One for all of you thinking about going wfp - with apologies to Ross for all railway inaccuracies!
I reckon that our railways should still be run with steam locomotives - much better looking, more romantic and glorious to see in action. (Bit like most of us chaps on this forum really!
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Dirty smelly diesels no thanks!
Now lets think about it. You want to take the 7.30 train from Bristol to visit Sarah and Lizzie in South Wales - what's necessary? (Maybe even take a taxi to see the Chepstow chappies too!)
To get the steam loco ready you have to have a guy set the fire and light it at 4.00 am. He has to coax the fire into life, boil the water in the boiler to make steam. Does the engine need to replenish it's tender with tons of coal and thousands of gallons of water? And you need a fireman to put coal on the fire as you go along. The driver checks all is in order and opens the regulator.
The train leaves Bristol at 7.30, builds up speed as it heads down through the Severn tunnel (mind you you now have a wet scarf around your face because a steam engine belching out smoke and steam in a 4 mile long pipe is different to running it through the countryside on a spring day.) Coming up out of the tunnel is hard work - the coal has to be good, the fireman skilled, (in winter his face is hot from the fire and his back cold from the weather - in summer his back is hot and his face is boiling) the driver has to peer ahead along yards of boiler as smoke blasts into his vision depending on the wind and speed.
Speeds of 70 mph are reached downhill although forty to fifty is tops uphill - But the journey is done and less than an hour after leaving Bristol the train pulls into Newport where Bizzy and Sarah are waiting. They are enthralled at the magnificent engine as it chuffs in and happily ignore the smuts that get in their eyes and the grime on many of the surfaces in the station. It is now 8.10 am
It's taken three people (the firelighter, the fireman and the driver) at least to do this journey in about 40 minutes. And one of them had to be on duty at 4.00 am to light the fire and prepare the engine.
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Now let's go by Diesel (HST125)
Driver turns up at 7.15, gets in his nice warm cab. Taps the fuel gauge and checks all systems are OK - presses a button and the mighty engines come to life. Pulling away at 7.30, his view ahead is clear and speed adjustments are made at the press of a pedal or the pull of a handle. (No smoke, no fireman, no wet scarf)
With a top speed available of well over 100 mph he thunders down the grade towards the Severn Tunnel and only pausing to observe speed restrictions his train thunders up the other side and draws into Newport at ten to eight. His passengers are not grimy and smoky from his exhaust, Sarah and Lizzy do not have to worry about looking unpresentable as they wait on the platform.
It's taken one man twenty minutes to cover the same journey - and although he misses the skills and sounds of steam, on a daily basis his work is far less demanding and far more enjoyable. (No smoke to block his vision - no boiler blocking his view - no searing heat from the firebox or driving rain from behind.)
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I will always love bladework - but only as a refreshing change from wfp - because wfp is safer and more profitable and does the job in much less time.
Choo! Choo!