiev Locomotive Works (Passenger).
Kiev Locomotive Works (Freight).
Russian Railways.
Moscow Metro.
Saint Petersburg Metro.

Railway Photographs (2012 trip):

Russian Railways - The Trans-Siberian Railway (collection).
Ulaan Baatar Train Museum.
Plinthed 'Yea' Class at Polovina, Russia.
Circum-Baikal Railway Museum, Port Baikal, Russia.
Rolling Stock Museum, Novosibirsk.
Moscow Railway Museum

References:

This is an informal, incomplete listing of books to hand with at least some relevance to Russian Railways.

'Soviet Locomotive Types - The Union Legacy' by A J Heywood & I D C Button (Frank Stenvalls Forlag) ISBN 0-9525202-0-6.
'Trans-Siberian Handbook Sixth Edition' by Bryn Thomas (Trailblazer Publications) ISBN 1-873756-70-4.
'The Trans-Siberian Railway - A Traveller's Anthology' Edited by Deborah Manley (Century Hutchinson) ISBN 0-7216-2255-1.
'Moscow Railway Map' (Quail Map Company) ISBN 1 898319 28 6.

The Heywood and Button book listed above is the standard English work on Russian steam, diesel and electric locomotives. I also have a splendid 564-page encyclopedia obtained some years ago from Motor Books covering steam, diesel and electric locomotive types in Russia from 1845 to 1955. It's entirely in Russian Cyrillic characters which I find completely inscrutable but is a useful source because it contains a mass of drawings and photographs.

[Reference to 2012 trip added 10-Aug-2012, links to more pictures added 1-Jan-2013]

Wednesday 27 June 2012

West Midland Railways

Wolverhampton High Level Station as I remember it.

When I was young, Wolverhampton had two adjacent stations near the town centre. The former L.M.S. station was nearest to and built on the same level as the town centre. Since the town centre was partly on a hill, the lines approaching the L.M.S. station were raised on embankments or viaducts. The former G.W.R. station was parallel to the L.M.S. station but at a lower level. The Great Western line from the south reached the station through two single line tunnels whilst that to the north was more-or-less at ground level until Stafford Road Works, after which it crossed a valley on a viaduct to reach Oxley and the route to Shrewsbury.

With admirable logic, the two stations were called 'High Level' and 'Low Level'. To cater for passengers interchanging between stations, a combination of steps, a subway and a ramp allowed pedestrians to walk between the stations. The main passages remain (as a listed structure, I think) although the original purpose was lost with the closure of the Low Level Station. The passages still provide a useful short-cut to those on foot between the Wednesfield Road and the present station frontage.

The Stour Valley Line was an important route linking Wolverhampton High Level with Birmingham New Street via the exotic-sounding Dudley Port. This was the route most passenger trains took, although it was possible to reach Birmingham through a connection to the 'Old Road' via Bescot, actually part of the former Grand Junction Railway opened in 1837 long before the Stour Valley and only the third main line railway to be planned in England (after the Liverpool and Manchester and London and Birmingham). I got to know the Stour Valley well, particularly when I started visiting signal boxes along that route (see 'Visiting Signalboxes'). But the 'Old Road', with its major marshalling yards and motive power depot at Bescot, retained its fascination, as I described in the article '9:17 a.m. to Birmingham'.

More on Wolverhampton High Level.

References:

This is an informal, incomplete listing of books to hand with at least some relevance to West Midland Railways.

[ 1] 'Wolverhampton Railway Album Volume 1' by Simon Dewey & Ned Williams (Uralia Press) ISBN 0 9500533 2 5.
[ 2] 'Wolverhampton Railway Album Volume 2' by Simon Dewey & Ned Williams (Uralia Press) ISBN 0 9500533 3 3.
[ 3] 'Rail Centres: Wolverhampton' by Paul Collins (originally published in 1990 by Ian Allen, reprinted by Booklaw Publications in 2008) ISBN 1-901945-23-5.
[ 4] 'Staffordshire Railways' by Mike Hitches (Allan Sutton Publishing) ISBN 0-7509-0869-6.
[ 5] 'Lost Railways of Birmingham & The West Midlands' by Terry Moors (Countryside Books) ISBN 978 1 84674 109 8.
[ 6] 'D. J. Norton's pictorial survey of Railways in the West Midlands Part 1' by R. J. Essery (Wild Swan Publications) ISBN 978 1 902184 50 7.
[ 7] 'Pre-grouping in the West Midlands' by P. B. Whitehouse (Oxford Publishing Co.) ISBN 0-86093-328-8
[ 8] 'Black Country Railways' by Ned Williams (Alan Sutton Publishing) ISBN 0-7509-0934-X.
[ 9] 'Birminghham Railways in Old Photographs' by Mike Hitches (Alan Sutton Publishing) ISBN 0-7509-0027-X.
[10] 'Birmingham Railway Scene' by C. C. Dorman (Town & Country Press).
[11] 'The Railways of Dudley' by Ned Williams (Uralia Press) ISBN 1 898 528 02 0.
[12] 'Branch Line Byways - The West Midlands' by G. F. Bannister (Atlantic Transport Publishers) ISBN 0 906899 23 0.
[13] 'Tipton - A Third Selection' by Keith Hodgkins & John Brimble (Sutton Publishing) ISBN 978-0-7509-2832-8.
[14] 'New Street Remembered' by Donald J. Smith (Barbryn Press Limited) ISBN 0 906160 05 7.
[15] 'Birmingham New Street - Background and Beginnings' by Richard Foster (Wild Swan Publications) ISBN 0 906867 78 9.
[16] 'Birmingham New Street - Expansion & Improvement' by Richard Foster (Wild Swan Publications) ISBN 0 906867 79 7.
[17] 'Monument Lane Loco Shed' by Tony Higgs (Brewin Books) ISBN: 978-1-85858-435-5.
[18] 'Wolverhampton to Stafford' by Vic Mitchell (Middleton press) ISBN: 978 1 908174 79 6.
[19] 'West Midlands' by J. B. Bucknall (Ian Allen Publishing) ISBN 0 7110 2250 X.

[Book References 18,19 added 15-Sep-2015]

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Battlefield Line 1940s Weekend (June 2012)

Re-enactors on the platform at Shackerstone.

Many preserved railways in the U.K. organise a 1940s Weekend. For instance, it has been an important feature of the Peak Rail calendar for a number of years - you can find my stuff about the Peak Rail events I've participated in here:-

2009 event (article and pictures).
2008 event (article and pictures).
2007 event (pictures only).
2006 event (pictures only).

But the 23rd and 24th June 2012 was the first time that the Battlefield Line had held such an event. I was present on Sunday 24th June 2012 when I drove the diesel railcar. I'd taken a knapsack, respirator and tin helmet. I didn't use the respirator but displayed it in the cab and I only wore the tin hat from time to time.

The diesel railcar at Market Bosworth.

I'm afraid a 1960s DMU is the wrong period for a 1940s Weekend but nobody seemed to mind too much. The only type of diesel railcar in regular service in the UK then was the futuristic-looking G.W.R. railcars dubbed 'flying bananas' (see Wikipedia article for brief information or the detailed information in the 'GWR Railcars' section of the splendid site The Great Western Archive).

The intermediate station of Market Bosworth was where the main displays were held but I'm afraid I didn't get to see them because the DMU had a very quick turn-around each time it was at Market Bosworth because of the rather ingenious timetable.

'3803' (described in an earlier article) operated the 4-coach service train, providing five round trips between Shackerstone and Shenton, stopping at Market Bosworth each way. Departures from Shackerstone were timed for 10.30 a.m., 12.00 noon, 1.30 p.m., 3.00 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. This meant that on arrival at Shackerstone, the train engine had 35 minutes to run round and, if necessary, take water. This also meant that the single line section was available for 35 minutes, allowing the DMU to make a quick foray up the single line to Market Bosworth and back. During the 1940s weekend, the timing of the main train allowed the DMU to provide five round trips between Shackerstone and Market Bosworth, departing Shackerstone at 10.00 a.m., 11.30 a.m., 1.00 p.m. 2.30 p.m. and 4.00 p.m.. Hence, Market Bosworth enjoyed 5 departures each day to Shenton and 10 departures to Shackerstone.

'3803' looks handsome running into Shackerstone 'right time'.

A similar 'main train plus DMU' timetable has been used on recent 'Thomas' events. We've usually been sending the DMU as far as Headley's Crossing and back, providing a 'Daisy Shuttle' (or, sometimes, a 'Thomas and Daisy Shuttle'). In 2011, when the 'Thomas' main train was being top-and-tailed (see (see 'Thomas' article) 'Daisy' was allowed to go all the way to Market Bosworth during the June event but during the October event the DMU was only going to the "second bridge out". The April 2012 'Thomas' event saw 'Daisy', once again, terminating at Headley's Crossing.

For the 1940s weekend, the activities at Market Bosworth were arranged by Bob Matthews and the Tommy Atkins Society. Advertised attractions included fire-power demonstrations, battle re-enactments, a field kitchen, Home Guard display and weapons, vehicles, equipment and uniforms.

In addition to the normal attractions at Shackerstone, there were old radios playing wartime programmes and a display of wind-up gramophones playing 78 r.p.m. records of the period.

Jo, in WW11 housewife attire, listens to the radio.

The day started showery but improved and I certainly had a good day. I hope everybody else did, too.

There are a few pictures of the day here.

Monday 25 June 2012

A Day on the Footplate (2)

Sunday 10th June 2012

68013 standing on the outside pit at Rowsley during preparation.

I was rostered as the steam driver at Peak Rail on Sunday 10th June 2012. I'd had a fairly demanding turn at the Battlefield Line the previous day (described here) so I was almost grateful that we'd only be doing half the work, since we'd be top-and-tailing with 'Penyghent' on the service train.

I arrived at Rowsley Shed before 7.00 a.m. to find 68013, Peak Rail's regular performer, on the outside pit. Phil, the booked fireman, had steam raising well in hand. We'd been advised that the Fireman's side injector was unserviceable and that we'd have to manage with the Driver's side injector.


The Fireman's side injector.

The 'Austerity' tank engine is fitted with two Gresham & Craven under cab floor mounted vertical injectors. It's a pretty reliable arrangement but, because of the importance of the injector, two are fitted to the engine. However, Phil and I were quite confident about having only one available during the day. The only drawback is that the water cock and steam cock for the serviceable injector were on the driver's side. Most of the time, the driver can work the injector to the fireman's instruction but, if the driver's busy, in the middle of braking for instance, the fireman may have to reach round the driver to operate the controls himself.

I busied myself oiling round and examining the locomotive. I was almost grateful (again) that I'd only six wheels to worry about, compared with sixteen the previous day.

The various duties of the driver and fireman in getting a locomotive ready for traffic are referred to as 'Preparation' and I've described them in more detail in an earlier post here. Although this article features the same locomotive and the same railway, at that time the locomotive was known as 'Royal Pioneer' and preparation took place at Darley Dale, not Rowsley.

Oiling round and examining a locomotive means that the driver has to get 'Up Close and Personal' with all the various bits. There's a set of photographs here showing an 'Austerity' tank in some detail.

There's a bit more about Preparation in other posts such as On the Footplate (Part 1).

Just after 8.00 a.m. Rob presented us with the Train Staff for the Rowsley - Church Lane single line section, allowing us to come off shed light engine and make our way down to Church Lane. Rob had gone ahead of us by road so, as we approached, he opened the level crossing gates and called us across. I surrendered the Train Staff to Rob and we carried on to the Up Platform at Darley Dale to await our driving experience trainee.

Our trainee soon appeared and was keen to begin. Rob had travelled to Darley Dale by road and he opened the Darley Dale level crossing for rail traffic and called us across. This time, we collected the Train Staff for the Darley Dale - Matlock section and this authorised us to occupy the single line on which our trainee would operate. I've previously written about driving experience courses at Peak Rail here. On the 10th June we spent two hours pottering up and down between Darley Dale and the Derwent bridge on the approach to Matlock Riverside (currently the southern limit of driving experience running). Most of the time was spent by the trainee actually driving but there was time for explanations about the features of locomotive design of interest to the trainee and a session learning about (and practising) firing.

At about 10.45 a.m., the signalman at Darley Dale opened the gates and 'gave us the road' so that our trainee could drive into the Down platform, where his family were waiting to congratulate him. We said goodbye to our trainee and, with Church Lane's Outer Home 'Off' we carried on to Church Lane. The Inner Home came 'Off' and I collected the single line staff for Church Lane - Rowsley from the Signalman as we passed the box. We continued up the bank to Rowsley and our six-coach train.

As we approached the coaching stock, I could see that the train tail lamp was 'on the floor' with the red lens pointing towards us, meaning that I had to stop short and wait for the Guard to call us on. It looked as if the Guard was still at the other end of the train, supervising the coupling-on of 'Penyghent'. After a minute of two, the Guard returned, turned the lamp away and called us on with a handsignal. Phil 'tied us on' and we also topped-up our water tank.

The nicely-restored 'Shell Electrical Oils' tank wagon used as a water tank at the south end of Rowsley station.

There's no permanent locomotive watering facility at the south end of Rowsley, so the nicely-restored 'Shell Electrical Oils' tank wagon has been adapted as a water tanker and positioned opposite the point where the steam locomotive normally comes to a stop. A small-diameter water main feeds the tank through a ball valve and a portable petrol-engined water pump is used to feed the fire hose which delivers water to the locomotive.

We'd agreed that Phil would drive the first round trip so I busied myself preparing the fire for departure. This involved thickening the firebed a little (without causing black smoke at the chimney) and bringing the boiler pressure up to near the blowing-off point without actually blowing off. Judicious use of the driver's side injector brought the water level in the gauge glass near the top, with a little space left in case (as often happens) departure was not quite on time.

Once I'd relayed the Guard's 'Rightaway' to the driver, I looked ahead to confirm that the line was clear on my side and relayed that to the driver. There's always a temptation to fire at this point but it should be resisted. In the first place, until the exhaust steam blast effect has raised the firebox temperature, adding coal just has a chilling effect. Secondly, with Slam Door stock there is no central locking and passengers are sometimes foolish enough to try to board or alight from the moving train. With the platform on the fireman's side at Rowsley, I prefer the fireman to be looking back for possible trouble. The Guard should also be checking the platform at this stage, so the driver should keep an eye on the Train Pipe Vacuum - a sudden loss of vacuum may mean that the Guard has 'put the Setter in' (opened his brake valve).

When 'Penyghent' on the rear of our train had passed clear of the platform ramp, I reported "Clear of the Platform" to the driver and checked the line ahead. Leaving Rowsley, there's a foot crossing which should be checked and, provided there's nothing untoward, a "Crossing Clear" report given to the driver before picking up the shovel and repairing some of the damage that our departure may have caused to the fire. With the regulator open, thre's plenty of air being drawn through the fire so extra coal will not have to much chilling effect and the increased combustion rate will prevent black smoke.

Alerted to our approach by telephone immediately prior to our departure from Rowsley, the signalman has to leave the signal box, operate four gates from the ground (as traffic permits), bolt the gates and return to the box to clear the signal. Both driver and fireman should now be looking for Church Lane's Up Home Signal. The rapid re-growth of foliage at this time of year means that, even with a regular programme of 'cutting back', the signal may be hard to sight. Even with a clear signal, the driver has to reduce speed to comply with the restriction over the level crossing. The more modest demand for steam may allow the fireman to start an injector at this point to replenish some of the water used in leaving Rowsley.

The Single Line Staff for the Church Lane - Rowsley section has to be surrendered to the signalman as we pass the box. At Church Lane, the signalman comes onto the narrow landing at the front of the box (principally intended to facilitate window cleaning) to receive the staff. For this section, the staff is placed in a pouch attached to a ring or hoop. Either the driver or the fireman may perform the exchange, but it's important that the hoop is held square to the signalman, at a height the signalman can reach and without the hoop wavering about. Similarly, the signalman should not attempt to 'pluck' the hoop from the engineman using fingers - that's an invitation for a broken finger. Rather, a clenched fist and extended arm should 'spear' through the centre of the hoop, allowing the hoop to travel up the arm towards the shoulder.

The timetable only allows 5 minutes for the Rowsley - Darley Dale section, so the driver will need to use steam once past Church Lane Box. The driver needs to control the approach to the platform at Darley Dale quite carefully to be able to stop in the right place without jerking the train, using the Vacuum Brake Application Valve to partially destroy the Train Pipe Vacuum.

I put the injector on again, whilst the driver was not using steam, and made a light firing as we stood in the station, closing the damper to discourage 'blowing off'. Once station duties were complete, the Stationmaster "gave the tip" to the waiting signalman who opened the two long level crossing gates and 'pulled off' our signal - an upper-quadrant wooden bracket actually mounted on the platform. The Guard gave the 'Rightaway' which I passed on to the driver, together with my confirmation that I'd checked both ahead and back along the train (it's not unknown for the 'Rightaway' to be given when there's still a door open) then I opened the back damper to allow the steam blast to draw more air through the fire to increase the steaming rate. Although the line is virtually level here, it needed a fair bit of steam to get our trailing load of around 350 tons rolling.

I usually salute any waiting motorists to acknowledge their having had to wait for us. A few drivers scowl in response at the enforced delay but most give a friendly wave in reply. The single line staff for the Darley Dale - Matlock section has to be collected from the Darley Dale signalman. Here, the signal box is at ground level so the signalman stands on the crossing holding up the staff which either the driver or fireman collects by reaching down and scooping up the hoop. This staff doesn't have pouch - the staff is attached to the hoop by a short chain.

With the platform on the fireman's side, like Rowsley, I like the fireman to be checking the train as we leave. Of course, if the engine is operating the other way round (which is possible now we have a turntable) or if we're using different motive power which is left hand drive rather than right, either the driver has to check back for himself or, if the driver wants to keep his attention on the line ahead, the fireman has to move across to the driver's side to keep a lookout.

In the old days, it was often said that the only time a fireman was allowed to stand on the driver's side of the cab was when keeping a lookout leaving a platform on the driver's side. Tales abound of drivers taking a piece of chalk and drawing a line down the middle of the cab and instructing their fireman with a curt "That's your side of the cab - this is mine". An old Newton Heath driver I knew insists he cured such a driver in this way:-

"One week, I was marked to fire to a real curmugeon of a driver on a diagram covering a Fast from Manchester Victoria to Leeds with a '5X'. This driver would hardly say a word the whole shift except to rebuke me and he wouldn't allow the fireman to even stand on his side of the footplate. Well, after three miserable days like this, I'd had enough. On the fourth day, I got a really good fire on before we left Victoria, then I perched myself on the little tip-up seat on my side of the cab. He was working the engine quite hard so, after a few minutes, the pressure started to creep back from the red line, but I just stayed on my little seat. I could see my driver keep looking at the pressure gauge and he didn't look happy but he didn't say anything so I stayed on my seat. As the pressure continued to fall, eventually my driver had to speak and, not in the politest language, asked me what I thought I was playing at. Looking as innocent as possible, I got up, opened the firedoors and studied the fire before announcing 'My side of the fire's alright. It must be your side'. The driver treated me to an evil look but said nothing, so I picked up my shovel and set about making matters right. Do you know, I never had any more trouble with that driver after that?"

Having watched our train clear of Darley Dale crossing, I reported "All following" and turned my attention to the fire, adding a reasonable 'charge' now there was a reasonable steam blast through the firebed. I'd finished firing in time to look ahead to the first foot crossing in Redhouse Cutting. There's a Whistle Board here (a white 'W' on a black rectangular sign). I usually wait for the driver to whistle before calling out "Crossing Clear" although if I'd spotted people who might be at risk, I'd alert the driver as soon as I'd sighted them.

Gradient Diagram Ambergate - Bakewell

There's a temporary speed restriction going 'down the bank' to Matlock so the regulator was closed before long to allow the train to roll. With steam not being used, the boiler pressure tends to rise so we put on the driver's side injector to prevent blowing off. We passed another three Whistle Boards and I provided a 'second pair of eyes' at each one. There's a fixed distant signal on the approach to Matlock Riverside which originally was a reminder that the driver was approaching the end of the Peak Rail line. Now, of course, we normally run through the former run round loop at Riverside and continue to Matlock Town.

I tend to use the distant as a reminder to get another decent 'charge' on the fire to give it a chance to burn through before we tackle the final gradient into Matlock Town. At the approach to Riverside, we cross the River Derwent and the gradient changes from downhill to adverse requiring the use of steam so there's usually sufficient blast to prevent black smoke. Because of the signalling work in progress in connection with the construction of the new Matlock Riverside signal box, the speed is limited to 5 m.p.h. over the former run round. Once clear of the 5 m.p.h. 'slack' there's the final assault (where 10 m.p.h. is permitted) up the 1 in 170 gradient into our platform at Matlock Town. The boiler pressure held up well and, as we came to a stand, the injector went on again.

The new Peak Rail rules call for the single line staff to be carried on the leading engine if the train is worked by more than one so, in preparation for the return leg, I walked down the platform to surrender the staff to the secondman on 'Penyghent' who'd walked to meet me halfway.

Meanwhile, Phil had 'set the lamp right'. We'd travelled to Matlock with one lamp on the chimney for an 'Ordinary Passenger Train' - a Class 2 (or, when I was young before the 4-character headcodes were introduced, a Class B). Phil had moved this lamp to the right buffer and inserted the red shade since proper locomotive lamps have a removeable red filter so as to be able to do duty as either head lamp or tail lamp. There's a bit more about lamps here.

'Penyghent' was going to do all the work going back to Rowsley so a few shovelfulls spread across the grate stopped the fire getting too thin. Later in the journey, I made another light firing and added a drop of water to the boiler to keep the level up. We arrived back at Rowsley in fairly good shape. We didn't need to take water - with top-and-tail working we generally take water every second trip.

We made another four uneventful round trips during the day, with Phil firing and me driving. At the end of the day, both 'Penyghent' and 68013 uncoupled from the train and made their way across to the shed. Phil and I agreed we'd had a good day.

I was back at Peak Rail on Wednesday, 20th June 2012 again paired with Phil but this time with the 'Class 31' on the other end of the train. All went according to plan and this time I took a few pictures which are here.

Friday 22 June 2012

'Road to Mandalay' co-operation with other organisations

Donation to La Mine - Kod Dut Village NGO in Drop In Centre on 19-Apr-2012 (Photo: RTM).

The 'Road to Mandalay' Social Initiative in Myanmar directly organises most of the charitable assistance which it provides to the people of Myanmar. This work has been going on for a number of years. My own reports on this work in the Jan Ford's World Blog only cover the period since my first visit to Myanmar early in 2008. My reports can be found here.

This directly-organised assistance can be divided into two main areas - Medical and Educational. However, where appropriate, the 'Road to Mandalay' Social Initiative co-operates with other organisations. Unfortunately, here we tend to descend into a world of jargon and 'TLAs' (Three Letter Acronyms).

These other organisations are often called 'NGOs' (Non-Governmental Organisations) and taken together are called the 'Third Sector', as opposed to the 'Public Sector' (Government bodies) and the 'Private Sector' (businesses run for profit). Various other terms may be used to describe the 'Third Sector' but such bodies are normally charitable, voluntary and not-for-profit.

As far as help for Orphans and Vulnerable Children ('OVC') is concerned, the United Nations Childrens Fund ('UNICEF') has been involved in this field for many years (see the UNICEF website or the Wikipedia article). Since around 2003, UNICEF has provided funding to International NGOs supporting education, health, nutrition, psychological support, social inclusion programmes and training programmes in Myanmar. This work has promoted Self Help Groups ('SHG'), Management Committees ('MC'), Community Organising Groups ('COG') and People Living with HIV and AIDS initiatives ('PLHA') through local Drop In Centres ('DIC').

However, UNICEF stopped OVC support for Myanmar in April 2011. Local NGOs have managed to continue the work using existing funds or volunteer fund raising initiatives but the new academic year which started 1st June 2012 presented a particular challenge in meeting the demand for enrollment fees, stationery support and school uniforms.

Germany has a Foundation providing help for HIV affected children. In December 2011 a senior member from the Foundation visited Myanmar and Dr. Hla Tun arranged meetings with nine local NGOs involved in taking care of HIV Orphans and Vulnerable Children. As a result, the German Foundation is now supporting orphanages and community-based OVC projects in Yangon and Mon State with local assistance from the 'Road To Mandalay'.

Myittar Kyae Mone HIV/AIDS Care Centre in Kyaik Kha Mee Township, Mon State, 21-Apr-2012 (Photo: RTM).

This assistance has comprised visits by Dr. Hla Tun to various organisations on behalf of the German Foundation and other donors, first in Yangon and then in Mon State as outlined below:-

10th April 2012: Donation to the Myanmar Council of Churches, the Phoenix NGO and Kho Ner Yar NGO who are continuing the OVC project in Yangon and supporting around 170 students for the 2012/2013 academic year.

11th April 2012: Donation to Dr. Su Htar of the Thu Kha Yeik Myon Orphanage in Yangon where 78 HIV-positive children are cared for.

19th April 2012: Donation to the NGO in La Mine - Kod Dut, Mon State.

20th April 2012: Donation to the NGO in Maw La Myaing, Mon State.

21st April 2012: Donation to the NGO in Mu Don, Mon State where a Drop In Centre is operated in Kot Kha Pon Village.

21st April 2012: Donation to the Myittar Kyae Mone HIV/AIDS Care Centre in Kyaik Kha Mee Township, Mon State where Sister Martha takes care of 14 orphans, some HIV-infected and helps with nutrition of very poor children. Accommodation is also provided for HIV-infected patients registering for Anti Retroviral Treatment ('ART').

The donations described above will help around 150 OVC students in Yangon and about 400 OVC students in Mon State.

More pictures.

Monday 18 June 2012

Donation to Syriam Nunnery, Than Lyin, Myanmar

Children, Nuns and the Nuns who look after children at the Syriam Nunnery, February 2012 (Photo: RTM).

On 28th February 2012, Dr. Hla Tun made a visit to the Syriam Nunnery located in the Southern part of Yangon. Five nuns look after around 146 students in the Monastic School, providing food, accommodation and education.

Most of the students are nuns but there are a few children. The young people have lost one or both parents or, in some cases, still have both parents who, through poverty, are unable to send the children for study.

Ethnically, Myanmar is very diverse. The children at the Syriam Nunnery are from Shan State, Yakhaing and the Irrawaddy Division.

Donations were made, on behalf of the Road to Mandalay Social Initiative, to support the Monastic School at Syriam Nunnery.

Teachers' English Refresher Course, Bagan, Myanmar

In Myanmar, many subjects at school are partly taught in English, using textbooks in English.

A lesson from a Grade 3 Reader textbook in use in Myanmar.

As part of the Road to Mandalay Social Initiative, a 3-week English Refresher Course for teachers took place in March/April 2012. The Head Monk in Bagan gave permission for classes to be held in the Monastery and for accommodation in the Monastery to be provided to the teachers attending the course.

Two English Teachers and their class of Teachers at work in the Monastery compound in Bagan, March 2012 (Photo: RTM).

19 teachers took part in the course. They came from 7 different schools in the Bagan - Kyauk Pa Daung - Mount Popa area. The course started on 26th March 2012 and finished on 11th April 2012.

Stationery Distribution at Bagan Post Primary School

January 2012

In January 2012, exercise books and pencils were distributed at Bagan Post-Primary School to 324 students. In addition, prizes were awarded to 27 Outstanding Students. The stationery and prizes had been donated by Orient Express staff and the wider 'Family' who support the RTM Social Contribution initiatives.

Afterwards, the students performed a School Concert in front of the school building for the visitors from 'Road to Mandalay'.

There are more pictures of this visit to the school (and earlier visits) in the set Bagan School, Myanmar. These pictures are included in the collection 'Educational Support in Myanmar' which you can find here. All the blog posts on educational support in Myanmar can be found here.

Distribution of Pens and Pencils at Wet Lu School

14th February 2012

On Tuesday, 14th February 2012, ball point pens and pencils were distributed at Wet Lu School to 290 students. This distribution was just before their final examination.

The above picture is included in the picture collection 'Educational Support in Myanmar' which you can find here. All the blog posts on educational support in Myanmar can be found here.

Friday 15 June 2012

Free Clinic in Bagan (Part 3)

Because of long waiting times at the Free Clinic, lunch is served to waiting patients, January 2012 (Photo: RTM).

The 'Road to Mandalay' charity opened a Free Medical Clinic in Bagan on 6th August 2011. Details about the early months can be found in earlier posts: Part 1 and Part 2.

January 2012

The Clinic was open on 13 days during January, treating a total of 1,605 patients during the month. The Clinic is normally opened on Friday, Saturday and Sunday each week, with both a morning and an afternoon clinic each day.

During January, the Ananda Temple Festival is held. This lasts for 7 to 10 days and is the largest in Bagan. Schools are normally closed and thousands of worshippers accompanied by their children come from remote villages, often travelling by ox cart and staying in temporary tents. This meant that the Clinic was seeing patients from different villages during the Festival. Because of the long waiting times to see a doctor, the Clinic serves lunch to patients, where possible.


The Ananda Temple, Bagan.

February 2012

A patient with Mitral Stenosis is examined by Cardiac Surgeon Professor Doctor Daniel, February 2012 (Photo: RTM).

Cardiac Surgeon Professor Doctor Daniel from France came to the Clinic on 26th February, at the invitation of Orient Express's Managing Director Asia. He examined three cardiac patients. During February, the Clinic treated a total of 2,464 patients.

March 2012

Waiting patients having lunch with the Clinic in the background. Note the large sun awning which has been added to the front of the building (Photo: RTM).

The Clinic treated an amazing total of 4,603 patients during the month. Brief details of four of these are given below.

This boy of 6 has thalassemia and splenomegaly requiring a monthly blood transfusion. A donation has been received to pay for a splenectomy. After surgery, the need for blood transfusions will reduce.

This boy of 14 has mitral stenosis and will require replacement of a heart valve.

This girl of 12 has splenomegaly, requires an urgent blood transfusion, for which a donation has been received.

This boy of 5 cannot walk unaided. A donation has been received for the purchase of a walking aid.

Dr. Hla Tun admitted that he, and all the doctors and staff working at the Clinic, found the month very tiring. However, he commented that many of the patients were not from the local area of Bagan and Nyaung Oo but from areas up to 120 km distant. These patients had had to get up at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning to travel to the Clinic in order to register from 5 o'clock onwards. The staff felt they could not turn such patients away without providing treatment.

April 2012

The Clinic was closed for two weeks during the important Water Festival and Myanmar New Year which were celebrated in April. None-the-less, a further 2,043 patients were treated during the remainder of April.

This 70 year old lady from Chaing seen during April had suffered a dislocated hip for 3 months. The Clinic provided support to allow her to go to hospital for further treatment.

At the end of April, the 'Road to Mandalay' cruise season finished, to resume on the 14th July 2012. Of course, the Clinic will continue to open, staffed by two local doctors with periodic assistance from Dr. Hla Tun.

More Photographs

Free Clinic in Bagan
Around the Bagan Free Clinic.

Treatments

The table below summarises the number of treatments per month and the total number of treatments since the clinic started.

Month Patients treated Total treatments
August 2011 355 355
September 2011 784 1,139
October 2011 1,434 2,573
November 2011 1,723 4,296
December 2011 2,013 6,309
January 2012 1,605 7,889
February 2012 2,464 10,353
March 2012 4,603 14,956
April 2012 2,043 16,999

Three New School Buildings

In October 2010, Dr. Hla Hun surveyed various sites for possible new school buildings, as described in the earlier report Surveying for new School Buildings.

In December 2010, a distribution of stationery was made at Kyoon Khing Gyi. This is described in the earlier report Stationery Distribution at Kyoon Khing Gyi School. On that visit, the foundations of a new school building at In Chaung were also photographed.

Photographs taken in January 2012 show the progress at three school sites in Bagan.

Kyaung Nyo

Kyoon Khing Gyi

In Chaung

More pictures at these locations are here.

Thursday 14 June 2012

Visit to Pauk Taw Pauk Myaing Primary School

31st December 2011

Young girl students, 31-Dec-2011 (Photo: Dr. Hla Tun).

On 31st December 2011, guests from 'Road to Mandalay', accompanied by staff the hotel manager and Dr. Hla Tun, visited the village of Pauk Taw Pauk Myaing. In addition, stationery was distributed to students at the local school.

The school incorporates both Nursery accepting children from age 3 to 5 and Primary School for students aged 5 and above from Grade 1 to Grade 5.

Although the school was closed for Christmas and New Year Holidays (extending from 25th December to 4th January), teachers and students had been invited to come to school to accept the donations.

There are currently 198 students and each received two exercise books and two pencils. In addition, three Trash Bins, a football, coloured pencils, ballpoint pens, erasers and pencil sharpeners were donated to the Headmaster.

The students also sang school songs and performed morning physical exercises for the visitors.

On a previous visit, money had been donated to replace the old bamboo mat ceiling in the school. The visitors were able to inspect the completed work.

View of repaired ceiling

Christmas Carols, 2011

23rd December 2011

Carol singing by children from the Blessing Orphanage in Mandalay, December 2011.

On the 23rd December 2011, eighteen orphans from the Blessing Orphanage in Mandalay visited the 'Road to Manadalay' for a carol concert. The RTM Charity made a donation of money to the managers of the orphanage.

More pictures.

Shwe Kyet Yet Nursery

23rd December 2011

Donation of money to the Headmistress for the purchase of a Meter Box for the Nursery.

As part of the 'Road to Mandalay' Social Contribution, the charity paid for the building of Shwe Kyet Yet Nursery some years ago. 'Road to Mandalay' has continued to support the nursery ever since. There are currently 71 students.

On the 23rd December 2011, money was donated to the Headmistress for the purchase of a Meter Box.

More pictures of the nursery.

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Free Clinic in Bagan (Part 2)

Patients waiting for treatment at the Bagan Clinic (Photo: Dr. Hla Tun).

The 'Road to Mandalay' charity opened a Free Medical Clinic in Bagan on 6th August 2011. The number of patients seeking treatment increased month by month and additional clinics were added to cope with the demand. There are further details about the early months here.

December 2011

Patients from remote villages start their journey between 6.00 and 6.30 in the morning so as to be treated in the morning Clinic which starts at 7.30 a.m. In this way, the patients hope to be able to return home before it becomes dark. Depending upon patient numbers, some people may not receive treatment until 2.00 or 3.00 p.m.

Because of the long waiting periods, the Clinic has started to provide snacks to waiting patients around 10.30 a.m. and lunch between 11.30 and noon, depending upon availability.

On Saturday, 17th December 2011, two local doctors and Dr. Hla Tun treated 185 patients during a long day.

On that date, three 'Trawler' vehicles brought patients to the Clinic from different villages.

Following treatment, a group of patients depart for home (Photo: Dr. Hla Tun).

More pictures around the Clinic.

The table below summarises the number of treatments per month and the total number of treatments since the clinic started..

Month Patients treated Total treatments
August 2011 355 355
September 2011 784 1,139
October 2011 1,434 2,573
November 2011 1,723 4,296
December 2011 2,013 6,309

A Day on the Footplate (1)

Saturday, 9th June 2012


Peppa Pig (Image: Daily Telegraph).

The Battlefield Line had a 'Peppa Pig' weekend on the 9th and 10th June 2010. Although I know that Peppa Pig is very popular with children, it's not an area I'm familiar with (if, like me, you need more background, I suggest consulting the Wikipedia article).

Despite my ignorance of the Peppa Pig canon, I was happy to be rostered to drive the diesel railcar on Saturday 9th. I was not surprised that the diesel railcar was not, in fact, required but I was asked, instead, to be driver on '3803' for five round trips to Shenton with a 4-coach train incorporating a buffer car.

I turned up, bright and early, at the same time as Dave. '3803' was in the shed and a decent warming fire had been put in on Friday so the boiler was still nice and warm. Adrian performed the rather dusty job of emptying the contents of the ashpan into the pit, using a hose to help lay the dust and ensure that the ashpan was properly cleared. Dave and I broke up a pallet for firewood and then Dave set to making up the fire whilst I started oiling round.

There are always plenty of oiling points to attend to on a Great Western locomotive but they are much easier to get at on '3803' than, for instance, on the four cylinder Great Western designs where there are two sets of Walschaerts motion crammed between the frames. I described some of the features of this 2-8-0 class in the earlier article Summer Saturday with a '2884'.

Having given us a good start, Adrian went down to Market Bosworth by road to check on arrangements there. The Peppa Pig activities had been advertised as taking place at Shackerstone but the weather forecast for the day was poor so it had been decided to move the activities to Market Bosworth where the large goods shed provided a suitable covered area, should the weather deteriorate. In fact, we only received a few spots of rain during the whole day but Market Bosworth station and yard formed an excellent 'base' for the scheduled performances by the Peppa Pig characters.

Eventually, I completed my oiling and examination of the locomotive (ending up fairly liberally covered in oil myself. By this time, Dave had the boiler pressure increasing nicely. Although Dave had had the water hose in the tender tank throughout preparation, we'd not reached a comfortable level so we decided to come 'off-shed' at about 10.30, giving us plenty of time to water at the column at the end of platform 2 before going onto the coaching stock.


The driving controls on '3803'.

We gently came off shed and the signalman turned us across to Platform 2 to reach the water column. A red flag was displayed on the end coach (locally used to indicate staff working in the 'six-foot', filling the lavatory tanks or dealing with underbody mounted equipment on the buffet car) so we had to 'stand off' until it had been removed. We could not start watering whilst 'standing off' because the tender water filler was not yet within reach of the rotating arm carrying the water 'bag'. Once the flag was removed and the Guard called us on, we moved forward and, with the loco buffers just touching the stock, we were able to fill the 3,000 gallon tender.

With a full tender tank, the engine was 'tied on' and, in good time, we were able to 'blow up' (create vacuum), allowing the guard to carry out a brake test. However, booked departure time (11.15) came and went as passengers continued to board. Firemen will usually attempt to have full pressure available at the start of a run with a fairly full boiler, leaving a little space so that more water can be added to prevent blowing off if departure is delayed. It's equally important not to over-fill the boiler at this stage as, particularly with a large, piston-valve engine like '3803', undesirable 'priming' may occur when the train moves away as water gets carried over into the cylinders along with the steam. The fireman can seek to lower the rate of steam generation by closing the dampers (reducing 'Primary Air') and opening the firehole doors (increasing 'Secondary Air'), cooling the fire. However, some discharge of steam from the safety valves may be unavoidable.

Eventually, the Guard gave the 'Rightaway' and we set off, tender first, with the cylinder drain cocks open resulting in the front of the engine being wreathed in steam. Having 'purged' any condensate from the cylinders, the cylinder drain cocks were closed (by releasing the latch with one foot).

I've talked about driving '3803' in the earlier article describing the Santa Specials.

The Line Speed Limit is only 25 m.p.h. but parts of the line have lower limits (applicable in both directions of travel), which makes driving interesting. The present limits are shown belo:-

Location Speed m.p.h.
Shackerstone Station Platforms 1 and 2 to Signal Box 5
Shackerstone Signal Box to Barton Lane overbridge 32 10
Adjacent Headley's Crossing (Relaid track) 10
Market Bosworth Station (Bridge 27 to Signal Box) 10
Adjacent Underbridge 26 5
Shenton Station Ground Frame to buffer stop 5

'3803' standing at the north end of Platform 2 at Shackerstone.

On the first round trip I managed to lose time, and I was told, in no uncertain terms, to 'pick up the pace'. By driving somewhat harder than normal, I managed to achieve 'even time' on later trips. Adrian drove the third trip and fired the fourth trip. We'd been quite busy during the day but our final departure at 4.15 p.m. seemed a little quieter. Arrival back at Shackerstone was very close to 'right time'.

We trundled back to the shed light engine, pausing outside the shed to clean the fire. Dave had 'run down' the fire just right and not much work with fire irons was needed to knock the ash through the firebars into the ashpan where it would be left overnight, to be raked out the next morning. Boiler pressure was sufficient to move inside the shed and 'tie her down' whilst the injector filled the boiler.

An excellent, if tiring, day.

The following day, I was back on the footplate, on a smaller engine. That day is described in A Day on the Footplate (2).

Friday 8 June 2012

Three Orphanages Revisited

On 1st November 2011, I accompanied Dr. Hla Tun and Captain Myo Lwin on a visit to three orphanages on the road to Maymyo. That earlier trip is described here.

Dr. Hla Tun repeated the trip later that month with a guest from RTM and a brief report of the second trip is given below.

Monday, 21st November 2011

(1) Doe Pin Boys' Orphanage

Donation of stationery, teaching aids, antifungal ointment and money to the Head Monk (Photo courtesy RTM).

The RTM team arrived a little before 11.0 a.m., just before classes break off for lunch. A donation of money, stationery, teaching aids and antifungal ointment was made to the Head Monk. There are 1015 orphans and single parent children there. Students can attend up to Grade 8 in the monastic school situated in the Monastery compound.

More pictures here.

(2) Shwe Sin Minn Girls' Orphanage

Donation of a World Map as a teaching aid with the new school building in the background. Photo: RTM).

Since the earlier visit, the building work had been completed and the school was now in use with classes up to grade 7. Although preofessional builders were employed, to keep costs down the two nuns who run the orphanage did much of the work themselves, for instance, by manufacturing the concrete blocks used in construction and painting the new building. The nuns are widely admired for their determination.

More pictures here.

(3) Thukha Myittar Boys' Orphanage

This orphanage takes care of 58 orphans and single parent boys aged between 2 and 8 years old. All the boys are from the Pa-O tribe in Shan State. The visit was late afternoon and the boys were involved in worship and meditation following dinner.

Children practicing meditation (Photo: RTM).

More pictures here.

New School Building at Da Hat Kan

Studying in the new building.

In July 2011, a new school building was constructed at Da Hat Kan near Mount Popa in Myanmar. The work was organised by the RTM Social Initiative and paid for by RTM guests.

There are three classrooms, finished temporarily with a sand floor and brought into use in August 2011 as a Post-Primary school

Friday 1 June 2012

Free Clinic in Bagan

View in April 2011 showing the just-completed clinic building in Bagan.

For some time, the 'Road to Mandalay' charity had been planning to establish a free medical clinic in Bagan. The local Head Monk provided a suitable site near the Ayeyarwaddy River and, with construction costs available, the building was completed on 23rd April 2011, complete with an external toilet and shower room, just before the important Water Festival in Myanmar.

Whilst permission for treatments to commence was being obtained from the Local Authority, the clinic was made available for temporary use by health volunteer organisations or NGOs.

August 2011

The clinic was opened to patients on 6th August 2011, based on a budget of one paid doctor and 600 U.S. Dollars per month for medicines. The clinic initially opened for two and a half hours on Fridays, five hours on Saturdays (two and a half hours in the morning, two and a half hours in the afternoon) and two and a half hours on Sundays. Patients were asked to pay a notional charge for a consultation if they could afford it but this was waived for poor patients.

At the beginning, the two and a half hour clinic would see 20 - 25 patients. During August, the clinic opened 16 times, treating a total of 335 patients.

September 2011

By September, as the clinic became well-known around Bagan, Nyaung Oo and the various villages in the area, the number of patients treated in each clinic had increased to 40 - 60. The duration of clinics was sometimes extended to five hours, to complete the treatment of waiting patients. The clinic opened 17 times in September, treating a total of 784 patients during the month.

Patients waiting to be seen by the Doctor.

October 2011

Patient numbers continued to increase. On the 8th October 2011, Dr. Hla Tun and two local doctors treated 151 patients. Just one example is a 70 year old lady from the village of Taung Ba treated for back and knee pain. She had heard of the clinic some weeks before but had no means of getting to the clinic. Eventually, villagers collected money to hire a Chinese-made lorry to bring a group of villagers, including the old lady, to Bagan. Even by lorry the journey, over dirt roads, took over an hour each way. Two days before, a guest on 'Road to Mandalay' had donated 90 pairs of spectacles and so the old lady's blurred vision could be corrected by selecting an appropriate pair of glasses. Other patients arrived by boat, paddling the small craft for an hour and a half to reach Bagan.

A lorry hired to bring patients from a remote village.

On the 9th October, there were over 50 patients waiting for treatment when the clinic opened. Some had come on foot, some on motorcycles, others by lorry. Many had brought a lunchbox anticipating a lengthy wait for treatment.

Patients waiting outside the clinic for treatment in October 2011.

On 15th October 2011, Dr. Hla Tun and a local doctor treated 137 patients. On the 16th October 2011 a group of patients arrived in a hired lorry from Chan Thar Gyi.

Because of the increasing demand, it was decided add an additional clinic on each Friday morning.

The clinic opened 22 times in October, treating a total of 1434 patients during the month.

Official Opening Ceremony, October 2011

The Official Opening Ceremony of the Clinic took place on Sunday, 30th October 2011 and that is described here. As soon as the joyful ceremony was complete, the clinic went back to treating the waiting patients.

Jan Ford speaking (in English) at the Opening Ceremony.

November 2011

In November, Dr. Hla Tun and two local doctors treated a total of 1,723 patients.

Patients waiting outside the Clinic (Photo: Dr. Hla Tun).

Patients from Taung Ba village (about 18 kilometres from the Clinic) travelled in a Chinese-built 'Trawler' vehicle. Other patients came from remote villages up to 30 kilometres from Bagan. Around ten patients had travelled between 70 and 105 kilometres to reach the clinic.

One of the patients who travelled a long distance to the Clinic was a 17 year old girl student accompanied by her mother from a village in Sake Phyu Township. It cost them around 7700 Kyats (about 10 USD) to make the journey using buses and a river ferry. They lived near the bank of the Yaw Stream and early on the 20th October 2011, their wooden house and around 20 neighbouring houses were swept away by the current during heavy rain. The girl is a Grade 11 boarding student and, because of a gastric problem, her mother was away from home taking care of her daughter at the time of the flooding. Her father was alone in the house at the time of the flooding. He survived but all the family possessions were lost. The girl had made an initial visit to the Clinic on 30th October 2011 and she returned on 18th November 2011.

There are more photographs of the clinic here.