The firemen these days seem to favour using the firehole doors instead of the flap whilst fireing. I believe that using the doors is rather harder than using the flap. I was a fireman in the early 60s at Canton and we only used the flap. We also used the small pricker to pull coal forward in the tender. I don't understand why drivers, of all engines, have to open the cylinder cocks on starting out when there are numerous photographers trying to photograph the loco and it is shrouded in steam. Poor driving.
Driverjock... a valid comment about efficient use of resources however I did notice the fireman wasn't exactly overworked and firing like no tomorrow. He seemed to be standing around quite alot of the video. However to confirm I do believe for a 25mph linespeed the driving style should of been more efficient..
Would be interested to know what cut of was being used, full regulator on a flat 25mph railway seems a over the top, sounds like blower is hard on and both small & large ejectors in use all the time, hard work for the fireman & a waste of coal & water
