JUST ANOTHER FREIGHT TURN - By Bert Hooker
introduced by Jim Lester

Not an epic journey by any means of the imagination however an interesting account of all the events that took place before and during the duty performed. The condition of the locomotive, class 'N15', 4-6-0, BR No. 30755 'The Red Knight', a Urie 'Arthur' built in 1923, comes into question, as the locomotive is prepared. Bert and Jack Sanders, his fireman on the day, discuss the manner in which they will work together thus attempting to avoid any problems en route and thereby ensuring a smooth completion of the journey ahead. It certainly reminded me of my firing days at Feltham from 1960 to 1962 and actually working the same train with the Urie class 'H16', 4-6-2T, 'Green Tanks' as they were known at the depot.

What is significant about this now historical piece is the fact that virtually nothing is left of those days, save the route itself, minus the semaphore signals, the old mechanical operated crossing gates and boxes plus the numerous thriving goods yards that were to be seen at virtually every station. Whatever I'm sure you will savour the moment as you join Bert and Jack on the footplate, not forgetting their guard of course, as they make their way down to Staines on the old original line built in 1849 that went to Windsor, then onto the Reading route, diverging yet again at the junction at Virginia Water onto the section of the extended Chertsey branch line of 1866, continuing on to Weybridge on the track bed of 1848 before joining the 1838 main line and on up to Wimbledon. What a railway history of lines to behold that then led to this brief but fascinating insight of the footplate workings of a steam hauled freight train in the 1950's.

Jim Lester - Nine Elms Engineman

JUST ANOTHER FREIGHT TURN - Bert Hooker

So when I found myself in Feltham loco one Friday evening, having taken one of their engines down 'light' from Nine Elms, and the Running Shift Foreman asked me if I would work the Durnsford Road turn, I immediately thought 'Blimey we'll have one of those big tanks and I've never worked on one before'! Then the foreman continued. 'We've got one of yours here and Nine Elms want her back for tomorrow'. All right', I replied, 'which one is she'? When he told met that it was Urie 'Arthur' 4-6-0 No. 755 I felt a bit dismayed as I heard of enginemen being in trouble with her on the Up Tavy fitted goods from Salisbury through priming. I had a mainline fireman with me by the name of Jack Sanders, and his opinion of 'The Red Knight' was not too glowing either. I told him that the best way to handle her was half a glass of water and about 5-10 lbs below working pressure - because if the engine had a boiler full of water and was allowed to blow off - she would 'lift the water' and then you were in trouble. However Jack was unconvinced, he thought it would be difficult to work a full load up Virginia Water bank, and from Addlestone Junction round to Weybridge unless the pressure was right round on the 180lb red line.

With the feeling of something of a challenge in prospect, we went down to the stores for the necessary tools and then located our engine, No. 755 that was standing at the west end of the shed. A glance around the footplate showed that we had adequate steam and water in the boiler, and the firebox revealed a good fire down one side of the grate - indicating that it had been cleaned in the time honoured London & South Western manner. In the glow of the fire one could also see that the tube-plate was reasonably clean and dry, while the brick arch looked OK ... so at least we knew her heart was sound! Our next job was to try the brake, so I blew up the required 21 inches of vacuum, dropped to ground and gave the brake hanger a shove with my foot to see if there was too much slack. 'Right Jack', I called up 'drop the handle'. This he did, while I watched the amount of travel on the brake pistons, which was just about right at 3 inches. Then 'give the sands a shake mate', I called, and as he worked the lever I was relieved to see the sand running freely in the pipes ahead of the leading driving wheels. On Feltham engines the brakes and sanding were invariably in good order due to the nature of the freight traffic that they worked, but on an express engine like No. 755 there was not the same need as they were usually rostered for fully fitted trains. Another point of interest when working loose coupled freight as we were about to do is that sand may be needed to stop the train - especially on down grades where the sheer momentum might easily push the train beyond the stop signal. I completed my side of the preparation of No. 755 by oiling around and making sure that the brake piston trunnions were being properly fed, while on the footplate Jack replenished the lubricator. I set the sight feeds to a gentle feed of two drops a minute, replaced the trimmings in the axle-box lubricators then added some oil, and then wiped the footplate round to my own satisfaction. Jack had knocked the fire about a bit and had added some coal beneath the door, washed down the footplate, tried the injectors, trimmed and slacked the coal on the tender, and there was all the orderliness that I expected from a 'Pilot Gang' fireman. He had even drawn a bucket of hot water for us to wash our hands after topping up the tender tank! He then went off to make a can of tea, and soon returned with news that it was time for us to be off. A Feltham driver joined us for lift up towards the station and queried 'Where are our blokes then'? 'They're on a special to Brent' I answered, 'and we're taking this one back to Nine Elms'. 'Fair enough', he replied - curiosity satisfied.

By this time I had created the brake and touched the whistle, made sure no engines were about to move, and opened the regulator. With steam blowing from the cylinder drain cocks and the reversing lever in full forward gear 'The Red Knight' moved off up the engine line towards the West Yard and as we passed the turntable I closed the cylinder drain cocks, eventually stopping the engine by the ground signal protecting the departure siding, only to be called up immediately by the Head Shunter. 'Durnsford Road', I called. 'Up a bit more', he replied. When over the appropriate points we drew to a stand. The Feltham driver alighted, wishing us a good trip, while the shunter reset the road. I reversed No. 755 and we dropped back onto our train. Jack jumped down and threw the tender coupling over the wagon draw-hook, tightened it up , removed the tail lamp and climbed back onto the footplate. I said to him, 'Time we had a cuppa of tea' to which he agreed. The tea went down well and all the time I could see the guard working his way towards us, examining the couplings and lifting the hand-brakes - checking that the loaded wagons were safe and fit to travel. I had kept the lever in back gear so that we could 'ease up' in case the guard had to couple up any wagons that the shunter had missed when the train was being made up over the hump. Eventually the guard joined us on the footplate and I was certainly relieved that he was obviously a seasoned man with plenty of freight train experience. 'Have a cup of tea mate', I offered, and he did so at the same time expressing some wonderment at finding Nine Elms men in charge - and with an express engine! But if he felt any concern he didn't show it and all he said was 'Fifty-six equal to eighty three, no vacs, and you can draw up quietly if you get the road before I get back to my van'. So behind the tender was over eight hundred tons of train. A few moments later the starting signal came 'off', followed by a 'green' hand-signal held above his head by the Yard Foreman. I touched the whistle in acknowledgement, put the lever in forward gear and eased open the regulator. Steam issued from the cylinder drain cocks and No. 755 moved forward very slowly. No marks here for a quick getaway - it's all too easy to break a wagon coupling or pull out a drawbar - especially as the guard's hand-brake was still on! The engine was now moving forward very gently and I felt her pause as the wagons were heaved into movement. I closed the cylinder drain cocks and the steam thus saved began to do useful work in the cylinders, but as she gathered more wagons and slowed I gave her a bit more steam to compensate so that the train was stretched out until I felt the brake van handbrake hindering progress. I was about to close the regulator when she began to move forward again - indicating that the guard had released the handbrake.

A little more regulator and the exhaust of 'The Red Knight' became more purposeful as we moved out of the yard exit on to the main line. Fortunately the platform starter signal and the advance starter with distant for Feltham Reformatory Intermediate were all 'off', at this point I exchanged hand-signals with the guard as his van came into view as it emerged from beneath the road bridge at the exit from the yard. I pulled her up into 50% cut-off and put the regulator into the first valve with steam-chest pressure indicating 90lb/sq in. Up the slight incline through Feltham station and No.755's beats could be heard loud and clear. I pulled her up to 35% and as the train gathered speed on the gently falling gradient I eased the regulator and reduced the cut-off. Jack had now added coal to his fire and with half-door up and the damper wide open she was now blowing off with a full head of steam. By now the water was about an inch down in the glass and as Jack went to start the injector I called to him to leave it for a moment and put the damper on the first nick. At the same time I dropped the half-door and told him to let the water come down to about half a glass. This brought down the combustion rate, which was just as well since we passed through Ashford and Staines unchecked. No point in rushing as just beyond the platform there is twenty miles an hour curve up to the bridge over the Thames. Staines 'distant' was 'off', indicating that the outer home, inner home , starter and advance starter signals were all showing green. As we passed the signalbox with the road beginning to rise I opened the regulator to full first valve and advanced the cut-off to 35%. Jack opened the damper and added more coal, adjusted the half-door and started the exhaust steam injector - with almost instant response from No. 755's boiler. Round the corner she swept and up the rise to the bridge. I could feel the drag on the flanges counteracting the pull of the engine and, looking back, could glimpse the van side-lights showing white to indicate all was well with that end of the train. Ahead of us between Egham and Staines lay three level crossings, The 'distant' for the first crossing, Thorpe Lane, was showing 'off' and as we came off of the bridge I reduced the cut-off to 30% and eased the regulator. This slowed us but kept the engine pulling in order to keep the couplings out tight - as the rear part of the train was still on a rising ground with plenty of wheel drag taking its toll on the curve. Under Thorpe Lane's stop signal the 'distant' for the next crossing at Egham Causeway was at 'caution' and a few moments later I felt No.755 pause in her stride as a tug on the tender drawbar indicated that the guard had spotted the 'distant' at caution and had applied his hand-brake to help me stop if the signal ahead was 'on'. But fortunately it 'cleared' and I let her run down the gently falling gradient towards the third crossing at Pooley Green - the whole train imperceptibly slowing under the drag of the guard's handbrake. Over the crossing, the 'distant' for Egham cleared to 'green' as it came into view - which I at once acknowledge with a short whistle, to which our alert friend on the rear responded by releasing his handbrake. I then opened the regulator to full first valve, and as we ran through the platform I grinned at Jack and remarked, 'Into it now'!

The distant ahead for Rusham was 'clear', and now the regulators big valve was broken, 'The Red Knight's' exhaust began to sound to some purpose as we accelerated on the down grade - partly to keep the wagon couplings stretched, and partly to get a run at the bank up to Virginia Water. By this time Jack was plying his shovel to some effect; the safety valves were buzzing and the water in the glass was falling enough to warrant starting up the injector again. At the foot of the bank I advanced the cut-off by 10% and at once felt the power of No. 755's unlined 23-inch cylinders - she was the only one of the Urie 'Arthurs' to retain her big cylinders, all the others having been lined to 22-inches by Mr Maunsell. The result was most gratifying and we climbed the bank in splendid style. With no sign of priming and nothing to worry about I revelled in the power of old No. 755, and felt how superior this was to mere shunting work, which was my normal stint. But joyous progress like this could not last, the splitting signal, left for the Chertsey line, and right for Reading was now in the rear and I had to ease the engine to take the 20mph into Virginia Water platform and negotiate the curve through the station on gently falling grades once again. Beyond this the line straightened and I could see the 'advance starter' and the 'distant' signal for Lyne Crossing were both 'off'. The engine began to gather speed so I eased the regulator with the cut-off reduced to 30%. Now came a tug from the rear as the guard applied his handbrake. We continued under easy steam to Lyne Crossing where the line rose slightly before a sharp fall to Chertsey. The water was rising in the glass so I shouted, 'Watch the boiler Jack' - he acknowledged, shut the half door and shut off the boiler feed. We traversed the slight dip without a hiccup as the guard had his brake applied just right and, once past Lyne Crossing, I eased the regulator still more until 30lbs was showing on the 'front-end' gauge. We were now approaching Chertsey on a falling grade and gathering speed - mainly by the force of gravity, with the pistons just 'floating'. The next 'distant' was probably the most trickiest on the whole trip if it was a caution there was a possibility of running through the 'home' signal and platform starter protecting the level crossing just beyond. Level crossing gates adorning the front of a locomotive are usually convincing proof of an error of judgement - quite apart from the fact that road vehicle might be there at the time, and would not have stood much of a chance on this occasion against a 135-ton engine backed up by about 850 tons of train! Sure enough he signal was at 'caution' and I was just about to close the regulator and begin to buffer up the wagons before fully applying the vacuum brake, when it winked 'green'. 'Good for you signalman', I thought, 'that has certainly saved the guard from a rough shunt'! The line now curved right and the Chertsey 'home' signal came into view. It was 'off' as I expected, and we were now doing 30mph, the train's permitted maximum speed. Once through the station the down-grade levels off so I gave No. 755 a little more steam to keep her away from the train, and looked for Addlestone's distant which was showing 'green'. Ahead was the worst section of the run, the climb from Addlestone up to Weybridge. Addlestone's 'home' and 'starter' were at 'green', as was the 'distant' for Cox's Lock, beyond which was another 'splitting distant' - left for Weybridge, which we wanted, and right for the line to Byfleet Junction. Ours was 'on' and our luck had deserted us at the most crucial time. I reluctantly closed the regulator and applied the vacuum brake, destroying about 4 inches in the train pipe, enough to bring the engine and tender brake blocks to the wheels - and commenced the buffering up process. When I judged that the whole train was buffer to buffer, except a few wagons tat the guards brake would be retarding. I applied the brake more fully. We were now slowing down and No. 755 was blowing off quite hard. I called, 'Cool her down a bit mate', and Jack started his injector while the safety valves subsided to a sizzle. With the boiler showing just under two thirds of water in the glass I said, 'That's plenty Jack', - because when we got the road priming was the last thing that we needed - especially as we were not going to get a good run at the bank. Others have come to grief here, and sometimes it had been necessary to divide the train, and I didn't want any drama of that kind! 'The Red Knight' was almost at a stand now, with Addlestone Junction's 'home' signal still obstinately at 'danger'. I let the brakes come off slowly and we rolled gently forward as the idea was to 'hang back' in the hope that the signal would 'clear' in time for us to get a run at the bank. We were nicely in the view of the signalman and No. 755 was blowing off hard - as though impatient at the delay. Then, at last the moment, the signal 'cleared' - as did the 'starter' and 'distant' for Weybridge. I touched the whistle in acknowledgement, put the lever well down about 60%, then closing the regulator, re-opened it gently and watched that the steam chest gauge did not climb too high too quickly. At once the engine reacted by gathering up her train until all the couplings stretched out again, indicated by a feeling under the footplate that only an engineman knows when 'she has got them'. Jack had now added more coal to the fire, as he knew that I was going make a short but heavy demand on the boiler. With full first valve I then pulled her up to 50% cut-off and then broke the big valve of the regulator so that she began to 'dig in' and accelerate the heavy train.

Fortunately, we had a dry rail, so there was no sign of 'The Red Knight' losing his feet, and as we tackled the bank with 45% cut-off I opened the regulator still wider, the sparks were flying. I was soon reminded how these Bullied multiple-jet blast pipes could tear a fire apart. With the boiler pressure holding at 175lbs and those 23-inch cylinders gulping hot, dry steam, No. 755 went up the bank like the great locomotive knew her to be - up towards Weybridge's 'home' signal. This was the worst part with the whole train on the curve and a lot of flange drag adding its quota. Through the bridge and we were on the up local line, and with the gradient easing to 1 in 330 our engine was finding the going much easier. The signalman in Weybridge box was looking out - probably thankful that we coming along in good style and he would not be having any trouble with a crew having to divide the train on the bank. Taking the front portion forward and stabling in the yard, then returning 'wrong line' to the rear portion, draw it forward to suitable point, then go into the yard for the front portion and re-marshal the train before continuing the journey.

The van train that had delayed us at Addlestone Junction had long gone, so we were running under 'clear' signals at a speed of roughly 25mph. Approaching Hampton Court Junction I opened the regulator to full first valve to take us through the dip where the Guildford New Line joins the main line. Once through Surbiton I eased the regulator and we ambled along the level through New Malden to Wimbledon. It is remarkable how little steam is needed to keep a train rolling on level ground once it is on the move. Jack had added his last shovel of coal to the fire, and all things considered he had maintained the boiler most satisfactorily with between a third and two thirds of water in the glass. Now he had little more to do, and as we ran through Wimbledon I closed the regulator and pulled the lever up to 20% to keep some compression in the cylinders to stop the big-ends flailing around to freely with resultant 'knock'. I have seen some chaps put the lever into full forward gear followed by a horrible thrashing noise - and thought them completely insensitive to their engine. Adjusting the cut-off to 20% retarded No.755 so that she actual began to buffer up the train on the downgrade into the depot. A slight application of the vacuum brake and 'The Red Knight' slowed to a crawl with wagon buffers coming together with a metallic chink - chink. I could feel the wagons pushing us along and put the brake on a bit harder - while thinking thank goodness for those magnificent Urie bogie tenders - just the job for slowing down unfitted freights! Then, 'Look out for the guard's signal', I told my mate, as I estimated that we would soon be clear of the depots entrance points, and eased the brake to make a gentle stop. This was to avoid recoil, which would cause the energy stored in the train to dissipate in the reverse direction and possibly finish with a broken coupling or draw-hook. 'We're over, Bert', said Jack on seeing the guard's hand-signal, and the train came to stand.

The signalman in Wimbledon 'A' box set the points and pulled of the ground-signal for us to go back into the depot after receiving advice from the depot points-man, and the guard began to call us back by waving his 'green' lamp from side to side. I reversed the engine and gave her a whiff of steam - to set them back quietly - as I did not want to spoil things now! I soon knew when the brake-van was moving back and gave the old girl more steam to propel the heavy train up the slightly rising grade into the depot. The shunter was on the ground inside the entrance 'calling' me on. I shut of steam and coasted, as the engine would only be required to go just inside the exit signal. Then I felt the guard apply his brake in readiness to leave the train and gently applied the engine brake until we came to a stand, while the shunter called out, 'Wait for your guard driver, he wants a lift'. I acknowledged, while my mate placed a tail light on the tender and changed the engine head-code to a white light over the right buffer, that signified 'light engine to Nine Elms'. The shunter dropped a few brake levers on the wagons pending shunting operations and then uncoupled the engine, asking - 'Where for, mate'? - to which I replied 'Loco'. After a few moments the guard climbed aboard. 'Good run driver', he said, 'Please drop me at Clapham Junction'. I asked him if he had felt any rough shunts, 'Never felt a thing - pity it's not always like that', he answered, and that made my day! The depot exit signal 'cleared', the points-man gave me a 'green' hand-signal and we moved off. At Clapham Junction I dropped the guard off at the platform over-bridge steps, and then carried on to the 'Loco' where we made the usual cautious approach. All too easy to collide with a locomotive standing by the water column on a greasy down gradient, but all went well and I stopped the engine, then set off to see the Running Foreman and reported, '755 Ted, save the fire'? He inquired what I thought of No. 755 and I replied, 'she's a good 'un'! 'Some blokes don't think so' he said. 'Anyway I think my mate has revised his opinion of her after this trip', after that I went back to 'The Red Knight' feeling that at least I had done something to vindicate a reputation that was quite undeserved, as well as the satisfaction of having accomplished a good nights work!

Bert Hooker - Nine Elms Engineman

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