Flying Scotsman

That is a superb point, I'll just add that driving a locomotive that has a cab 3/4's along its length whilst having to deal with obscured vision, can't be easy, and at this time of year throw in the darkness! Not an easy job at all.

 

The same sort of visibility you got with a Class 15/16/20 diesel with the cab at the rear...

 

That's why it's not an easy job.

 

Have caught up with the film - very good I thought.

One question for those who have been on the loco - what sort of injectors does it have? As far as I could see, the fireman was adjusting the steam valves on the back head, but never seemed to turn on or off a water supply? Are they lifting injectors, or was I not being sufficiently observant, or something else?

Tom

 

isnt the water valve either by the seat, or maybe on the tender? you certainly wouldnt leave it open, i'm assuming ( dangerious i know) that an A3 has the same injectors as an A4 , its been a few years sence i fired anything LNER, the fireman would have been looking down at the overflow and adjusting the flow, so i dought you would have seen him actually turning on the water valve anyway as you do that first ,

 

They may well be lifting injectors. Looking at the moments when Ryan had trouble getting one of them to pick up, he kept cracking the steam and waiting for the noise to change then opening them fully once they had picked up some water.

The other option was that the two support staff were operating the water valves?

 

Having made the same observation and made enquiries of those in the know, I was told there are water valves located on the tender which can isolate the feed, but normally those are left 'on'. The injectors are some form of auto-positive style which just requires the steam valve to be cracked open to get the water flowing, before opening fully to get it to pick up and feed. Apparently A4's have a different type of injector with more traditional water valves.

 

I made the same observation. I can't answer with fact but will guess. If the fireman's side injector is a Class H exhaust steam injector it has an auto valve which opens to water when it sees steam. The fireman's actions in cracking the steam valve, pausing for a second then opening it fully would support that. As for the drivers side, If Scotsman is like other Gresley locos, it will have a water shut off valve at the tender and a regulating valve under the drivers seat. It's normal practice to leave the regulator set and open and close the tender valve. My guess here is that Clive Goult, who the cameras show as being stood behind the driver by the tender water valve would open this whenever it was required to put this injector on, which happened occasionally. This often happens when you have several people on the footplate as it both helps and avoids people having to get out of the way. It is also possible that Noel Hartley was doing the same on the Fireman's side if it is a live steam injector or Class J exhaust injector, which doesn't have the auto valve. Having sound as well as vision in the cab shots may have helped solve the mystery.
Happy to be told I'm spouting rubbish, though. It often happens.

 

HI the fireman's side is a exhaust injector and the water valve on back of tender open all the time and a adjustment leaver under fireman's seat and has a automatic change over valve inside the injector to work of the exhaust and drivers side is a live steam injector you have to open the water valve on the back of the tender first then crack open steam valve adjustment leaver under drivers seat. FISH7373 81C NFP

 

Exhaust injector arrangement and control class H FISH7373 81C NFP

 

Snippets like the few posts above above make reading NP worthwhile. Thanks.

 

Watched it last night, and really enjoyed it, as many have said you feel a mainline version would be filmed in fast forward by comparison.

And it showed how important the relationship between all on the footplate was so important, for a smooth journey.

Would love to see a mainline run done next.

 

Already done by PSOV (not with 4472 though)

 

Seen many of them inc 60007 over S&C, however one with the peoples engine, would be a good advert for mainline steam.

 

It was a good hour of TV, was an interesting insight on to the footplate and I enjoyed following the progress of the train down a line I know very well.

Out of interest does any one know what day it was filmed on? I was at the lineside on the Friday and Saturday of the event, looking the photos I took the loco was wired for sound and cameras both days. Below is one I took on Friday, didn't see myself on TV though!

 

As a matter of interest, how do locomotive "loans" work in practice as far as manning is concerned?

Whilst Flying Scotsman is a high profile example, guest locos are part and parcel of preserved lines' activities, but when a new loco runs on a preserved line, is there a protocol to ensure safe working?

Take the BBC programme about FS on the SVR. Am I right to assume the driver and fireman were regular SVR volunteers, and if so, did they have to have specific training before taking FS on a passenger service on the line?

Just interested in the logistics in general though rather than this particular instance.

Thanks!

 

Usually for short term stays (say a loco visiting for a gala) the loco will come accompanied by an owner's representative who is allowed on the footplate. but it's the railway's own crews who fire and drive the steam loco, or perhaps more accurately are in control of the loco, so they might let the rep fire under supervision.

For longer stays of loaned locos I imagine an owner's representative on board won't be necessary, but perhaps some crew familiarisation or similar?

 

I was guard Friday and the brake was full of film people monitoring the cameras. I didn't see myself either. Whilst the footplate shots were probably a single day some exterior shots probably from other days