Electrical volunteer turned steward Saturday 03-10- 2020.
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2020 3:23 pm
I was on duty again on Saturday, stewarding on the steam train, the weather forecast was very bleak with an adverse weather warning for heavy rain.
In actual fact the rain was not as bad as we expected with light rain for most of the day which effected adversely the number of customers we had on the trains.
The steam engine for the day was Andy Booth's tender engine 0-6-0 Douglas.
The first train left on time at 10:00 and picked up a few customers at Burrs Halt which is very popular with the caravan club members, bringing in much needed revenue to the ELR.
We arrived back in Bury Bolton Street Station on time which gives us all one hour for our lunch, the second train of the day left at 12:30, again picking up quite a few more customers at Burrs Halt.
Stephen Holt is doing a great job at Burrs Country Park halt, drumming up business from the caravan club members all of which said they had enjoyed their day out on the ELR.
The final steam train left on time at 15:00 we noticed that the engine was not travelling as fast and on arriving at Ramsbottom Station it had been decided that the steam train was to be put into the sidings all the passengers left the train and boarded the diesel train to Rawtenstall to complete their journey.
The reason being that the steam engine was running short of coal and the crew did not want to take the risk of running out of fuel and having to be rescued.
Once the diesel engine Captain Bill Smith had cleared Ramsbottom Station we made our way back to Bury Bolton Street Station arriving at about 16:20.
In actual fact the rain was not as bad as we expected with light rain for most of the day which effected adversely the number of customers we had on the trains.
The steam engine for the day was Andy Booth's tender engine 0-6-0 Douglas.
The first train left on time at 10:00 and picked up a few customers at Burrs Halt which is very popular with the caravan club members, bringing in much needed revenue to the ELR.
We arrived back in Bury Bolton Street Station on time which gives us all one hour for our lunch, the second train of the day left at 12:30, again picking up quite a few more customers at Burrs Halt.
Stephen Holt is doing a great job at Burrs Country Park halt, drumming up business from the caravan club members all of which said they had enjoyed their day out on the ELR.
The final steam train left on time at 15:00 we noticed that the engine was not travelling as fast and on arriving at Ramsbottom Station it had been decided that the steam train was to be put into the sidings all the passengers left the train and boarded the diesel train to Rawtenstall to complete their journey.
The reason being that the steam engine was running short of coal and the crew did not want to take the risk of running out of fuel and having to be rescued.
Once the diesel engine Captain Bill Smith had cleared Ramsbottom Station we made our way back to Bury Bolton Street Station arriving at about 16:20.