Description

A book which does exactly what it says on the cover, from the basic “Always drive on left or near  side of the road” to the advanced “To Stop Nearly Instantaneously at the Risk of Smashing the Engine-”

So far as care and maintenance is concerned, the regime followed with railway locomotives is suggested, with a boiler wash-out weekly and a monthly “Shed Day” for heavier maintenance. With the boiler full of water, the fire banked and the damper over the chimney, the wagon could be safely left overnight, under about 10lbs of pressure. Cleaning out the fire in the morning and relighting it would result in working pressure being reached in about 30 minutes, during which time daily lubrication and safety checks could be carried out.

Looking at the engine enclosed in the oil bath, I was struck by an intriguing idea.

During the 1960s, I became acquainted with Gerry Wintour, son of Francis, sometime Works Manager at The Plant, later Assistant Mechanical Engineer, Doncaster. Gerry had been a Doncaster Premium Apprentice, and like many, faced a bleak future when out of his time, family connection notwithstanding. There were other considerations. Neither Francis, nor Gerry were big admirers of Edward Thompson, and it was made clear to Gerry that even if he did stay with the LNER, Freemasons were favoured for promotion on the locomotive engineering side. Gerry therefore left to join Alley and MacLellan. However, both father and son were friendly with Oliver Bullied (“A nice man, if a bit eccentric” – Gerry Wintour) and social contact was maintained. I just wonder, if Gerry enthusing about the Sentinel oil bath, might have planted a thought in Bullied´s mind which would later bear fruit on the Southern Railway.