The Footplate Ride Part 2

Now you may remember that you left me at Grosmont waiting to re-board a diesel engine for the ride back to Pickering. Well replete after my pork pie lunch I am busy talking to Marion when she exclaims “what is that steam train doing?” Now just in the same way that Marion has been a very positive influence on me, at the start of our marriage her railway knowledge was something less that zero, but after thirty six years of education I now take such exclamations seriously. In steamed number 61034 an LNER B1 locomotive for you steam buffs. I was to get my steam footplate ride after all.

What are my first impressions, it is very hot. I expect that this should be no surprise given that there is a roaring fire in the centre of the cab heating every metal surface. Secondly as we steamed down the line I marvelled at how such engines were driven at speed on dark nights. The day of my cab ride was really clear and the train only travelled at a maximum of twenty-five miles an hour. Now look a the photo taken from the drivers seat and then imagine trying to spot a signal lamp on a dark night in poor visibility in a cab that is jolting around, travelling at up to eighty miles an hour and all this while manipulating controls that need considerable strength.

It was fascinating to see the driver and fireman working as a team to drive the locomotive. This was no open the throttle and the engine moves. No, it required a skilled stoking of the fire, the use of a number of controls, and monitoring of lots of gauges. It was more coaxing a performance from the engine. While on the subject of stoking it is very hard work, five minutes was more than enough for me. So respect for the fireman who was older than me, spent almost the entire hour of the journey stoking, and was doing this as part of a week’s annual holiday. Of course my favourite bit had to be blowing the whistle.

I know that it is a cliché but you really did get the impression that the engine was a living machine powered by a vast furnace. I just loved the experience and the arrival into Pickering came all to soon. A couple of humorous asides, there was another guy on the footplate, so we got talking. He was there because his friend had bought the only other surviving B1 loco that was stabled in Norfolk. He was on an intelligence trip to find out where the NYMR obtained spares, well I though “certainly not off the shelf from Halfords”. Then there was the notice on the boiler warning of explosions, well I thought if this explodes I don’t think there will be much left of Pickering, let alone me.

So a really great memorable day out, and I will be back as I have completed a volunteer form for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, one thing is certain though it will not be as a fireman!!!!