Driving a steam locomotive in bad weather

Hi everyone, I am a freelance journalist with a keen interest in railways and I am basically seeking people who are willing to talk to me about driving steam locomotives in bad weather, primarily with a focus on preserved railways but also including historical experiences and memories. This is for a potential magazine article on the subject and so I am interested in such things as; what its like being on the footplate when in a howling gale, torrential rain, snowstorm etc etc, what kind of protective clothing is available in such conditions (if any is issued that is over and above what was traditionally worn), how much shelter different cabs on different locomotives provide (so for example comparing the cab on Churchward loco which I assume is fairly basic to that of a BR standard), historical experiences (anyone with any memories of the winter of 62-63 for example would be great to talk to). Unless you are from a railway within easy travelling distance of Bristol I would be seeking to interview people either by email (preferred actually as its a better way to ensure quotations are accurate) or by phone. Also any pictures that are available would be most welcome. This is for a national preserved railway magazine by the way. Many thanks, Robin Whitlock, Bristol

 

Robin, you should visit the WSR on a rainy day!
Here is my most recent experience. We prepped Raveningham Hall this week in the pouring rain, luckily we'd put the sheet up the night before so the footplate was half dry at least. All western engines are, of course, known for a total lack of creature comforts. However lighting up in the wet is no fun and any bit of cover is helpful! It was still raining when we departed BL and as we hit the coast it was blowing a gale too, so much so the sheet was flapping so hard it started to unhook itself. You can hardly hear yourself think with the noise the flapping sheet is making. Running tender first does not help either. As to protective clothing I've not found it to be too practical when firing and there are few things I'd personally consider using on the footplate, synthetics are too flammable and the alternatives like Ventile (sp?) for example would be too hot. Even on the coldest day I find a bib and brace and footplate jacket to be warm enough when we are on the move. Of course drivers will have a different view as they are huddled up against the cold already in donkey jackets or similar in a lot of cases. I do keep a cheap waterproof in my bag, it's useful to keep the wood dry as you move it onto the footplate! So in summary if It's raining I just accept I'm going to be wet for several hours. But then again if it's sunny and hot I'll probably be just as wet from the sweat. The trick is not to get cold during your turn and to have some dry togs to change into when you finish. A nice hot bath at the end of the day is very welcome if you've spent 7 hours soaked through.

Hope that's helpful.