In the late 50's early 60's Saltley depot had a job in their links (probably top link) where the driver and fireman worked all the way through to Carlisle over the S&C with a fast freight.
I feel exhausted just thinking about it.
Washwood Heath-Derby-Clay Cross-Rotherham-Leeds-Skipton and over the S&C to Carlisle around 230 miles. It may have been Masborough and Skipton where the train had a quick service stop to water, sort out the fire etc etc
By the time the train reached Leeds the crew must have been mentally and physically tired looking for all the semaphore signals on gloomy witer nights, steep gradients, long tunnels and the fireman probaly only had a chees sandwich and an orange to eat washed down with a few cans of tea.
I think the trains were usually Black 5 hauled but towards the end of steam a 9F with automatic stoker was tried but it wasn't very successful.
Oh, and after a sleep in the Carlisle lodge it was back again over the 230 miles the next night. Just imagine how hard work this would be with a loco in poor condition or poor coal. When loco's were changed en route I understand locos such as 0-6-0 4F's had to be used.
As you can see I have been reading lots of books and mags about life on the footplate and I feel very guilty now. In this period when an express pulled into the station I used to pester the footplate crew to 'cab her' even before the wheels had stopped turning, not quite realising 1/ How hard they had been working 2/ How hard they were going to work 3/ They would probably need to top the tender up, clean the fire with fire irons, bring the coal forward etc
Great memories though.
I feel exhausted just thinking about it.
Washwood Heath-Derby-Clay Cross-Rotherham-Leeds-Skipton and over the S&C to Carlisle around 230 miles. It may have been Masborough and Skipton where the train had a quick service stop to water, sort out the fire etc etc
By the time the train reached Leeds the crew must have been mentally and physically tired looking for all the semaphore signals on gloomy witer nights, steep gradients, long tunnels and the fireman probaly only had a chees sandwich and an orange to eat washed down with a few cans of tea.
I think the trains were usually Black 5 hauled but towards the end of steam a 9F with automatic stoker was tried but it wasn't very successful.
Oh, and after a sleep in the Carlisle lodge it was back again over the 230 miles the next night. Just imagine how hard work this would be with a loco in poor condition or poor coal. When loco's were changed en route I understand locos such as 0-6-0 4F's had to be used.
As you can see I have been reading lots of books and mags about life on the footplate and I feel very guilty now. In this period when an express pulled into the station I used to pester the footplate crew to 'cab her' even before the wheels had stopped turning, not quite realising 1/ How hard they had been working 2/ How hard they were going to work 3/ They would probably need to top the tender up, clean the fire with fire irons, bring the coal forward etc
Great memories though.