| The
Greatest reward for anyone who is prepared to spend the time and effort
producing a web site comes from the Feedback that the web site
generates. My "Confessions of an Ageing Trainspotter" web site,
launched in March 2004, is no
exception.
It seems that I am not alone in my view that there is nothing to compare with the sound of a hard working Jubilee. The original "Finest Sound on Earth" web page has produced much feedback, almost wholly supporting my view. But I recently received a feedback reminding me of Terry Essery's splendid book, "More Firing Days at Saltley", where there is a section in the Passenger Links chapter, that deals with a journey from Gloucester to Birmingham with 45699 Galatea on the night mail, with Tommy Charles driving and Terry Essery firing. Since both of the "Firing Days at Saltley" books form part of my collection, I turned up the respective pages (68-75). So below are some excerpts. |
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1. The blast sharpened and that beautiful
double-three beat which only a 5X plays sounded like music in my ears. (leaving
Gloucester).
2. A brief half slip and Galatea quickly accelerated the 420 odd tons out of the platform and down the favourable 1 in 196, her piercing blast crashing out into the still night air. (Cheltenham). 3. Out of Worcester she stormed, the very epitome of power, blasting up the short incline before dipping down to Blackpole Sidings where, as our pace quickened, the double-three beat took an even crisper note. 4. With a wide open regulator, and 225 psi on the clock, the Jubilee responded like the magnificent thoroughbred she was. The exhaust crashed out an unbelievable volume of sound, reverberating across the hills like a gigantic, unending thunderclap. Galatea had the lot! (on the Lickey). 5. Galatea's exhaust had now risen to a terrible shattering ferocity, a continuous thunderous roar. Never in my life have I experienced such a vast cacophony of sound (passing Halesowen Junction, Longbridge) 6. Never before or since have I travelled through Northfield at such a speed; in fact this moment represented the ultimate I was to experience in terms of sheer speed and power whilst on the footplate. |
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My only Jubilee Lickey photo. 45651 in 1962. |
