A New Term By Jonah
We're once more at the Norwich City Technology College with Simon. Not that there is any such place. None of the people in any of my stories are real. Many of the places are, though the people attached to them aren't, but none of the schools are real either. There are some things you don't want to inflict on real people or institutions by writing stories about them. Although I invented most of the people in this story, one of them - Garret - is the invention of another author - of Jacob Lion in the United States - as are some characters that only get a mention. I want to thank Jacob for his kind permission to use his characters in my story. If you've enjoyed my previous stories from 'A Letter from America', to 'On Sea and Sand', I hope you'll enjoy this one. if you do enjoy it, please spare a thought for the kind man who published it for you. Nifty doesn't charge you to read these stories, and he doesn't charge us authors either, but it does cost money to publish them. He bears this cost from his own pocket and from donations via https://donate.nifty.org/ . Please consider donating.
Chapter 7
Next day, being Saturday, I was off to Sheringham. Garret was off to Sheringham too, but only to do some work with the junior club. The boys were all going with him, but they were still in bed when I drove off.
It being early September, the high season on the railway was over. In July and August a full programme of passenger trains ran every day. In earlier years that was every day except Monday, that being boiler washout day for the steam locomotives. Now that we had enough locomotives to cover the timetable seven days a week, we did so during those two months. When August ended, the change was startling. We concentrated on Sundays for a time - at least until the Autumn half-term was over, but we used the other days to catch up on any backlog of maintenance that had developed during the high season.
On this Saturday we had decided to operate a diesel multiple unit service between Sheringham and Weybourne while a ballast train worked between Weybourne and Holt. There were some sleepers to drop off where the existing ones needed changing, but the biggest issue was fresh ballast to top up a few - well, more than a few - dropped joints. The heavy steam locomotives had taken their toll during the previous two months.
Only diesel locomotives would be operating, though there was a steam locomotive warming up on shed at Weybourne for Sunday's passenger trains.
My first call was in Cringleton, where Ross Coulter was already outside his house waiting for me.
Ross was an engine cleaner. A little over a year ago he had signed up as a volunteer railwayman as he stayed with us while his mother recovered in hospital after a road accident. Now that she was well again, Ross, now a sixth-former, attended the railway whenever he could.
We caught up on each other's news on the drive to Sheringham. It was around eight o' clock when we parked in the staff car-park. The diesel multiple unit was already ticking over at the West end of platform 1. Ross and I headed for the operating office, at the East end of platform 1.
Harry Wilkes was seated at his desk.
"Morning Simon, morning Ross", he greeted us. "You've got the 37 this morning and a ballast train that's already on the mainline beyond bridge 301. Dennis have got possession of the line from the blocks at Holt to the fouling point of Weybourne crossover, including platform 1. Both boxes are open, but Holt have shut. The DMU will be working from platform 1 here to platform 2 at Weybourne. We've clipped the crossover at Weybourne normal so you won't be able to get back here. If you go up on the first DMU you'll find Dennis is already at Weybourne with his gang and your engine is waiting for you in the headshunt. Are you second manning for Simon today Ross?"
Ross told him that it was so.
"Fair enough. We've got the J15 warming through for tomorrow, but what cleaning need doing, Garret can get the junior gang on later".
Well we couldn't argue with any of that. I sent Ross to the station buffet to get my flask filled up with tea, then we both boarded the DMU. We were not a moment too soon as old Ted was waiting to buzz us away.
We climbed off the DMU in platform 2 at Weybourne and crossed the footbridge to walk down to the class 37. I unlocked the loco and started preparing it. I sent Ross down to the ballast train to let Dennis Holder know that we had arrived and to obtain permission for us to enter his possession once we were ready to move.
I'd changed over handbrakes, unpinned the CO2 bottles, checked the switches in the death-cage and put in the battery isolating switch by the time he returned. I was just starting up the diesel engine when he joined me in the cab.
"Dennis says, when you're ready to move, drop down into the possession but don't go beyond bridge 301. He'll fetch you on from there when he's ready".
"That sounds good to me", I replied as I tested the direct air brake and the deadman's pedal. "We'll go through to the other cab in a moment or two, then we'll be ready to roll".
We were soon drifting gently through platform 1 and under bridge 302. I immediately braked the big diesel to a standstill and clicked the reverser to "Engine Only". Dennis joined us in the cab.
"I've put Pete in the brake", he said. "There are a couple of blokes working in the wagons. We stay here until they're clear, then Pete is going to walk down and call us on".
"Sounds good to me", I commented. "How many have you got for us?"
"Three hoppers with ballast, and the Loriot N with sleepers, then the SR brake at the other end".
"Are those hoppers vacuum braked?"
"I think so. Do you want them piped up?"
"It'd give us better control over the train and a smoother ride for anyone in the brake".
Dennis fished his two-way radio from his pocket.
"PICOP to Pete", he said brusquely.
The device crackled a bit, but obviously Dennis heard it as plain English.
"Pete, can you take a walk down and see how many of those hoppers are vacuum braked and if they are piped up between them? Over".
The device crackled again.
"I've got the loco here. It's not moving".
There was a further crackle before Dennis put the handset away.
A few minutes later there was some further crackling and Pete appeared at the far side of the underbridge. Dennis fished his radio out again.
"Roger that Pete" , He told it. "We've got you visual from here".
He turned to me.
"Two wagons piped up. The third is missing an AV hose so he's isolated it."
I didn't reply as Pete had started waving his arm. I sounded the horn, clicked the reverser into "FOR", released the direct air brake and moved the controller to "ON". Pete turned and walked away, still waving as we followed him. The train was just around the bend and I was glad I hadn't opened the controller any further. Pete had begun waving his hand up and down and I shut off and braked gently. Soon the first hopper's buffers disappeared below the nose of the big diesel. I braked some more then, as Pete threw up both hands, I threw in all the brake I had. There was a faint metallic "chink" as we stopped.
Instantly Ross was on his feet.
"Going under", he said to me as he opened the door.
"Just a moment", I said.
I clicked the reverser back to "E.O."
"Now you can", I said. He departed.
Five minutes later Ross had us coupled and piped up. Pete had conducted a brake test and we were gently propelling our train towards Holt. The one in eighty gradient ensured that the locomotive was working hard even as I kept the speed low. Frequently we stopped to throw off a few sleepers. Dennis said there was no need to stop to do that, but I was having none of that. I would not move the train while people were riding on the Loriot wagon. It was not worth the risk of a power application, or a brake application, causing a stack of sleepers to topple over and crush somebody's legs. In any case, I wanted to be standing still as the sleepers were thrown off. A wagon derailed by a sleeper landing underneath it would take hours to sort out. Dennis' idea of saving time was not mine.
By half past eleven we were in the platform at Holt. Ross and I got out our sandwiches and I broached the flask of tea. The Permanent Way gang, including Dennis, were all in and around the brake van.
On the return journey we were dropping ballast. From just beyond the carriage shed at Bridge Road bridge, I brought the speed down to barely a mile per hour. I was looking back and watching Dennis walk beside the train. Ross was looking back and watching Pete do the same on his side. The vast cloud of granite dust from under the wagon made it hard to see them, but we persevered.
"Woah!" shouted Ross suddenly.
I saw Dennis shout angrily and then start waving violently to me. I kept the locomotive's speed exactly as it was.
Dennis waved yet more violently but I didn't open the controller. We were running downhill anyway and could clear any pile of balast without accelerating.
"Did Pete give you a stop signal?" I called to Ross.
"Yes", shouted the boy above the nose of the engine.
"He shouldn't have done that", I told him. "Not while they're still dropping stone. If we stop, there'll be a mountain of stone underneath the train and we won't be able to move without derailing. Has he stopped signalling now?"
"Yes", came the reply.
"Dennis just told him to", I told him. "I expect he said, "Pete, please stop doing that", or words to that effect".
We had just passed Weybourne's distant signal and were not far from Kelling Park Halt when the cloud of dust petered out and Dennis held up his hands. I braked to a standstill and watched as three men jumped off the front hopper, walked back and climbed on the next one. Dennis began waving his arm in a large circle and I eased the brake. I didn't accelerate away too quickly. I was giving the men on the wagon time to crack their wheels open and open the bottom doors to the hopper. As soon as I saw the cloud of dust start to rise I took the brake right off but kept hold of it to stop the speed increasing too much. By half past one we were back at Weybourne.
"What now then Dennis?" I asked as he climbed aboard.
"Did you see Pete Give you a stop signal?" he demanded.
"Ross told me about it, but I ignored it", I said.
"Good job you did", he replied. Bloody Jeavons have no idea. We'd have been off the road up there and had to abandon the train. There'd have been no trains tomorrow".
"Wheel got stuck?"
"Yes. Ballast was pouring out like there was no tomorrow. The idiot must have thought it'd stop if the train stopped. I was trying to get you to go faster".
"We were going fast enough", I replied. "Even with a door stuck open".
"Well we didn't come off, I suppose, so you must have been", he replied grudgingly.
"So what now?" I repeated.
"We're finished", he replied. "I'm just going across the box to give up the possession. It's up to you what you do but, if I were you, I'd come across the box and ask the signalman if you can run round your train, propel it into the headshunt, then go on shed".
"Are you going to unclip the crossover for him so that I can do it then?"
"Gor, blast! I'd forgott'n about that". he replied. "I'd better go and do it before I go and give up the possession".
He left the cab. I did the same, leaving Ross in charge of the loco. I strolled across to the box, where Steve Cox was in charge. By the time Dennis came to the box we were agreed what we were doing. The DMU was on its way up from Sheringham. As soon as it was on its way back there he would get us run round. I made my way back to my engine.
"Handbrake on Ross". I told him. "When its on, go and uncouple us from the train. Before you do, check that the brake van is screwed down hard and pin the brakes on the nearest two hoppers. Work from the platform side. I know you shouldn't do that, but do it this time because that DMU is coming in the other platform so stay out of the six foot".
"The DMU's coming now", he pointed out. "I'll wait till he's stopped, then I can work on the six foot side".
The boy definitely had the makings of a good railwayman.
By the time the DMU departed for Sheringham we were uncoupled and had drawn up to the patform starting signal. I moved over to the door on the six-foot side and looked back at the signalbox.
"Sit over there", I said to Ross.
The boy moved over to the driver's side as the signal cleared.
I sat in the seat he had vacated.
"Foot on the DSD and keep it there", told him. "Put the reverser in FOR, one hand on the controller and the other on the air brake. Now, off with the brake and move the controller to ON".
As he moved the controller we started to move forward. I sounded the horn, leaving him to concentrate on driving.
"Shut the controller and let her roll", I told him. "You haven't very far to go. Ready for a touch of brake? Just a quick squirt. Look back so's you can see when we're clear of these points. Another quick squirt of brake. Can you see them yet? Brake then, and put the reverser in E.O. Now put the vacuum brake to "EMERGY, and then back to RUNNING. That's it, reverser to OFF, take the key out and bring it with you. Air brake off now and lift the AWS key and bring that too. Off we go down the other end".
We squeezed our way through the engine room to the other cab. The 37's engine is a Vee formation one so it doesn't leave a lot of room for people to squeeze past it.
"Have a seat Ross. Give me the AWS key, I'll put that in. Put your key in the controller and the reverser to E.O. Air brake on. Vacuum brake to release and hold it until you've got 21 on the gauge. Have we got the signal? Good. Give a toot on the horn. Foot on the DSD, reverser to FOR. Air brake off and controller to ON. That's it, you can give her a bit more power now. Don't let your speed get above ten for shunting though".
We accelerated through the platform and he shut off as we passed the signalbox. I watched bridge 302 approach then said,
"Now start braking. Gently at first. You can see where we've got to end up".
He brought us gently to a stand just beyond the points.
"Now we change ends again. Can you remember what to do?"
He could, so we did. The signal being off for us he gently set us off toward the train. He stopped us short of the brake van, then buffered up gently.
"I'll take it from here Ross, since there'll be only one of us in the cab for the next bit. If you want to hook us on and release the wagon brakes, then I'll follow you down the headshunt. Best pin all the brakes you can once we're in".
We did all that and then Ross uncoupled the loco. I drew forward and parked alongside the J15.
"Hiya Daddy!" called the little tyke who was polishing a driving wheel.
"Good job Lloyd", I called back. "I can see that sparkling".
As I shut down the diesel I said to Ross,
"Since you're an engine cleaner, you'd probably better relieve Philip on the front of the running plate. He isn't supposed to be up there. I'm guessing he climbed up there as soon as Garret turned his back".
I climbed down and locked the cab doors.
"Where's Dad?" I asked Lloyd.
"Over on the WD with Barry and the rest of the gang", he replied. "He told me and Philip to finish off here because it's nearly done".
"Well it is done now", I told him. "You've done a good job. Now all three of you can come with me".
I led the way across the yard to the huge WD Auterity loco where Garret was sitting on the steps of a class 08 diesel shunter, watching Barry explain the workings of the WD's Walshaerts valve gear to a party of about half a dozen ten to twelve-year-olds.
Barry was in his element with this sort of thing. He was still concerned about his problem at school with Paul Jordan. I had telephoned Paul's parents on Thursday night and we had agreed that Sunday afternoon would be the best time for him to visit - weather permitting. I hoped that it would do some good. If the confidence that Barry showed when he was on the railway didn't desert him, there was every reason to suppose that it would.
"You've got about five minutes", I told the assembly in general. "The DMU will be back here soon".
"I've told them how it works", replied Barry. "Now I'm just going to see if they can remember what everything is".
"OK then, we'll see", I responded. I selected a boy at random.
"What's your name?"
"Bllly Grubb Sir".
"What's this bit called Billy?"
"Combination lever Sir".
"Very good! Who are you?"
Stuart Hill Sir".
"And what's this bit Stuart?"
"Connecting rod Sir".
" Well done. Name?"
"Alan Perry Sir".
"And what do we call this Alan?"
"Eccentric crank Sir".
"You've got some good students here Barry. Garret, what is this bit up here?"
"It's the reach rod but, since I've been married to you for six years, I'm not going to call you Sir".
"Fair enough, we'd better get back on the platform anyway. Well done boys".
By Five o'clock we were all back in Sheringham and ready to set off for home. It had been a busy day for all of us but we'd all enjoyed it. Ross was still glowing as I dropped him off in Cringleford and I could see, when I got home, that my partner was too. As for our boys... well, the less said about that the better.