Sunday 14 February 2016

Last Urmston visit for at least three weeks

Another lovely sunny day, busy with fare paying passengers at the park but due to Jason's absence, probably no photographs were taken. Alfred's former owner, James, was there and he had a drive of my engine, declaring it as good and as fun to drive as ever. He even drove Alfred 'prone' lying on the carriage which I later tried - it's different; you get a better view of the water level in the gauge glass, the state of the fire, and the steam pressure gauge, but you can't see ahead so well.

Still got problems with the right hand injector. May try replacing it, and possibly the troublesome clack valve as well.

Some cold weather forecast for the next few nights, so I've removed Alfred's steam pressure gauge which I'll keep in the house. There's always condensed steam (water) in the pressure gauge of a cold steam locomotive, and if it freezes it wrecks the gauge.

There'll be no more visits to Urmston for at least three weeks as the next two weekends I'm duty signalman in Consall 'box on the Churnet Valley Railway. Next weekend we are testing the 'box, and the following weekend is our Steam Gala, last weekend of the month. Do come if you can - visitors to the 'box welcome as long as I'm not too busy, and no more than a few at a time (there's not much room)!



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