BMES: New Years Day Steam Up...

Good evening everyone and a Happy New Year to you all. That's it, 2019 is long gone and 2020 has begun. Today's outing was down to BMES (Burton-on-Trent Model Engineering Society) for their annual New Years Day 'Steam Up' . The day started as always with me waking up around half 8 in the morning, arriving on site for around half 9 - 10am. On my arrival, I found several members already on site preparing their engines for service.

After many greetings with the other members, I decided it was time to do some work and get my camera kit out and start filming and taking photos for this blog post.

 After taking a few photographs in the Steaming bays of each engine, it was time to start filming them running round. The first locomotive on the track was a Simplex, out shopped in this rather unusual CER Blue livery, owned by J.Mayor. 

This was quickly followed on the track by Dave's Polly 0-4-0 Trojan and eventually Barrie's Pannier tank No.7752. After filming several laps of the three steamers, a 4th engine appeared on the track for a couple of minutes before sadly failing with injector problems.

After taking 10-15 minutes worth of video footage, Barrie asked me if I'd like to have a go a driving his locomotive, of course, I couldn't refuse. lol..

After a few laps on Barries Pannier, I thanked Barrie and let him remove his engine from the raised level circuit, for him to drop his engine's fire before blowing the boiler down. While stood in the steaming bay watching Barrie blowing the boiler down, I was asked by Jim if I wanted a go at driving his engine to which I accepted before taking it for a few laps round the raised level circuit.

Once again after a few laps it was time to call it a day and pack away, thanks to Barrie and Jim for allowing me to drive their engines. It just leaves me I wish all my readers a Happy New Year. Hopefully 2020 will provide some interesting things for us in the steam circles. Until next time...bye...Jake...