Quote:
Originally Posted by aussiesteve
There were stories of punch-ups on platforms between soot belcher crews when the train was being assisted.
One of the crews not performing the necessary amount of work to keep the train percolating forcing the other crew to really work hard.
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Yes 40 years after steam finished here I've seen old drivers slag off another due to lack of etiquette when they were both firemen in the black & white days of IronHorses.
When a footplate crew handed over to another, it was expected that the fire was in a suitable condition. It's really crappy to step onto the footplate and find a small poorly laid fire when there's a big hill to climb up ahead, and conversely when you're booked to dispose of a loco you're in for a really hard slog when you find the firebox roaring like a blacksmith's hearth.
And to think that I used to bitch when I found banana skins and heaps of old newspapers on the cab floor. Didn't know how lucky I was....
Cheers, John.