Three Stories form the Steam Days

Steam Trains Need Flames

One night I was booked on a steam hauled cattle train that was to unload stock for spelling at Bororen. I think it was a B18 and a quarter. We eventually got to Bororen and started unloading in the cattle sidings which are on the angle. The coal we had on the tender was Selene coal. It was known for its excellent burning properties. It would burn away to nothing. Hardly any ash content and no clinker in that coal.

The night was long. Everything went well until at around 2 am I fell to sleep. All the signals from the guard were from the driver’s side so I had nothing to do accept mind the fire. After a time the Driver yelled “Hoy”. I woke suddenly to the sound of the groaning pump and the generator could hardly provide enough light to read the water gauges. A glance at the steam gauge revealed the answer. It showed 80 psi. Panic! Quick look in the fire box. Oh mi! Black as your boot. I had nightmarish dreams of having to find old sleepers in the dark to relight the fire.

Well this coal was legend. Word on the grape vine was that it would light off the bars. Well my first impulse was to try it. No harm could come from trying anyway. Well to my utter surprise the coal did light of the bars. Soon there was a nice fire going in the firebox and she was making steam. I made sure not to fall to sleep again that night.

Spare 112A to Re-leave 363

One afternoon I took a catch job to travel spare on 112A and re-leave 363. The forward journey was a diesel hauled mail train (The Rocky Mail). The coaches were all old wooden sunshine cars. The Driver I had was known for making the fireman work. The story was that he always had the regulator back past his ear. Well we finally found 363 at Berajonda. The problem was that the door of the coach we were in pulled up over the bridge. No walk way on the bridge. I almost stepped out into midair. Some one called to me that I shouldn’t get out there. The problem was that it was dark (pitch black) and one couldn’t see, Fortunately I heard and obeyed how ever sang out.

After safely dismounting the mail, we found our steed in the back road. Guess what! The lubricator was completely empty. Not only that but the nut on the filling point was completely round. No chance to go anywhere with out oil in the lubricator. Eventually, the night officer loaned us a pair of still-sons. With it we were able to fill the lubricator. What a start to the shift. This train 363 shunts and does roadside everywhere. We always had to wait for a suitable gap in the traffic so we could get our work done.

By the time we reached Miriam Vale we had run low on water. This meant that we had to run light engine over to Bororen to get water and return to Miriam Vale tender first. This part was difficult. The coal dust was blowing off the tender and into our eyes. It was a full moon so that helped. Now I understand why old steam drivers always squint. It is the only way to keep the dust out of your eyes. By the time we got back to Bororen it was dawn. We did loco and topped up the tank again. We had finished our work at Bororen. The trouble was that the Controller wanted to run 367, a fast freight around us at Bororen. The driver some how managed to get the Controller to let us go in front of 367. The provision was that if 367 looked like catching us, then it would have to run around us.

Well we left Bororen. That driver did keep that regulator out past his ear. Guess what! That old B18 and a quarter steamed like a trooper. All the rumors about him being a hard driver were wrong. I believe that I worked less than I ever had to on a steamy. It seamed like all I had to do was wave the shovel at it and that was all. I learned that steam locomotives don’t like to stand around waiting. They work better when they are kept hot and working continuously. I probably did more than wave a shovel at it, but it didn’t seam like it. We arrived in Gladstone with the farsty section behind us. Well what a night.

The Old B#ggar

One night I was rostered to work to Many Peaks on the Monto train with to old b#ggar. This dude liked to see his fireman work. He was lazy as all get out as well. Well we left Gladstone with roadside for every where and numerous shunts. This was normal. Well he had me working like a Trojan. He kept telling me to shovel more coal on the fire. The thing is, it didn’t need it. The loco was howling off at the safety valve the whole trip. After this trip I told some of the other fireman about it. They said he always does that. Tell him to go jump in the lake. Next time you are with him tell him he can look after his bit and you’ll look after yours.

Well I did that next time we were booked together. I did learn something from this experience though. I learnt how not to fire a steam engine. Ever after this I ran around with a little flat fire. Light and often is the ticket. Fire the bright spots and watch the corners and under the door. I always had a blazing hot fire and plenty of steam. You know today I see people who don’t know how to fire a steam loco. I saw two old chaps taking turns at a NSWGR C38 3801. They had coal flowing out of the firebox door and the fire looked quite cold. With steam locos you only use as much resources as you need. Otherwise you are wasting resources and your own energy. Water is a scant resource. You only have enough on the tender to take you about 80 miles. You don’t want it wasting to atmosphere via the safety valves.