I returned from a trip to Burma on 9th May 2014. There's a series of posts describing the trip (starting at Back to Burma with links to later posts in order). This wasn't a railway holiday but I did manage a visit to the power signal box in Yangon and a diesel cab ride around Yangon's Circle Line (there's a brief description in Exploring Yangon's Railways with links to my pictures).
I had a few days to recuperate before my next footplate turn at Peak Rail on Sunday 18th May.
Events of Sunday 18th May 2014
I was booked with Harvey and we started the day with a footplate experience course. Our trainee was a very pleasant young man who, we discovered, had just married and was with his charming wife. It seemed an odd format for a honeymoon but after the course, they both enjoyed a ride on the train and I managed a picture of them both on 'Lord Phil' at Matlock Town. We extend our best wishes for the future to this couple.
Newly-weds Mr. and Mrs. Yeend on the footplate of 'Lord Phil' at Matlock Town.
The format for the passenger service was five rounds between Rowsley and Matlock Town, top and tailing with 'Penyghent'. The only exceptional event was that the weather remained hot all day and at times it was a bit warm on the footplate.
Before our final departure of the day from Rowsley, the station staff asked us to do our best to be 'right time' at Matlock Town as two lady passengers were hoping to make the connection with the East Midland Trains service at Matlock and make a further connection at Derby as they were travelling back to London. We didn't let them down.
'Lord Phil' at Matlock Town standing next to an East Midlands Trains Class 153.
Events of Sunday 26th May 2014
My next turn was with Dave on Sunday 26th May. We were joined by Jacob, on his first Cleaning Turn. The weekend had been advertised as the Mixed Traffic Weekend. Heritage Shunters Trust were running brake van rides at Rowsley, and they rang the changes on the motive power in use, providing an excellent attraction. But shortage of motive power for the service trains meant than it had been decided to operate only the normal service of five top and tailed round trips between Rowsley and Matlock. 'Lord Phil' was on the south end of the train, with Peter Briddon's preserved 'Teddy Bear' locomotive 14 901 on the north end. Wikipedia has a description of the 'Class 14' here.
It was as well I'd taken my heavy overcoat because the weather was quite different from that on my previous turn described above. On my arrival, the rain was sluicing down and it remained pretty wet all day. When it's raining, it's impossible to prepare a steam locomotive standing in the open without getting thoroughly bedraggled and it took me some time to dry out afterwards. But, leaning out of the cab for better visibility when on the move and taking water periodically during the day at Rowsley means that, as soon as you've dried out, you get drenched again. As I often say "Anyone can work on a locomotive when it's fine but it takes an engineman to do it when it's wet".
Fortunately, by the time we arrived back at Rowsley on the last trip, the rain had stopped, so we were able bring the light engine 'on shed' and dispose without another soaking. Disposal is unattractive enough at the best of times - the fire has to be 'knocked out', ash removed from the ashpan, char removed from the smokebox. There's a brief description of the process in the post MIC - Disposal
Jacob beside 'Lord Phil' at the end of his first turn as a Cleaner.
My Pictures
Peak Rail, May 2014.
You can find all my Peak Rail Pictures here.
More
You can find all my Peak Rail Posts here.
