+One of our stand out memories as a child was going on a family day out to the steam railway in Leicestershire where we grew up and when the engine coupled up to the carriages I’ll never forget my Dad commenting: “That’s a damn sight smoother than British Rail!”
I’ve got no idea why that sticks in my mind so many years (30 in fact!) later. Maybe it’s the idea that the age of steam trains was a real golden age that people who remember it look back on with nostalgia. Maybe my Dad was actually right and that modern trains aren’t as comfortable?
Either way, it was a pleasure to then be able to invite my Dad (still not keen on taking ‘modern’ trains to this day), back to the Great Central railway in Leicester for his 70th birthday. This time it wasn’t just a ride in a railway carriage, but a whole day out learning how to drive a steam train.
As you can imagine, he was beside himself with shock and delight at the present and the train driving day was everything we had expected and more. Not only did Dad get to drive the train on the full 30 mile round trip, he was also shown around the workshops and had plenty of time to reminisce and pose questions about the golden age of steam.
And of course, we had a great time too as we bought tickets on the day to ride on the actual train he was driving, making for a truly superb day out for all the family. A word of advice though, drive a steam train days are really, really popular on activity gift voucher websites, so make sure you book up well ahead (up to six months) if you want a specific date.
Or, if you want to go the whole hog . . .
You can join any of the preserved steam railways up and down the country, and go to work on them in your spare time as a volunteer – they’ll train you up for any of the operating jobs (guard, signalman, fireman, driver) – but be warned. If you want to be a driver, you start as a loco cleaner, and get instruction on firing. You have to study the rulebook, and pass exams, and get a fair bit of experience in firing under supervision before taking a firing test to become a passed cleaner. This means you still work as a cleaner, but can be rostered as a relief fireman if required. Some time later, you get made up to fireman. Then, after a number of years on the shovel, and a LOAD more exams, both theoretical and practical, you can apply for a driving test. If you pass, you then become a passed fireman – again, effectively a spare driver.
Realistically, to make it to driver will probably take ten years – and that’s assuming you go to work on the line at least 2 or 3 times a month, and really put some work into learning both the practical and theoretical parts of the job as well.
Easy, it ain’t . . .