A Heavy Load

I was steam driver on 'Lord Phil' at Peak Rail on Saturday, 17th August 2013, with Dave as fireman. The day started with a two-hour 'Driving Experience' course, running light engine between Darley Dale and Matlock river bridge. There's an earlier post here which gives an idea of the format of a 'Driving Experience'. Our trainee seemed well pleased when we left him on the down platform at Darley Dale at 10.45 a.m. and scuttled light engine up to Rowsley to pick up our train.

A couple of weeks before, I'd been driver on one of the days of the '1940s Weekend' (described here) when we were at the north end of a 7-coach train top-and-tailing with 'Penyghent' at the south end.

On the 17th August, we were again working a 7-coach train with 'Penyghent', but the locomotives had resumed their customary positions with 'Lord Phil' at the south end hauling the train to Matlock (Town) and 'Penyghent at the north end taking us back to Rowsley.

The weather was fairly good, with the occasional shower of rain, and there seemed to be plenty of passengers.

During the day, we were informed that the 'Class 31' was required to haul the train on a test run, presumably following repairs. One possibility was for the 'Class 31' to deputise for 'Lord Phil' on the last round trip (giving the steam crew an 'early bath'). However, the solution adopted was to couple the '31' on top of 'Penyghent' for the 3.00 p.m. departure from Rowsley, allowing the '31' to work the train back from Matlock (Town) to Rowsley. This meant that 'Lord Phil' had to first take the train (comprising seven coaches, 'Penyghent' and the '31') from Rowsley to Matlock (Town).

The Guard gave the load which 'Lord Phil' had to shift as 486 tons - heavier than normal but well within the capability of an 'Austerity' tank. The 'Austerities' are powerful locomotives capable of shifting well over 1,000 tons. What I was not quite sure about was whether we'd be able to keep to time. Well, we actually arrived at Matlock (Town) one and a half minutes early.

The 3.00 p.m. from Rowsley passes through Matlock Riverside, showing the two diesel-electric locomotives hanging on the back.

The '31' took the train back to Rowsley without incident and then uncoupled and returned to shed, leaving 'Lord Phil' and 'Penyghent' to do the final round trip of the day.

The 'Class 31' entering Matlock Riverside, on its test run back to Rowsley.

We brought the engine on shed for disposal and, immediately, the heavens opened so that we had driving rain to add to the normal problems of disposal. There's a post describing disposal here. As often happens, once we were wringing wet, the rain stopped.