Alan took me to Wolverhampton station in time for the direct 'Voyager' service to Manchester at 06:49 operated by Cross Country. However, when the earlier 06:37 Edinburgh service operated by Virgin arrived, I decided to take it as far as Warrington (Bank Quay), changing there to an Arriva Trains Wales train to Manchester (Oxford Road). The last time I took this route was on 27th July 2013 (A Busy Week) when the Edinburgh train was operated by a 'Pendolino' but in October a 'Voyager' had been substituted, presumably because we'd entered the 'Low Season'.
Waiting on Platform 4 at Warrington (Bank Quay) for the Manchester service.
The Arriva Trains Wales service was a few minutes late at Warrington, but that time was recovered on the way to Manchester. In fact, as often happens, we were brought to a stand in the platform at Deansgate, waiting for the signal to clear allowing us to proceed to Platform 4 at Oxford Road. This was slightly galling, because Deansgate is the nearest station to the Museum but, not being booked to stop at Deansgate, the train doors remained closed. Despite the signal check, our arrival at Manchester (Oxford Road) was 'right time', so I walked to the adjacent bay platform (Platform 5) and caught the 08:15 'Pacer' service to Liverpool which carried me back to Deansgate.
On alighting at Deansgate, this was the view looking back towards Oxford Road.
We always have four volunteers rostered to run the live steam operation - on this occasion it was Peter (Operating Officer), Jan (Driver), Mike (Fireman) and Adrian (Guard). We started off by retrieving 'Planet' and its two 1830 coaches from the Power Hall and positioned them temporarily on the running line next to the oil store using the Battery Electric Shunter (my pictures of the Battery Electric Shunter are here) so that we could start 'Preparation' of the locomotive. Once I'd collected the oil supply and Mike had done his initial checks and lit-up, we propelled the locomotive and coaches to the platform, with the back coach adjacent to the platform (to assist the Guard) and the locomotive over the pit (to assist the driver). Then Peter moved the Battery Electric to the Power Hall road, but inside the railway 'compound' which is fenced-off from the public areas, and 'tied it down' until it was required again at the end of the day.
The Battery Electric Shunter secured inside the railway compound until the final shunt at the end of the day.
Mike polished the engine whilst carefully building up his fire, I 'oiled round' and carried out the Daily Examination and Peter carried out his track inspection, including the 'Pineapple Line' (which forms a 'Y' with our 'Main Line') and 'Clipped, locked and scotched' all the hand points on our route.
A set hand points 'Clipped, locked and scotched'. The white-painted clip (a bit like a G-clamp) and lock are on the left, the wooden scotch is on the right. These particular points use flat-bottom rail, but older points at MOSI use bull-head rail.
Once Mike had produced working pressure, we carried out a test run, without passengers, to make sure everything was satisfactory. 'Planet' can be relied upon to eject copious amounts of dirty water from the chimney during this trip (another reason to make the run without passengers). Mike had 'Planet' in steam nice and early, allowing us to carry out the first run with passengers before noon (our advertised starting time). The day was dry and there were plenty of passengers keen to make the trip.
The only set of points we'd need to alter during the day was the turnout at the Ground Frame giving access to the Pineapple Line. The 2-lever Ground Frame (labelled 'Ordsall Lane No. 1, in commemoration of the signal box which once stood nearby) is released by an Annett's Key forming part of the Single Line Train Staff (usually just referred to as the 'Staff'). When carried on the engine, the Staff is the driver's authority to move and the Ground Frame points cannot be moved. During the day, each time the train arrives at the Ground Frame (with the whole train clear of the Pineapple Line points), the fireman leaves the engine with the Staff, releases the Ground Frame and changes the points as required, before locking the Ground Frame and returning to the footplate with the Staff. Only when the Staff and the Fireman are back on the footplate and the Guard has given a 'Rightaway' is the train allowed to move.
The Ground Frame: The Train Staff has been inserted into the lock behind the blue lever, allowing the blue facing point lock lever to be pushed back to the 'Normal' position. This has released the black point lever which has been pulled to the 'Reverse' position, setting the points towards the Pineapple Line. Next, the blue lever will be pulled 'Reverse', locking the points and allowing the Staff to be removed.
On each trip we left the platform and passed through the Museum, always watched keenly by Museum visitors safely outside the railway compound. The line runs between the 1830 Warehouse and the Coaching Shed, then passes the 1830 Booking Offices and Stationmaster's House, crosses over Water Street on a bridge, and continues over Stephenson's original Irwell Bridge to the Ground Frame. Once the train had come to a stand at the Ground Frame next to the Network Rail line, the fireman reversed the points as described above, allowing 'Planet' to propel its train onto the Pineapple Line which curves around the back of the 1830 Warehouse, supervised by the Guard in the rearmost compartment. 'Planet' then drew its train forward to the Ground Frame, the fireman restored the points to the 'Main Line' and the coaches were propelled back to the platform where the passengers disembarked. Our last trip was the 14th of the day and we set off, as advertised, at 4.00 p.m.
Our remaining task was 'Disposal'. Having unloaded the train, we drew forward to the Disposal Point, near the oil store. Mike used a fire-iron to 'Knock-out' the remains of the fire through the gaps in between the fire-bars into the ashpan, whilst I opened the ashpan door and raked out the ash, with the aid of a hose to control the dust. Meanwhile, Peter had attended to the various railway gates, unlocked the hand points giving access to the Power Hall sidings and shunted the Battery Electric locomotive onto 'Planet'. I then took over the Battery Electric, draw the train back clear of the Power Hall points and, once Mike had changed the points, propelled the lot gingerly into the Power Hall for the night, supervised by Peter 'on the floor'. Mike used the remaining steam to fill the boiler using the injector and, after carrying out the various end-of-service checks, the job was done.
Preparation and Disposal
All locomotives require getting ready prior to entering traffic ('Preparation') and placing in a safe state at the end of traffic ('Disposal'). Although the same principles apply, detailed procedures vary from locomotive to locomotive. There are descriptions of Preparation of more modern steam locomotives in the posts Driving Turn at Peak Rail - Part One: Preparation, Preparation of Locomotive 'Sapper' and Disposal is outlined in the post MIC - Disposal.
Happy Birthday Planet!
I found it hard to believe that the 'Planet' replica has now been in operation for 21 years. The official launch by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor William Egerton took place on 2nd October 1992! There's more about the 'Planet' replica and the design of the original 1830 locomotive here.
The Future
In the post A Saturday in Manchester I mentioned two threats to the future of the railway MOSI - Network Rail's proposed Ordsall Chord and the Science Museum Group finances.
Although the Museum has formally registered objections to the Network Rail proposals, the threat is undiminished. The Draft of the Statutory Instrument to authorise the work is available as a PDF here. Network Rail have also 'refined' their Computer Generated Image of the proposal.
Original Computer Generated Image of the proposal.
'Refined' Computer Generated Image of the proposal.
The immediate threat of closure of the Museum has diminished but, as re-organisation continues, it's sad to report that a number of members of paid Museum staff have lost their jobs.
External websites
Ordsall Chord (Network Rail).
Ordsall Chord (Wikipedia).
Pictures
Warrington Area rail
Manchester Area Rail
'Planet'
Museum of Science and Industry
