Castle Class Locomotives - posted 26 June 2020
I started work at Reading (GWR) loco this morning. I started helping to clean Castle No. 5076 "Gladiator". This engine was on the shed's star turn of the day. It takes over the down Birkenhead train. (the Margate to Birkenhead train known as the "Conty". This was Reading's only lodging turn.) It was really wonderfully clean when we had finished with it, the copper cap to the chimney and brass safety valve cover were shining brightly and the green paintwork, red buffers, were gleaming. Gladiator had a riveted tender which made cleaning much more difficult than the newer flat sided welded tenders - I distinctly remember the oil running down my upturned arm as I stretched to clean the large surface. It made a fine sight as it stormed past the shed as we ate our sandwiches. The train must have been late into General station because the engine was working very hard.
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| Note the rivets on the tender. To clean a locomotive we took a bucket of cleaning oil and some cotton waste, dipped the waste in the oil and spread the oil all over then wiped it off with clean waste. |
I went with the driver to the cabin and sat there for about an hour when in came the foreman and told us to take Castle 4-6-0 No. 5094 to Didcot light. I couldn't believe my ears because I never imagined that I would ever get out on a Castle. "Tretower Castle" was in pretty poor trim. Reading was getting rid of her back to her home depot. The driver said it had been failed because the coal watering cock had gone but it must have been something worse than that. She was filthy and looked completely different from the those that haul the fast expresses, she was even fitted with a double chimney. As we were only going light it didn't matter much about such details as sanding (back sand wouldn't budge an inch) or whether the ashpan was empty. I also didn't have to worry much about the fire, in fact I kept a very thin fire, barely alight, this, however, was sufficient to keep a full head of steam and a full boiler of water. I was fussing over the fire and the driver said to me:
"Don't worry about the fire, just come over to my side and enjoy the view."
The views of the Thames Valley were superb on this sunny summer morning. We went slowly past the train spotters on the end of Didcot platform anxiously waiting to see whether they had scored a "cop". I just hung nonchalantly over the cab side - I was on top of the world.
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| The copper cap around the stack/chimney and the brass safety valve cover had to be polished |
My diary for Friday 27 July 1962
Another good day today. I came on at 06.00 but wasn't required until
07.30 when I was told to help the 06.00 shed pilot. He was a friendly,
cheery Welshman who came up from Barry in 1936. We had to take the
engines down from the coal stage, turn them if necessary, and then stable them
in the correct order in the right roads of the shed. This doesn't seem
much but it is enough to keep three sets of men fully occupied. I found I
was pulling points and pushing engines around for most of the time which is
quite tiring work. When I got to know the driver who was called Ron (or
Ernie) I asked if I could drive a bit and he let me take down four engines
although he was on the footplate all the time (I wouldn't have done it on my
own). The engines I drove were two 61xx class 2-6-2 tanks, Nos. 6119 and 6131,
then Castle class 4-6-0 No. 4082 "Windsor Castle" and finally Hall
class 4-6-0 No. 6913, "Levens Hall".
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| This is the only picture I have of a Castle at Reading loco. 7008 Swansea Castle, with a riveted tender |
My diary for Friday 17 August 1962
I wasn't required for firing today but was told to go with Jack Webber to
prepare two engines. The first was No. 7906 "Fron Hall". This
was the first time that I have got one of these ready but it wasn't too
difficult. I didn't have any trouble with the fire - I brought her round
from 60 lbs.per sq. in. to 210 lbs. per sq. in. and filled up the boiler in
about 40 minutes. I didn't put any dust on at all and built up the
firebed mainly by putting the coal on individually by hand (i.e. throwing on each
lump). This does pay off because the lumps (not too big) can be placed
with more accuracy than by using a shovel. Anyway the fireman seemed
pleased. The other engine that I got ready was No. 5076, "Gladiator"
which was on the Conty. She already had 120 lbs. per sq. in. when we came on so
the great trouble was to stop her from blowing violently. This time the back
part of the fire gave a little more trouble as it had been made up with dust
which had caked. Even so, she was blowing gently when we left at
12.30. Jack had seen that she was alright.
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| This painting "Clear Road Ahead" by Terence Cuneo was used for many years in British Railways advertising. It is precise down to the last detail. I have a signed lithograph in the apartment. |
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