Chapter 54: Very Heavy Fast Freight
(Tuesday, October 9th 2012 – 3:50pm, Ulfstead Station)
Okay everyone; for this chapter, we're gonna be back on the Island of Sodor and following Carrie as she has another day of work on the railway. Also, the 100th class of engine to appear in this story will be a fictional class of engine, one that was actually planned, but was ultimately never built. Please enjoy the chapter ahead.
The last of the passengers who had been standing on the platform for the past 10 minutes waiting for them to arrive were boarding the train and then taking their seats, with each of them being very eager to get back down to Knapford as soon as possible after their long trek around the woods and hills close to the town of Ulfstead. These people were part of a group of holidaymakers who were finishing up part of a trip around the Island of Sodor before they had to make their way home later in the week.
Standing on the track along the platform at Ulfstead Station, Toby stood and simmered happily while the passengers in the tour group boarded his coach, Henrietta. Once all of them were aboard, Toby would take these people on a final trip around the lines in the most rugged parts of the island, where they would see the rugged hills, pine forests, and lakes that drew people in the summer before they got back to Knapford.
As the last passengers boarded Henrietta, Carrie, who was standing with the fireman at the back of Toby, stoked the firebox with fresh coal to keep the fire burning brightly and to make plenty of steam in the boiler. After placing a fourth shovelful of coal into the fire, Carrie stood up.
"Does that look like enough to you for now?" Carrie asked the fireman.
"Yeah, I think that's probably enough coal for the moment, Carrie. You've done a really good job today, and I think the Fat Controller will be very pleased with you." said the fireman.
"That sounds good to me." Carrie said, with a smile. After handing the shovel to the fireman, Carrie leaned out from the right-hand side of Toby's rear cab and waited for the off. Looking up towards the sky, Carrie took note of the weather; there were grey clouds in the sky as far as the eye could see, there was no breeze, but the air was somewhat cooler today than it would normally be at this time of year, a clear sign that winter was on its way. There looked like there would be a chance of rain, but it had been like this all day and no rain had yet fallen.
They didn't have to wait for long for the off, for they soon heard the guard blow his whistle loudly. At the same time, the signalman in his signal box set the signal to show the line was clear, as well as having set the points for them to get off the Ffarquhar branch line and into the rugged country off to the north.
"Here we go!" Toby said, as the driver rang his bell and then opened the regulator a little. Slowly, Toby rolled forwards out of the station and along the double tracked section of line that ran in between the main road that ran along the front of Ulfstead and the river. As the line left the village, it encountered a junction just outside where two lines diverged off and then began to climb and turn to the left as it entered the rugged, hilly, and forested country behind Ulfstead.
Going over the points, Toby began to move into the rugged country. From inside Henrietta, the passengers looked outside the windows as they moved into the heavily forested area. From where she was standing, Carrie also couldn't help but be impressed by the country they were now travelling in as they made their way along.
(Insert soundtrack – Toby's Season 1 Theme)
They went along the line through this rugged part of Sodor, where dense pine forests could be seen approaching very close to the lines, as well as spectacular rock formations and high hills and mountains that seemed to dominate parts of the horizon line. At one point, they went along a gentle downhill slope that went through a straight section of narrow V-shaped valley that had two rail lines running through the bottom of it, and Carrie was very impressed by the sight of this part of the landscape. Carrie liked working with Toby, as he was a good engine to get on with, as well as being a very smooth engine to ride on.
Looking out from the right-hand side, Carrie looked forward and saw another train approaching them and heading in the opposite direction on the line adjacent to the line Toby was travelling on. It turned out to be none other than L.N.E.R. V3 Class 2-6-2T No.7684, who was on his way back towards Ulfstead with a train of six coaches full of passengers coupled up behind him.
"Afternoon, Toby!" No.7684 called, as he whistled in greeting before he went on past him.
"Hello, No.7684!" Toby said, as the two engines went on by each other. From where she was standing on Toby, Carrie saw lots of people sitting in the coaches coupled behind No.7684, but she couldn't tell what they were doing, as No.7684 was going by at a fair clip on his way back to Ulfstead. Once the last coach went on by, Carrie looked back and watched as the train disappeared back up the valley, with the red light within the tail lamp to be seen on the back of the last coach as it disappeared into the distance.
After making a brief stop at another station along the way, where they topped up Toby's water tanks and took aboard another half a dozen passengers, they proceeded along the line, passing by impressive and rugged scenery, such as the high hills, dense pine forests that went very close to the side of the line in places, and tall rock formations, until they crossed over a twin track rail bridge that crossed over the Northern Main Line and then reached a junction that joined up with the Little Western. After going onto the Little Western, they made their way south, following the coastline, until they got to the junction close to Tidmouth Station, from where the proceeded south along the main line to Knapford Station.
As they went along the last part of their journey to Knapford, Carrie, having just finished stoking the boiler with more coal, looked out as they went along over the steel girder bridge over the estuary and onto the long red-brick viaduct that went over the yards to the north of Knapford. She could see various different jobs being done in the extensive yards below the viaduct, including seeing James arriving in the yards with a freight train, what appeared to be S.R. Schools Class 4-4-0 No.927 Clifton going along one of the lines with some coaches coupled behind him, and Duck setting off with a freight train heading north towards the Little Western.
Going over to the right-hand side of the footplate, Carrie leaned out and looked forward along the line as they got closer and closer to Knapford Station. She could see another engine coming towards them on the line that went northwards; it turned out to be W.D. Austerity Class 2-8-0 No.90360, who was heading northbound with a lengthy mixed freight. After exchanging whistles with Toby, who rang his bell in reply, No.90360 headed on his way northwards with his long and very heavy train.
Finally, with a ringing of his bell, Toby arrived at Platform 6 at Knapford Station and came to a gentle halt at the platform.
"And there we are, Toby. We made it at last, and on time as well!" the driver said, as he looked up at the clock. The time was 4:45pm, and right on schedule.
"Thanks! And I hope the passengers are pleased as well." Toby said, as a smile crossed his face. He was right about that; the passengers disembarking from Henrietta had smiles on their faces, as not only were they pleased from arriving on time, but also from having had a smooth ride. From where she was standing, Carrie also felt somewhat pleased from a good day of work, and seeing these pleased passengers make their way out from the station helped bring a smile to her face.
Once the last of the passengers had left the platform, and were making their way over the footbridge so they could make their way out from the station, Carrie stepped onto the platform and went up to speak to Toby.
"Well, thanks for having me work with you today, Toby." Carrie said, as she smiled at the tram engine.
"Oh, it's no problem at all, Carrie. It was nice to work with you again, and I think you did a good job too!" said Toby.
"I'm also pleased that the rain managed to hold off today. I don't know what I would have done if it had rained very heavily." Carrie said.
"I know. It's usually more difficult to go along the line when it rains heavily." Toby said.
"Anyway…I'm just glad it's the end of the day now. And I'm looking forward to having a good rest before starting again tomorrow morning." Carrie said.
(Insert soundtrack – Toby's Season 4 Theme)
It was soon time for them to be off on their way back to Tidmouth Sheds, and after climbed aboard beside where the driver was standing, they were off on their way again. As they made their way back to the sheds, Carrie was given the chance to drive Toby there, and she had a smile on her face as she did so. Carrie had never driven Toby before, and she was feeling very pleased that she was able to drive Toby along the line.
The driver stood off to the side and kept an eye on what Carrie was doing, as well as informing her on things her needed to do, including when to ring the bell, adjust the regulator, as well as when to put the brakes on. But Carrie was doing a good job; by now, she knew where all the signals were between Knapford and Tidmouth Sheds were, as well as what they meant, and so she was able to do what was needed to be done as they went along, which really impressed the driver.
They finally arrived back at Tidmouth Sheds and, after they parked Henrietta in a coach siding nearby, Toby headed on back to the sheds with Carrie still at the controls. After they went on the turntable, they were turned round so that Toby could be reversed to the berth in the shed. As they were turned, Carrie set the reversing level to full reverse and put her hand on the regulator, ready to move once allowed to do so. Once the turntable was in place, they were allowed to move and, ever so slowly, Carrie opened the regulator and Toby moved in reverse, very slowly, off the turntable and into his berth in the sheds.
"And there we are…home at last." Carrie said, as she closed the regulator and put the brakes on, bringing Toby to a stop.
"Well done, Carrie! You did a good job getting me back home!" Toby said, as Carrie got her things and got off Toby.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all, Toby. After all, I'm always very happy to have a chance to drive an engine every now and then." Carrie said.
"And I think you did a very good job too, Carrie. I think your father will be very proud of you." said Toby's driver.
"Thanks very much, sir." Carrie said.
"Get a really good long rest, Carrie. I think that you've earned it after the hard work you've done today." said the fireman, as he stepped off the back of Toby.
"Thanks. Good night you two, and good night, Toby." Carrie said, as she turned away and made her way towards the crew building close by.
"Goodnight, Carrie!" said the driver and fireman.
"Goodnight, Carrie!" added Toby.
Once in the crew building, Carrie went upstairs to the ladies changing room with some of the other girls and stripped out of her work clothes before having a long hot shower. After finishing, she dried herself off thoroughly before she changed into clean clothes and left the changing room. Going downstairs with a few of the other girls who had showered and changed, she and the girls clocked out for the day and stepped out through the double doors of the front entrance of the crew building.
By this time of the day, Carrie was very tired after her long day of work, having started off at 8:00am that morning, and by now she was feeling eager to get home again. She wondered whereabouts Simon was, as she hadn't seen him since this morning, when he had been sent off to work with L.M.S. Black Five No.44686 earlier on in the day, and Carrie hadn't seen No.44686 when she arrived back at the depot yet earlier on.
Then, she heard a familiar voice from somewhere behind her; turning to look to see who it was, she saw that it was actually Simon, having just clocked out for the day and walking out the building's main entrance. From the look on his face, Carrie could see that he was tired after his long day of hard work, just as she was.
"Hey there, Carrie." said Simon, as he approached her.
"Hi, Simon. Have a good day out today?" she asked, as they hugged each other and gave each other a kiss on the lips.
"Yeah, I did. But goodness me…am I tired and sore after it too." Simon said, as he rubbed his lower back and pushed his waist forward a bit.
"Lot of shovelling coal?" Carrie asked.
"Yeah, especially as the fireman became ill during the late morning and to be relieved at Crovan's Gate. That meant I had to take his place for most of the day, and as well as the fact I had to shovel coal into the firebox, I also had to spread the coal out in the firebox, remove clinker with the fire-irons, turn on the injectors to put water in the boiler, as well as move the coal from the tender down to the front." Simon said, just before he yawned.
"So, you're gonna be glad to get into bed tonight?" Carrie asked, as a smile crossed her face.
"Yeah, I will be. I think I'll have an early night this evening." Simon said.
"Come on. Let's get home." Carrie said, and they turned and walked out the front gate.
(A little later; at the White Residence)
With the sun setting into the October sky, Carrie and Ralph were sitting at the table and enjoying dinner. Both of them were feeling tired after their day of work on the railway, and they were feeling eager to relax for the rest of the evening before they had to go back to work in the morning.
"I think I'll sleep well this evening." Ralph said, as he took a long sip of water.
"Long day today, dad?" Carrie asked.
"Yeah, it was. I was driving Merchant Navy Class No.35004 Cunard White Star going along the Southern Main Line for much of today, with many very heavily-laden passenger coaches going in both directions. And once going over to Vicarstown in the morning, and then driving them back again to Knapford in the afternoon." Ralph said.
"Well, I think I had an easier day today when I was working with Toby." Carrie said, and she told him of how her day with Toby had gone.
"I see…but you never know…tomorrow, you could be working on a different engine that might be much larger than an engine like Toby." Ralph said.
"Yeah, I know." Carrie said, knowing from her own experience that sometimes she had worked on a small engine on one day before moving to work on a larger engine the following day.
"I'm very pleased to see that the rain held off for today. And the weather should be better for tomorrow, though it will be somewhat colder, especially considering the time of year." Ralph said.
"Okay, then. I suppose that's to be expected…considering that winter is on the way." Carrie said.
"Yeah." Ralph said, and they continued on with their dinner.
(Next morning, October 10th 2012, 7:55am; Tidmouth Sheds)
The weather the next morning was fairly cool, but quite clear, with a cloudless sky and the sun to be seen rising in the eastern sky. There was no breeze to be felt at all at the moment, though that would change later on, no doubt, as the day progressed.
By now, all the recruits in the apprenticeship scheme had arrived at Tidmouth Sheds, had changed into their work clothes, had clocked in, and were now leaving the crew building ready for another day of hard work. As had been expected by now, all of them had cups of hot tea, coffee, or hot chocolate in one hand, as well as pastries in the other, having gotten them in the crew building's cafeteria before they stepped outside.
Carrie and Simon were among those who were having a hot drink and pastry before they started work this morning; both of them had tea, while Carrie had a cinnamon roll, with Simon having an apple turnover.
One by one, the recruits were assigned to engines to work on for the day, with one person to a tank engine and two people being assigned to work on a tender engine. Gradually, the numbers of recruits in the group got smaller and smaller until only Carrie and Simon were left there.
"Okay, you two…" said the yard manager, as he looked at his clipboard, "…if you'd like to follow me, please. There's a special engine you're both gonna be working on this morning."
"Which engine is it?" Carrie asked, curious as to who it was.
"Just follow me this way, Carrie. You'll soon see, and I think you'll both be very impressed when you see the engine, as well as the sort of heavy load it can pull." smiled the yard manager. Now with her curiosity now a little higher, Carrie followed the yard manager, with Simon close behind.
The pair followed the yard manager around the side of one of the sheds until they came to a set of three straight tracks that were sitting beside each other, and on the line that was the closest to them stood a very large, and impressive-looking engine. At first, Carrie thought it was one of the L.M.S. Princess Coronation Class engines, but then she saw that this engine was very different and appeared larger and more powerful than any of the Princess Coronations. The boiler was much larger in diameter, with a very short squat chimney in place on top of the smokebox, as well as eight fairly large driving wheels under the boiler, and a somewhat larger tender coupled up behind. In fact, this engine was No.46300, who was the first-built example of the L.M.S. Class 12F 4-8-4 Large Heavy Freight engines that were built to be used on very heavy fast freights just after the end of the Second World War (100). On seeing this large and impressive locomotive, both Carrie and Simon were very impressed.
"WOW! I've never seen an engine that big before in my life." Carrie said, as she looked with awe at just how big an engine No.46300 was.
"I bet this big engine has the ability to pull very heavy loads, as well as give a smooth ride." Simon said, as he looked all over No.46300 with a good sense of respect for such a big engine.
"Indeed, you two. Now come…let's get you introduced to the crew, and then you'll be assigned the work you need to do." said the yard manager, as he led them over to No.46300 was waiting for them.
(100): The fictional 12F Class 4-8-4 Large Heavy Freight Engines on the London Midland and Scottish Railway (L.M.S.), and numbered from No.6300 to No.6339, were some of the largest and most powerful tender engines ever built in the U.K. They were built to haul the fast and heavy container trains on the Anglo-Scottish run, which weren't too dissimilar to the container trains that run on many modern railways all over the world today. They were designed during the war as the designers were eyeing towards the peace that would follow and the heavy trains that would be expected to run on Britain's railways with the war's end.
There were a few things that made the design of the 12F Class very different from that of any other British steam locomotive design that had been built before them; the first one was that the engine used bar frames instead of more traditional plate frames, which were far stronger and would allow the engines to be worked really hard with very heavy loads coupled up behind it. The second thing was that the fireboxes were some of the largest ever put on to a British steam locomotive, covering 70 square feet in total, and which was seen as necessary to make the quantities of steam that such a big engine would need. The third thing that made this class different was that in order to feed such a large firebox , as stoking such a large firebox would be beyond the capabilities of one fireman, the class were fitted with mechanical stokers, which crushed up the lumps of coal in a narrow channel at the bottom of the tender and then moved the smaller pieces along to be blasted into the firebox by powerful steam jets that could be controlled by the firemen.
Due to the immense size of the class, as well as the weight of each locomotive being very close to 200 tons in total, it pushed the loading gauge of the L.M.S. very close to its design limits, which meant that these massive engines were restricted to running along the main line, including on the West Coast Main Line and the Midland Main Line. They did occasionally run onto other main lines during their careers, including onto the Great Central and East Coast Main Lines.
The class were basically a much larger, bulkier version of Stanier's earlier Princess Coronation Pacific Class, but there were some differences between the tenders that were used by the two classes; the tenders of the 12F Class were much longer in length, with a vastly greater coal and water capacity, and ran on eight wheels instead of six in order to better distribute the weight, and the driving wheels were also smaller in diameter on the 12F Class, which meant that the 12Fs had a considerably higher tractive effort than the Princess Coronation Class. But the driving wheels were still large enough to allow the engines to travel along at a good speed.
The 12F Class had four cylinders, that were 17.5in in diameter with a 28in piston stroke, that were set up as a divided drive, with the inside cylinders driving onto the forward set of driving wheels while the outside cylinders driving onto the second set of driving wheels. The large-diameter boiler was pressed to 300psi and was fitted with 48 high-temperature superheating elements, while the eight driving wheels were 5ft 6in in diameter. All this combined to give the 12F Class a maximum tractive effort of 66,260lbf, which made the class the most powerful class of steam tender engines to run in the U.K. and allowed the class to pull virtually any kind of train that they were tasked with pulling. The outside cylinders were driven by outside Walschaerts valve gear, while the valves for two inside cylinders were driven by rocking shafts. All four cylinders were constructed from welded pre-fabricated steel sections instead of being cast as normal cylinder would, in order to reduce the weight of the engines somewhat.
The tenders of the class could carry up to 12 tons of coal and around 5,000 gallons of water, which was considerably more than the usual L.M.S. standard tenders that were in service with most of the classes that ran on the L.M.S. system at that time, which carried around 10 tons of coal and up to 4,000 gallons of water. Water scoops were also fitted to the tenders so that the engines could take on more water from water troughs. The large boilers that the class were fitted with were of all-welded construction with the fireboxes being built out of steel, instead of being of riveted construction with copper fireboxes as on the Princess Coronation Class.
In February 1946, the very first example of the class, No.6300, entered traffic after being rolled out from Crewe Works and was set to work at once on the new services that ran along the West Coast Main Line from Glasgow to London Euston. The engine proved to be an instant success with the crews assigned to drive it, and also proved to be a very powerful engine due to the immensely heavy trains that it could haul, as well as being able to go at very good speeds too. The fact she was also fitted with roller bearings on all axles meant that she could cover high mileages between overhauls.
In total, 40 engines of the class were built at Crewe Works between February 1946 and May 1948, and were put to work on the new Anglo-Scottish container services on the West Coast Main Line. They proved very popular and successful engines with their crews, who deeply appreciated their ability to haul very heavy container trains, especially when they went up gradients such as up to Beattock and Shap.
Despite their 5ft 6in driving wheels, they could often reach impressive speeds, with one example of the class, No.46324, reaching a maximum recorded speed of 98mph when hauling a very long and heavy container train on a run along the West Coast Main Line from Glasgow down to London in April 1956. With their eight driving wheels and long length, they could also offer very comfortable and smooth rides to their crews, who also deeply appreciated the comforts in their cabs, including padded seats, electric lighting, as well as having good shelter from the elements. The mechanical stokers also proved to be popular with the firemen, as it made their jobs on very long runs a much easier task.
The class also were fitted with self-cleaning screens in their smokeboxes, as well as rocking grates and hopper ashpans, all of which made it much easier for the crews to dispose of the engines at the end of a long day of work. There had been a plan by the London Midland Region to name the class after British countesses at some point in the early 1950's, but this never came to pass and so the entire class spent their careers running without names.
An experiment that was made with the class very early on in their careers was the fitment of double chimneys inside the smokeboxes, which were paired with Kylchap exhaust systems. This helped the class to steam much more freely than they would have otherwise, with much higher power outputs as well as with much better fuel and water economy.
However, one fault that was found with the class was with the exhaust drifting from their double chimneys and obstructing the drivers view, but that was solved when smoke deflectors were fitted along both sides of the smokebox, giving the class a very similar appearance of the earlier Princess Coronation Class when they were de-streamlined.
After the railways were nationalised in January 1948, the class were renumbered from No.46300 to No.46339 and were painted either in B.R. lined green or B.R. lined maroon liveries. And for the rest of their time on B.R., they ran well on fast and heavy Anglo-Scottish container trains, as well as on other heavy fast freights, and even on the occasional passenger trains until 1964.
In July 1959, the heaviest freight train ever to be hauled by any steam locomotive that ran on the British railway network was pulled by No.46320, when she took a very long and very heavy container train on an overnight run down the West Coast Main Line from Glasgow to London. The train weighed well over 5,000 tons in total, but No.46320 managed to take the entire train all the way on its long journey to London without any incident at all, and during the run south, she managed to reach a top speed of 86mph on a stretch between Crewe and London.
In April 1964, the first member of the class, No.46329, was withdrawn from service from its home base of Carlisle Kingmoor, followed in May by No.46213 at its home base of Edge Hill Depot. The rest of the class followed along over the next year and a half, until November 1965 when the final example that was still running at that time, No.46331, was finally retired from service, after a working life of less than 18 years. Despite their shorter-than-expected working lives, the class had proven themselves to be an enormous success and easily outdid many diesel classes that were coming into service at that time.
Thankfully, eight examples of the class have managed to survive into preservation, all of which have been steamed and run on the main line since being restored to working order.
The eight surviving engines are;
No.46302; built at Crewe Works in February 1946, she was withdrawn from service from its home-base of Carlisle Kingmoor in September 1965 as one of the final members of the class in service, having covered about 378,000 miles in service. She was bought not long afterwards and taken to Carnforth to be preserved, where she was restored to full working order, which was completed by 1975. After many years of running along the main line, as well as undergoing two more overhauls, she's currently undergoing another overhaul at the Crewe Heritage Centre.
No.46309; built at Crewe Works in April 1946, she was withdrawn from service from its home-base of Carlisle Kingmoor in July 1965, having covered about 375,000 miles during her life on the line. She spent until September 1966 sitting in storage in Crew before she was bought by a very rich man who intended to restore her to full main line working order. The first overhaul was completed by 1976, and in her original L.M.S. livery, No.6309 returned to run on the main line again. After running for about 10 years, she was withdrawn in late 1986 for an overhaul, the start of which was delayed until 1999, when work began on the Great Central Railway. The overhaul was completed by 2008, and No.46309 returned to main line working order. She's currently undergoing another over on the G.C.R.
No.46315; built at Crewe Works in September 1946, she was withdrawn from service from its home-base of Crewe North in June 1965, having covered about 380,000 miles during her time on the main line. After being bought in January 1966, she was taken by rail to a private site in the Midlands, where she was kept in storage inside an old rail shed for a long time before restoration work began in earnest in 1991. By 2004, the work was finally complete and No.46315 was approved for main line running. After 10 years of uneventful and trouble-free main line running, in which she ran on many lines, including the Settle and Carlisle Line, the West Coast Main Line, Midland Main Line, and the East Coast Main Line, she's currently on static display in the N.R.M. Shildon while funds are being raised for its next overhaul.
No.46320; built at Crewe Works in December 1946, she's famous for being the engine that hauled the heaviest freight train ever hauled on the British main line. She was withdrawn from service in January 1965 from its home base at Edge Hill, but was preserved immediately after being withdrawn as part of the National Collection. After a number of years on static display in York's National Railway Museum as one of its most popular exhibits, No.46320 was restored to full main line working order in September 1998 and returned to working specials on the main line, including her old haunt of the West Coast Main Line. On one occasion in the summer of 2004, No.46320 hauled a special modern container train from Glasgow to London, as a special tribute to the trains that it once pulled along the same route back in B.R. days; the trip was a massive success and raised the profile of No.46320 and her classmates. Currently, No.46230 is in full main line working order and running special passenger trains out on the main line which, while nowhere near the same weights as those heavy container trains she once pulled, are still very long and heavy nonetheless.
No.46321; built at Crewe Works in March 1947, she was withdrawn from service in October 1964, after covering 391,000 miles during her career on the main line. She was bought by a group not long after she was withdrawn, and taken to the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley. After staying on static display there for about 25 years, work began in early 1991 to return her to working order again. The work was completed by 1997, and No.46321 returned to the main line on July of that year, taking a very long and heavy passenger train from London Euston on a special rail tour to Nottingham. She undertook many main line tours on her first boiler ticket, and covered many thousands of miles and hauled very heavy trains, before she was withdrawn for a major overhaul in November 2007. The overhaul lasted for four years and No.46321 returned to full main line working order in February 2012, and ran for 10 more years on the main line before being withdrawn in September 2022 for another much-needed overhaul.
No.46327; built at Crewe Works in June 1947, she was withdrawn in March 1965, after covering around 388,000 miles during her career. She was bought after being withdrawn by the Crewe Transport Museum, who had her on static display there until the museum finally closed in 1988. She was then taken to the Great Central Railway at Loughborough for restoration work to begin, which was finally completed by 1996 when No.6327 finally steamed for the first time in preservation in June of that year. After running in on the G.C.R., No.6327 returned to the main line in November 1996. After undergoing ten years of highly successful and trouble-free main line running, No.46327 was withdrawn from service in January 2007 for a second major overhaul on the G.C.R. The overhaul was completed by April 2016, and No.46327 finally returned to working trains on the main line in May 2016.
No.46333; built at Crewe Works in October 1947, she was withdrawn in August 1965, after covering about 392,000 miles during her time in service. She was bought by a rich individual not long after she was withdrawn and taken up to Scotland, where she was put into storage in a depot near to Glasgow before being moved to a museum for static display. In 1998, she was removed from the museum and taken south to be restored to full working order in Newcastle, with the work being completed in 2004. Steaming for the first time in preservation in May 2004, No.46333 has run extensively on the main line and on different heritage railways, covering thousands of miles and hauling very heavy trains, showing just what she's capable of doing. Withdrawn for an overhaul in late 2014, she returned to working order in November 2021, and is registered to run on the main line.
No.46338; built at Crewe Works in April 1948, she was withdrawn from service in October 1965 from her base of London Euston after covering around 389,000 miles during her career. Not long after being withdrawn, No.46338 was bought from storage at Crewe Works and taken to the Tyseley Locomotive Centre for preservation, where she remained on static display for many years. Work to return No.46338 back to full main line working order began in earnest at Tyseley in June 1998, and the hard work was fully completed by late April 2007, when No.46338 finally steamed for the first time in preservation. After being being fitted with airbrakes and other essential things like A.W.S, T.P.W.S. and O.T.M.R., she was approved to run out on the main line, No.46338 ran extensively all over the national network wherever weight restrictions would allow, covering thousands of miles and hauling countless passengers and enthusiasts all over the main line. As of 2024, No.46338, having undergone another major overhaul at Crewe Works, is in full working order and is certified to run special trains out on the main line.
After Carrie and Simon were introduced to No.46300 and his driver and fireman, the yard manager went back to the offices while Carrie and Simon set to work at helping ready No.46300 for his first train of the day. After climbing aboard the footplate, they placed their things into one of the lockers fitted at the front of the tender, and then they turned round to face where the fireman was standing. For a few minutes, he taught them about the mechanical stoker, how it worked, and what they needed to do to keep the large 70sqft firebox stoked with coal for their journey.
Carrie was surprised to see just how large the firegrate was, and why a mechanical stoker was needed to keep it stoked with fresh coal. However, she was pleased to see that the two firehole doors were a little higher up over the end of the mechanical stoker, as it meant that when they did need to use the shovel, they didn't need to bend down much to stoke the firebox.
The fireman gave them both a demonstration of how the mechanical stoker worked; using a set of controls on his side of the footplate, the fireman activated the mechanical stoker, which started off with the sounds of coal lumps in the tender being crushed into smaller pieces as they entered, with the smaller crushed pieces being blown into the firebox with steam jets which blew them to the farthest end of the firebox. By the time the little demonstration was over, both Carrie and Simon were very impressed.
"Now that beats shovelling coal in any day!" Simon said, with a smile on his face.
"Absolutely! But we will still need to use the shovel at times on some journeys, especially if we're at a standstill in stations or before any signals at danger. Overall, the mechanical stoker certainly does make things much easier." said the fireman.
With that done, they stepped off the footplate and set about getting ready for their first train of the day, which they were due to pick up at around 9:00am; the fireman and Simon set about oiling up the valve gear and mechanical lubricator on the fireman's side of No.46300, while Carrie and the driver did the same on the driver's side. They were all helped by a few members of shed staff, who helped to polish and clean down the paintwork and brass, polished the connecting and coupling rods, as well as trim the coal level in the tender and refill the water tank.
With all the help, they were soon ready to go, and the driver, fireman, Carrie, and Simon climbed up onto the footplate of No.46300. As they got ready to go, the yard manager came up from the office with a clipboard in his hand.
"Okay, I've got the work that you need to do for this morning. You're to go over to Knapford Harbour and pick up a very long freight train that's waiting over there, and then you're to bring it to Vicarstown along the Northern Main Line. And then you'll collect whatever train is waiting over there." said the yard manager.
"Okay, sir!" said No.46300. He was feeling pleased to have been given the chance to haul the kind of heavy freight trains he would have hauled back in the day.
"All right then. Let's go and get that train." said the driver, as he adjusted the reversing gear to full forward, released the brakes, and then blew the whistle for a few seconds. After opening the regulator a touch, allowing steam to flow into the four cylinders, they slowly moved forward out from the siding. Leaning out from the fireman's side of the footplate, Carrie looked forwards along the line as they moved along, and she was feeling very impressed by how steadily and smoothly such a large engine like No.46300 could go, even at slow speed.
Once they had been turned on the turntable, they rolled in reverse out from the depot and out onto the main line where they made their way down to Knapford Harbour. From the footplate, Carrie watched as the driver went about driving No.46300 to the harbour, while she watched the fireman and Simon go about what needed to be done. She watched as Simon took first go with the shovel at stoking the firebox with fresh coal, a challenge that he seemed to relish. Pressing his left foot on a pedal on the floor, the two halves of the firebox door swung open from the force of compressed air, allowing Simon to place the first shovelful of coal into the firebox. Withdrawing the shovel, Simon briefly released the pressure on the foot pedal, allowing the firebox doors to close while he filled the shovel with more coal. Then Simon pressed the foot pedal again, and the two doors swung open again allowing Simon to place more coal into the firebox.
Carrie watched as Simon managed to place six shovelfuls of coal into the firebox before he stopped, looking somewhat exhausted and some sweat to be seen on his forehead.
"Phew…I think we should use the mechanical stoker next time." Simon said, as he wiped down his forehead.
"I think that might be a good idea, Simon. But regardless of using that or the shovel, you did a very good job." said the fireman.
"Thanks." Simon said, as he sat down on the fireman's seat and looked behind them as they went along in reverse towards the harbour.
"You know…I'm amazed how smooth an engine as big as this one rides along the main line, and at this speed too." Carrie said, to the fireman.
"Well, due to the length of this engine and the fact it has eight good-sized driving wheels under the middle of the boiler, it offers a very smooth ride for the crew who travel on the footplate." said the fireman.
"Yeah, and I think I could get used to this." Carrie said, as she went over to the driver's side of the cab, and looked out a little to see where they were as they went along.
It wasn't too long before they finally arrived at Knapford Harbour and were sent over the points to the long quayside where the train they were to pull waited for them. When Carrie saw it, she couldn't help but let out a long and low whistle; it was a very long train, consisting of many different types of trucks, and each one was heavily laden with all sorts of different goods. Many of the goods had been brought in on large cargo ships that had docked at the harbour during the night, and now that the goods were nearly finished being loaded, they needed to be taken to Vicarstown. Among the wagons that were coupled at the front of the train were a line of bulk grain and bulk sugar Cov-hop wagons in silver or grey. With a short blast of his whistle, No.46300 slowly buffered up to the front of the train, and then the shunter fastened the coupling and connected the brake pipes together.
"Do you think we'll be able to get this train out of here?" Carrie asked, as she watched the shunter disappear into the gap between the tender and the front wagon.
"Don't worry, Carrie. We will. We've gotten heavier trains out of here many times before." the driver said, as he wound the reversing gear into full forward and checked the brakes, as well as adjusting the ejectors once the brake pipes were connected together. Looking up at the brake gauge before her, Carrie watched as the two indicator arrows rose up on both sides as the vacuum went through the train.
"Come on, Carrie. Let's get the headlamps into position on the front buffer-beam." Simon said, as he picked up one of the white headlamps and headed out from the cab.
"Coming!" Carrie called, as she picked up the other headlamp and followed him.
Going round to the front buffer-beam of No.46300, Carrie climbed up the sidesteps onto the buffer-beam and then Simon handed her up the lamps while the harbour master watched them go about this job. Carrie put the two headlamps into position on the middle and right lamp-irons, which was the headcode for a fast express freight train.
"And there we are…in place." Carrie said, as she climbed off the buffer-beam.
"And a good job too, miss. Well done." said the harbour master.
"How soon can we set off?" Simon asked.
"Not too long left to go, sir. After all, Harvey is just loading up a few last things onto some of the flatbeds further back on the train." said the harbour master, as he looked back along the length of the long train. Looking back, both Simon and Carrie saw Harvey loading up a few things with his crane onto a flatbed, while workmen worked away with long straps at securing down things that had already been loaded onto another flatbed.
"Now that job's done…how does a cup of tea sound, Carrie?" Simon asked.
"Sounds good to me. Let's go get it!" Carrie said, and they turned to head back to No.46300's cab.
A few moments later, with a hot cup of tea in their hands, Carrie and Simon sat down on the front of the tender and waited for the off. There were still a few short minutes left to go before they could leave, and they were looking forward to running at speed along the Northern Main Line with this heavy train.
"Do you think that No.46300 will be able to manage a train as long and as heavy as this one?" Carrie asked, as she sipped her tea.
"Oh, he will, Carrie. Don't you worry. After all, No.46300 is one of the few engines on the island who can keep the trucks in order. They know not to try any tricks on an engine of his size." Simon said.
"Let's hope we'll see the trucks behave themselves today." Carrie said, as she took a glance out from the cab at the activity taking place over on one of the long quays nearby. She could see trucks being loaded up with crates that had been unloaded from a ship that was secured to the quayside, and workmen helping to get the job done.
It was soon time for them to be on their way with their very long and heavy train, and the signalman set the points and signals for No.46300 to be on his way, while the guard leaned out from his brake-van at the back of the train and waved his green flag about. Acknowledging the signal, the driver blew the whistle for a few seconds, then he released the brakes and opened the regulator a little. With high-pressure steam flowing into his four cylinders, No.46300 moved slowly forwards, taking up the weight of the very long and heavy train behind him.
"Come on! Come on!" he groaned, as he moved forwards. From behind him, the trucks followed along, slowly at first as they started off, with the couplings clinking and clanking as they started off. With the chuffing sounds from the double chimney getting louder and a little bit faster as they moved off, they rolled through the harbour, past the other quays where other lines of trucks could be seen being loaded or unloaded.
As they moved out, Carrie leaned out from the fireman's side of the cab, with her right elbow resting on the window sill, and she watched out ahead of them as they rolled along the line. The line adjacent to them which ran back towards the harbour was empty, but it wouldn't be for long, as ahead of them on a long straight stretch Carrie saw another engine coming along at a slow speed with a shorter freight train coupled behind. It was in fact No.77001, who was an example of the B.R. Standard Class 3MT 2-6-0 (101) and he had a line of about two dozen 20-ton steel coal hopper wagons, each filled to the brim with freshly-mined coal, following along behind him.
As he went along, he whistled in greeting to No.46300.
"Morning, No.46300!" he said, as he rolled slowly by.
"Good morning, No.77001!" No.46300 said, as he rolled on out from the harbour yards.
(101): The B.R. Standard Class 3MT 2-6-0 design was designed by Robert Riddles and was introduced onto the British Railways network in February 1954. The class was something of a hybrid design, with its chassis being based off the B.R. Standard Class 4MT 2-6-0 design and the L.M.S. Ivatt Class 4MT 2-6-0 design, while the boiler used on it was a shortened version of the boiler design used on the G.W.R. 5105 Large Prairie Class 2-6-2T tank engine design and the 56XX Class 0-6-2T tank engine design.
The design and construction of the class, as well as the 2-6-2T tank engine version of the class, which was the B.R. Standard Class 3MT 2-6-2T, took place at the ex-G.W.R. works at Swindon, although some details of the class were designed at the railway works in Brighton, Derby, and Doncaster. In common with a number of other B.R. Standard Class designs, the chassis of the B.R. Standard Class 3MT 2-6-0 used a number of L.M.S. designed components, including brake hanger brackets, flexible stretcher brackets and reversing shaft brackets. The motion bracket design used on the class was derived from the design used on the L.M.S. Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 and L.M.S. Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-2T designs.
Unlike some of the larger B.R. Standard Class designs, the exhaust steam manifold design used within the smokebox saddle on the Standard Class 3MT 2-6-0 design was a steel fabrication that was part of the welded saddle. In other B.R. Standard designs, the exhaust steam manifold was a steel casing that was welded into the saddle during the construction process.
The B.R. Standard Class 3MT 2-6-0 design was fitted with two outside cylinders that were 17.5in in diameter with a 26in piston stroke and paired with Walschaerts valve gear which, combined with six driving wheels that were 5ft 3in in diameter and a boiler that was fitted with superheating elements and pressed to 200psi, gave the class a maximum tractive effort of 21,490lbf. This was perfect for the class, as they were intended to be used on any main line or secondary branch line throughout the British railway network. They were paired with BR2A tenders which could carry 3,500 gallons of water and 6 tons of coal.
Only 20 members of the class were ever built at all, and they were numbered from No.77000 to No.77019¸ with construction of the class being undertaken at Swindon Works from February to September 1954. Due to the small number that were built, the class was often seen as the antithesis of the B.R. Standard Classes, and it probably might have been better to have built more examples of the B.R. Standard Class 4MT and 2MT 2-6-0 designs.
Despite the small numbers of the class that were built, the class proved to be very useful at the work they did, though it was rather unspectacular, and usually in the North Eastern and Scottish regions of B.R., as some of the lines in those regions required a light engine with a maximum axle-loading of about 16 tons. The class worked on a variety of different jobs, including on passenger and coal trains.
Withdrawals of the class began in 1965, when No.77010 was withdrawn from service, and the others followed along over the next two years, until the final example in service, No.77014, was withdrawn in July 1967. When No.77014 was withdrawn, it was the final steam locomotive in service on the Southern Region. The B.R. Standard Class 3MT was the final class of steam locomotive to remain completely intact before suffering its first withdrawal. It was also noted that the class was the longest surviving intact member of the B.R. Standard Classes.
Sadly, not a single example of this class has managed to survive into preservation, which is a great shame considering how useful they would have been on many heritage railways all around Britain today. However, a number of parts from the class have managed to survive, including the chimney from No.77014, which are now being used in the project to build new-build B.R. Standard Class 3MT 2-6-2T No.82045. There's also a project to build a brand-new example of the B.R. Standard Class 3MT 2-6-0, in the form of No.77021, although not much progress has been made on the project in recent years.
As soon as they had rolled out from the harbour yards and were out on the main line heading due north, the driver opened the regulator a little bit more while winding the reversing gear back towards mid-gear. Slowly and gradually, No.46300 built up some more speed as he made his way along the Northern Main Line, passing by all the familiar places and landmarks as he made his way along. From the cab, Carrie looked out for a minute or two and watched everything go on by, before she turned back into the cab to see what needed to be done next as they went along.
"Okay, let's get the mechanical stoker to stoke up the boiler!" said the fireman, as Simon set about getting ready to activate the mechanical stoker. Putting his foot down on the foot pedal, the fireman watched the two firebox doors above the top of the mechanical stoker swing open, to reveal the fire and hot coals burning white-hot inside the firebox. Looking inside, and using the blade of the shovel to direct air inside, the fireman checked to see which areas of the fire needed to have more coal added to them.
"Okay, Simon…we need more coal put into place in the forward right side, as well as in the middle." said the fireman.
"All right then." Simon said, as he activated the mechanical stoker, as well as the steam jets, which were powerful enough blow the small pieces of coal to where they were needed inside the firebox. From where she was standing right behind the open firebox where she would have a good view, Carrie watched what was going on as the small lumps of coal were forced up by the actions of the rotating auger to the top of the stoker and then blasted by a powerful blast of steam pressure into the glowing hot firebox, and it was fascinating to watch. From the side, Simon worked the controls for the steam jets as and when the fireman directed him to, while also keeping a sharp ear out on the noises from the rotating screws that were forcing the small lumps of coal from the tender to the firebox.
"Okay, Simon. I think that should be enough for now. Well done!" said the fireman, as Simon deactivated the mechanical stoker.
"Thanks very much!" Simon said, feeling very pleased with himself.
"And Carrie…did you see everything that was going on so you know how to operate one of these?" asked the fireman.
"Yes, I did. I was keeping a close eye on everything." Carrie said.
"Good girl. The next time, you can use the controls." said the fireman.
"Thanks very much." Carrie said, feeling excited about the prospect of using the controls on a mechanical stoker for the first time.
They proceeded along past Tidmouth Station, where they saw Duck standing at one of the platforms and collecting passengers to take along the Little Western. When No.46300 passed through, he blew his Caledonian-style whistle in greeting to the Great Western 0-6-0 Pannier tank engine, and Duck blew his own whistle in response as he watched the L.M.S. 12F Class 4-8-4 head on through with his enormous freight train. From both platforms of the station, waiting passengers and station staff also watched in some astonishment at the very long train passing on through, and at a good speed as well. Duck also watched in some amazement as the freight train went by on the adjacent line, but he had seen many long trains like this before, yet it was always incredible to see that head on by regardless of how many times he'd seen them before. Not long after the brake van had gone by, the last of his passengers had boarded the train, and the guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag. Acknowledging the guard's signal, Duck set off on his way with his passenger train
(With No.46300)
Now clear of the towns of Knapford and Tidmouth, the driver of No.46300 opened the regulator further and wound back the reversing gear further, allowing No.46300 to build up more speed as they headed north towards Heathfield and the junctions there. On the footplate, Carrie, who was now sitting on the front of the tender, deeply appreciated how smooth the ride was on an engine this big as it was going along at speed. There was no indication of any other movement as they sped along the line. Taking a glance over towards the speedometer fitted in front of where the driver was sitting, Carrie could see they were going along at a speed of just over 50mph, with the indicator arrow slowly rising little by little as they went along. Simon, who was sitting on the fireman's seat, was keeping a close eye on the main boiler pressure gauge, which showed the pressure just a little below the maximum of 300psi, as well as the two water gauge glasses in the centre of the backhead.
Carrie was feeling slightly unsure of what she should do next; normally, she would probably be stoking the firebox with more coal using the shovel, but with this large engine having a mechanical stoker, she realised that she wouldn't need to expend much energy doing any physical work today.
Approaching Heathfield, there was a speed restriction through the station and through the complex of junctions just to the north of it, so the driver shut the regulator a little and then put the brakes on gently. As the train slowed down, Carrie stood up and leaned out from the fireman's side behind Simon; there was nothing on the other two lines beside them, but she could see they were approaching Heathfield Station, which she could see in the distance. As they got closer, she could see there was another engine and train standing on the down line, and it appeared to be collecting passengers that had been waiting on the platform.
Getting closer, Carrie could see the engine was actually none other than G.W.R. Saint Class No.2918 Saint Catherine, who was collecting passengers on her morning train to take back to Knapford.
"Morning Catherine!" No.46300 called out with a whistle as he went on by.
"Good morning, No.46300!" Catherine called back, as she also blew her whistle. She watched as the long freight train went on by her before the brake van finally went on past them.
Now on the last stretch towards the complex of junctions just north of Heathfield Station, the driver closed the regulator a little more and applied the brakes, slowing the train still further.
"What do you think things up here are gonna be like?" Carrie asked Simon, as she watched ahead with him.
"No idea yet, Carrie. But just remember…this is the busiest rail junctions anywhere on the Island of Sodor. So, its likely we could encounter anything up there." Simon said.
"All right then!" Carrie called, as she leaned her head out a little, and keeping her eyes sharp for any signals. Just ahead of them, there was a series of lines going to the right off the main line and in a north-westerly direction. On one of them, waiting to head out onto the main line, was L.N.E.R. Thompson B1 Class 4-6-0 No.61085, and he had a long line of different milk tankers coupled up behind him. The signal was red, and so No.61085 had to wait until another train had gone by before he could move out. With No.46300 whistling in greeting as he went on by, No.61085 watched the larger engine head on by, with the B1 whistling back.
From the cab of No.46300, Carrie leaned out from the fireman's side and saw another engine heading towards them on the down line heading back towards Knapford; it turned out to be S.R. re-built West Country Light Pacific No.34034 Honiton, who was heading back down to Knapford with a non-stop passenger train from Vicarstown.
"Morning Honiton!" said No.46300.
"Morning No.46300!" said Honiton, and the two engines whistled in greeting as they went on past each other with their trains.
After passing through Heathfield Junction and going past all the rail-side industries, marshalling yards, and other depots and such that were quite prevalent in that area, No.46300 was able to pick up more speed as he run along past the station at Widdlington Junction, and from there moved on towards the northern part of Sodor. Carrie was still very impressed by the smooth ride of such a large engine, especially when they were going at speed. Looking over at the speedometer, Carrie saw they were now going along at about 60mph, and there was no indication that they were doing a speed like that with a very long and heavy train behind them.
"Okay, it's time to more coal into the firebox! Carrie, you're up!" the fireman said.
"Okay!" Carrie said, as she took up position behind the controls for the mechanical stoker. Using his foot on the pedal which opened the two firehole doors, the fireman checked on the state of the fire inside the firebox and where the coal needed to go, while using the shovel to direct the air inside to move the flames aside to see where the coal needed to go.
"All right, Carrie…we need more coal placed into the middle of the firebox, as well as over on the left-hand side, and under the firebox doors." said the fireman, as he looked towards Carrie.
"Okay!" Carrie said, as she worked the controls as necessary, with Simon standing beside her and helping her if she needed the assistance. As Carrie worked the controls for the mechanical stoker, the fireman looked into the firebox and watched as the small pieces of coal were blasted by the high-pressure steam jets to where they needed to be. He also directed Carrie when to ease off on the high-pressure steam when he saw enough coal had been put onto the part of the fire where the coal was needed. Carrie realised the controls for the mechanical stoker were far easier to use than she had expected, and she relaxed somewhat when she used them, despite the noise that the mechanical stoker made when it was used.
Eventually, the fireman turned to Carrie.
"All right, Carrie, I think that's enough coal for now." said the fireman.
"Okay then." Carrie said, as she eased back on the controls and switched the mechanical stoker off, leaving the only sounds for them to hear being the chuffing from No.46300's funnels, the wind blowing by, and the sounds of the wheels running on the steel rails, as well as wheeshing steam.
"That should be enough for now. And Simon, you can have the next go." said the fireman.
"Okay." Simon said.
"Phew! That stoker device was a lot easier to use than I thought it was gonna be." Carrie said, as she looked at Simon.
"I know…and I think it beats physically shovelling in the coal any day!" Simon said with a laugh, as Carrie laughed too.
They soon passed through the two most northern stations on Sodor, Emily Road and Nort, and were heading on the last half of their journey to Vicarstown. Looking out from the driver's side of the cab, Carrie took in the sight of the coastline a few short miles away from the line they were running on. She could see a number of boats floating out on the water, and could see that some of them were fishing boats. Looking up to the sky, she saw that there were clouds slowly gathering off to the north. Going back over to the fireman's side, she looked up to the sky, and could see the gathering clouds were getting a little bit darker than they had been earlier on, a clear sign that there was going to be rain on the way.
"I don't like the look of those clouds, Simon." Carrie said, as she pointed up to the sky off to the south west. Turning his head, Simon had a look himself and felt himself getting a little bit concerned.
"It looks like we might have some rain today after all. Deary me…and I was hoping that we'd be having a rain-free day for today." Simon said, as he looked at Carrie anxiously.
"Yeah, me too." Carrie said, as she took another concerned look at the sky above them.
Up in front, in between watching the track ahead of him and keeping an eye out for the signals, No.46300 was also looking up to the sky with some concern. He had thought the weather for today would be good too, as it meant that pulling trains was much easier than it would be when the weather was wet, when the rails would be slippery and the grip between the wheels and the rails wouldn't be very good.
As they headed on down the line at a good speed, they soon came upon another train who was heading back in the opposite direction; it was a very slow freight being hauled by L.M.S. 8F Class 2-8-0 No.48484, who was moving slowly and steadily along with the train rattling along behind him, which was a vivid contrast to the speed that No.46300 was going along with his own long, heavy train.
"Hello, No.48484!" No.46300 called as he went on by.
"Morning, No.46300!" replied No.48484, as he blew his whistle in reply while he headed on up the line towards the northern part of Sodor. From the footplate of No.46300, Carrie watched as the long line of wagons behind the L.M.S. 8F 2-8-0 head on past them, and she saw how many different types of wagons there were in that train but she wasn't able to count how many wagons there were as the two trains were going fast enough that she couldn't tell.
They continued on down the line, while running parallel to the coastline off to their left as they went along, until they reached a point just to the north west of Rossington, where they came upon a signal with a yellow light, which meant "Proceed with Caution" and so they had to slow down. Seeing the yellow light ahead, the driver immediately shut the regulator most of the way and then gently put on the brakes, slowing down the train. Watching the speedometer, the driver saw the speed fall to about 30mph.
"What's going on? Why are we slowing down?" Carrie asked, as she looked over to the driver. She was taking another go with the mechanical stoker, and had just finished placing more coal into the firebox with it when she felt them slow down.
"A signal was showing a yellow light, and the next signal might be at red. So, we need to be ready for that." the driver said.
"Okay!" Carrie called, as she shut off the mechanical stoker and then leaned out the fireman's side of the cab to see what was going on up ahead of them. Keeping her eyes watching out ahead, Carrie soon saw a red signal in the distance. The driver saw it too, and after fully closing the regulator, he put the brakes on fully. With the squealing of brakes blocks on the wheels of No.46300 as well as on the wheels of the all the wagons, the train came to a halt just before the signal.
As the driver reset the brakes and got ready to move off again once the signal turned green, Carrie stood up and went over to the left-hand side of the cab, leaned out and looked up at the signal.
"What do you think is going on?" Carrie asked.
"I don't know, but we might have to wait for another train to go past, or for another train to clear the section ahead before we can proceed." the driver said.
"That sounds fair enough, but how are we doing according to our schedule?" Simon asked.
"We made very good time in the last while, Simon. We're actually slightly ahead of the schedule we've been set, and we're on track for getting into Vicarstown Station bang on time." said the fireman.
"All right." Simon said, as he leaned out to see what was going on.
They waited for about two or three minutes before they heard the sounds of another train coming towards them on one of the other lines going north; coming round the gentle curve, No.46300 saw that it was L.N.E.R K2 Class 2-6-0 No.4689, who was on his way north with a line of box vans coupled up behind him. When he saw No.46300 standing by the signal and waiting, the K2 came to a stop.
"Morning No.4689, what's going on further down the line?" No.46300 asked.
"Good morning, No.46300. There's actually some incident that's happened just a little further on down the line. No.62050 has broken down, and he and his train just need to be moved out of the way." said No.4689.
"Oh, I see." said No.46300, now understanding what was going on.
"Anyway…I'd better be off on my way. I've got my own train that I need to deliver. I'll see you later!" and with a blast of his whistle, No.4689 set off on his way again.
"Good luck, No.4689!" No.46300 said, as he watched the smaller L.N.E.R. K2 Class 2-6-0 set off on his way again.
They only had to wait for another three or four minutes, and then finally the signal dropped, which meant they could set off on their way again.
"Here we go!" the driver said, as he released the brakes, blew the whistle for a few seconds, and then opened the regulator, allowing steam to flow into the cylinders.
"Let's get going!" No.46300 said, as he slowly moved off again, taking up their weight of the heavy train behind him. Leaning out from the fireman's side, Carrie looked behind them and watched as the train started to move off again, before she then pulled her head back inside.
"The train's following along with us just fine!" she called to the driver.
"Okay Carrie!" the driver called, as he opened the regulator a little further before he settled back into his seat.
"Now, let's get some more coal into the firebox!" said the fireman, as he pressed the foot pedal which opened up the two firebox doors. Again, following the now-familiar procedure, Simon looked into the firebox to see where the coal needed to go and Carrie used the controls on the mechanical stoker to place the coal where it was need in the firebox to make enough heat.
Heading on down the line, No.46300 kept a close eye on where No.62050 was and whether he was off in one of the long sidings or in one of the yards that were off to the side of the line. As he went along a stretch of line just before the small town of Barrowdell North, which was the last station before they reached the main junction town of Vicky Road, they came upon a yard off to the left of the line, and on the siding that was closest to the Northern Main Line there stood L.N.E.R. K1 Class 2-6-0 No.62050 with his long train of steel 20-ton coal hopper wagons coupled behind him. Coupled up in front of No.62050 was another 2-6-0 engine and at first, Carrie thought it was one of the L.M.S. Ivatt Class 2MTs, but then she saw, as No.46300 slowed down, that in fact it was actually B.R. Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0 No.78030, who had helped to get No.62050 off the main line and into the long siding where he'd be out of the way (102).
"What happened to you, No.62050?" No.46300 asked, as he came to a stop on the line beside the long sitting where both No.62050 and No.78030 were sitting.
"I'm afraid something broke inside me. And I ended up having to stop on the main line a little way back with my heavy train." said No.62050 sadly.
"I was being readied here to take my own train when I heard the news, and so I came up the line, coupled up to No.62050 and then brought him back here so he's out of the way." said No.78030.
"And it means I'll need to go to the works to have the problem looked at too." added No.62050 sadly.
"Don't worry. I'm sure that there'll be another engine available to take your train on to where it needs to be." said No.46300.
"Let's hope so. And I was going so nicely too." said No.62050, as he looked up to the sky.
"Don't worry, No.62050. You'll be fixed up and back at work again in no time at all. Now, I'd best be on my way with my own train." No.46300 said, as he started off on his way again.
"Good luck!" both No.62050 and No.78030 called, as they watched the larger L.M.S. 12F Class 4-8-4 head off on his way with his long and heavy train. They watched as all the wagons went on by until the brake van went on past, and headed off into the distance.
(102): The B.R. Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0 was one of the 12 classes of steam locomotives introduced as part of the B.R. Standard Range during the 1950's. Based off of the earlier L.M.S. Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0 design, they were designed to be used on light passenger trains and on lines where the loading gauge wouldn't permit the use of larger, heavier engine classes.
These engines were the smallest of all the B.R. Standard Classes, with a lower running plate, as well as having the cab roofs being reduced in height in order to pass under the bridges and through tunnels on the routes they were meant to work on. They were also fitted with a lot of standard fittings, including a tall chimney. The tenders that the class were paired with were the BR3 type, which carried 3,000 gallons of water and 4 tons of coal. The tenders were also fitted with cabs on their forward ends, in order to provide the crews with extra protection from the weather when the engines were running tender-first. Due to their small size, the class were given the nickname of "Mickey Mouse."
In total, 65 members of the class were built, and all were constructed at Darlington Works between December 1952 and November 1956. The class were numbered from No.78000 to No.78064. The class had two outside cylinders which were 16.5in in diameter with a 24in piston stroke, six driving wheels that were 5ft 0in in diameter, and a boiler that was fitted with superheating elements and pressed to 200psi. All these combined to give the class a maximum tractive effort of 18,515lbf.
Once they were in service, the class gained a reputation with their crews for being very sure-footed at the work they had to do. However, there were a few who claimed the engines didn't steam very well, while others complained that the cabs were draughty and dirty. This was a surprise as Robert Riddles and his team had gone to great lengths to ensure that the cabs and control layouts of all the B.R. Standard Classes were optimised for efficient working.
Among the sheds the class were assigned to included Bank Hall at Liverpool and Wigan, from where they replaced older L.M.S. Class 2P 4-4-0s, and Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L.&.Y.R.) Class 5 and Class 6 2-4-2T tank engines on services that ran to Preston, Bolton, and Rochdale, as well as to Southport. They were also used extensively on freight services that ran along those routes. They were also used on the Cambrian Route, but when that line switched over to diesel locomotives, the class were used on other duties, including shunting duties in Bolton and Lostock.
The class remained intact for seven years until 1963, when the first example of the class, No.78015, was withdrawn from service from its home-base of Darlington. The other members of the class followed along over the next four years, with 1966 seeing the greatest numbers of the class withdrawn; 30 of the class were removed from service that year. By 1967, the final 13 members of the class still running at that time were withdrawn from service. The record for the engine of the class which was in service for the shortest time goes to No.78053 which was built in Darlington in November 1955, and was withdrawn from service in July 1964 having spent its entire working life in Scotland.
Thankfully, however, four members of the class have been lucky enough to have survived into preservation. These four surviving engines are;
No.78018; built at Darlington in March 1954, she's famous for being the subject of the 1955 movie Snowdrift at Bleath Gill, where she ended up getting stuck in a snowdrift high up on Stainmore Summit with the freight train that she had been pulling, and ended up being stranded there for several days before she was rescued. She was withdrawn from service in November 1966 and sent to Barry Scrapyard in June 1967, and she stayed there until October 1978 when she was rescued and taken to what's now known as the Battlefield Line for restoration. She was moved to Darlington in 1981, before eventually being moved to the Great Central Railway in November 2012 where the restoration was completed by August 2016 when she steamed again for the first time in preservation in nearly 50 years and returned to active service that October. As of 2024, No.78018 is in full working order on the G.C.R.
No.78019; built at Darlington in March 1954, she's famous for being one of the engines that rescued No.78018 when that engine and its train ended up getting stuck in a snowdrift on Stainmore Summit on the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway in the winter of 1955. She was withdrawn in November 1966 and sent to Barry Scrapyard in June 1967, remaining there until March 1973. Initially taken to the Severn Valley Railway for restoration, she was moved to the Great Central Railway where the work was completed and she steamed for the first time in 2004. After undergoing another overhaul from 2015 to 2022, No.78019 is in working order on the Great Central Railway.
No.78022; built in Darlington in May 1956, she was withdrawn in September 1966, and was sent to Barry Scrapyard in March 1967. She left the yard in June 1975 and taken to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway for restoration, which commenced in 1981 and was finally completed in 1992. While No.78022 was running on the K.&W.V.R., an attempt was made to improve her performance of the engine, and she was fitted with a Giesl ejector for a time during in 1995. It was a controversial decision and made little difference operating on a line that was only five miles long, and so it was removed not too long afterwards. When her boiler certificate expired in 2000, No.78022 was put on display in the Oxenhope Museum, before being moved to Haworth in 2014.
Work commenced on returning No.78022 to running order in February 2015, with the work finally being completed during the summer of 2018. As of 2024, No.78022 is in full working order on the K.&W.V.R. and painted in B.R. lined green livery.
No.78059; built at Darlington in September 1956, she was withdrawn from service in November 1966 and sent to Barry Scrapyard in June 1967. She stayed there until May 1983 when she was bought by the Bluebell Railway, who intended to convert her into an example of the tank engine version of the class, the B.R. Standard Class 2MT 2-6-2T tank engine, No.84030, as none of the original members of that class have managed to survive into preservation.
The rest of the journey towards Vicarstown went fairly smoothly, with no other red signals to stop them, or anything else to interrupt their journey. From the fireman's side, Carrie leaned out from the cab and, while allowing the cool autumn air to blow into her face, kept a close watch on the state of the track ahead of them, as well as for the state of any signals. Yet, at the same time, she also kept watch on the dark clouds that were approaching in the sky above them. They were getting darker and darker, which was a clear sign to her that heavy rain was definitely on its way.
At the same time, Simon was also looking up to the sky with growing concern as well; he didn't particularly like rainy days, as it meant working conditions on the railway would be quite uncomfortable. But at the same time, he knew that the railway had to keep on working regardless of the weather, and so decided to just do his best for the rest of the day regardless if it rained or not.
After passing through Vicky Road, where they could see many people, both passengers and station staff, standing on the platforms of the station, No.46300 moved on through on the final part of their journey to Vicarstown. He was feeling particularly pleased at how well the journey had gone up to now, despite the fact that they had to stop at a signal not too long before, and he was looking forward to having a good rest in the engine depot before going back to work again a little later on in the day.
It wasn't too long before they finally arrived in the freight yards that were very near to Vicarstown Station, and from there they could drop off their train and then head over to the engine depot. As they pulled into the yard, they came upon another engine who was heading out with an out-going train; it was G.W.R. County Class 4-6-0 No.1017 County of Hereford, who was heading out with a train of box vans bound for Knapford.
"Good morning, No.46300!" County of Hereford called, as he went on past.
"Good morning, County of Hereford!" No.46300 said in reply, as he slowed down while entering the yards.
After being sent into one of the longest sidings in the yards, the driver brought No.46300 to a stop near the end of the siding; they had arrived bang on time at 10:25am. Once stopped, one of the shunters uncoupled the big engine from his very long train, while at the same time both Carrie and Simon gave each other a hug in gratitude for a job well done.
Once uncoupled from the train, No.46300 set off for the main engine depot not too far away. By this point, both Carrie and Simon, as well as the driver and fireman, were feeling tired from their morning's work and were looking forward to having a rest for a while before going back to work later on in the day.
After arriving in the depot, the driver reversed No.46300 into one of the large engine sheds very near to the crew building and then, after closing the regulator, he put on the brakes, stopping No.46300 just inside the shed.
"And there we are…all safe and sound." he said, as he made sure the reversing gear was set in mid-gear and the brakes were firmly on. At the same time, the fireman check on the state of the fire, as well as making sure there was enough of a water level in the boiler. Carrie turned and set the tender brakes firmly on, while Simon helped the fireman. Once all that was completed, they stepped off the footplate of No.46300 while the shed staff took over, and then they went over towards the crew building not far away.
"Oh, I think a good hot cup of tea would be good right now!" Simon said, as he and Carrie walked along behind the driver and fireman.
"Yeah, and I hope that there's a good selection of cakes there to have with it too." Carrie said.
"Me too. I think we've earned a good rest for this morning's work." Simon said, as they followed the driver and fireman towards the crew building.
(A little while later)
Once inside the cafeteria of the crew building, Simon and Carrie were sitting at one of the tables by the windows, and they were enjoying hot cups of tea as well as slices of chocolate fudge cake. By now, they were feeling much better with some hot tea and cake in them, and eager to rest up before going back out again.
"Hmm…this is delicious chocolate fudge cake." Carrie said with a smile, as she savoured another forkful before washing it down with some tea.
"Yeah, and this is one of my favourite cakes. It's just so rich, sweet, and smooth." Simon said, as he savoured his own slice of cake.
Then, they heard the sounds of something outside the windows; looking over to see what it was, they saw as the rain began falling from the sky above; it fell lightly at first, and then much heavier as the minutes went on.
"Oh, here it comes!" Carrie said, with a heavy sigh.
"I know…but there's nothing we can do about it. If it continues when we have to go back out later on…we'll just have to work out in it." Simon said
"I know that, Simon. It's just that I don't fancy working on an engine when it's raining as heavily as that." Carrie said.
"Don't worry about it right now, Carrie. Let's just enjoy our tea and cake while we're her." Simon said.
"Okay then." Carrie said with a smile, and they continued on with their tea and cake.
And that's it for this chapter, everyone! Carrie had a very good morning of work on her first train of the day, and it went very smoothly too! For the next chapter that's going to be coming up, Carrie is gonna experience something a bit more challenging, but you'll have to wait until the next chapter to fins out what it is. Until then...good reading, everyone!