Farewell to Fonmon - 26th & 27th September

The Spa Valley's gutsy little Peckett 0-6-0ST No. 1636 'Fonmon' is due to bow out of traffic over the weekend of the 26th & 27th September, at the end of her ten year boiler ticket.

The little engine is being withdrawn after 12 years extensive service on the railway to receive a well earned overhaul.

All the footplate staff at 75F want to given one our favourite engines the send off she deserves and so this weekend will be dedicated to her. The weekend will see Fonmon haul what is normally the morning diesel service on her own before she teams up with one of the railway's other engines to double head services for the remainder of the day.

All the crews will be out for one last go on the old girl so expect some impressive displays and the other engine not to be helping too much!!!

Finally Fonmon's final trip on Sunday will be full of a few surprises so make sure you're there to witness her final trip for some time.

Matt

 

Will hopefully be around on the Sunday, as that's the kind of attitude I like to hear!

 

Farewell to Fonmon Day 1

Well Day 1 of our Farewell Weekend to our favourite Peckett is now complete and she certainly put in some fine displays with the Pannier tank today. I was driving the Pannier and Fonmon sounded pretty impressive and the firemen certainly nailed the pressure on the red line.

Tomorrow sees the same thing with a couple of surprises for visitors later in the day. The Jinty will be the assisting engine tomorrow and I will be firing Fonmon on the second train of the afternoon and driving her final train. Really looking forward to it if today is anything to go by.

Hopefully see some of you there!

Matt

 

Looking forward to it! Booked on the 0749 ex Leicester to be there for the last 3 round trips

 

Probably got some pictures of you then Matt! I was around all day today and will sort my pictures out tommrow or Monday. Very much enjoyed today, great to see all the progress on the extention going on everywhere as well!

 

Pictures from Saturday...

http://ashleysmith355.fotopic.net/c1699173_34.html

 

Well, the last run today was certainly loud! Worth my somewhat poor journey from Leicester (involving the ******* Harringworth line, being pathed behind a fcc service which developed a fault and stuck at 10mph, no victoria line service, replacement buses from Tonbridge, cancelled service back to London, uber-fast tube dash across London, and the ******* Harringworth line again!)! Will post a video tomorrow. Cheers everyone

 

You may wish to edit this before admin read it!

I was rapped over the knuckles a couple of years ago for using asterisks in a much milder word than ones you've suggested.

I understand the frustration though and look forward to the video.

 

Fair point! Will upload that video soon...

 

Fonmon Farewell Day 2

Well, Day 2 turned out to be very eventful. Fonmon tried her hardest to throw a spanner in to the celebrations on Sunday morning when it was discovered one of her axleboxes had run a little hot on Saturday evening. However by sheer determination, the team at 75F made sure she was going to fulfil her duties and go out on a high.

Some fantastic runs throughout the day with all the loco department paying their last respects to this well loved engine followed. The final trip of the day brought everyone out to see Fonmon off and chalk messages on her smokebox. It certainly brought a lump to a few people's throats and there was the odd tear. (It's truely amazing how these lumps of metal have an affect on you.)

'Fonny' responded to everything that was asked of her. And boy what a noise she made, especially as the load was 4 Mk1s and a 350 shunter (it should have been a Class 33 but it failed in the morning) on its way back from a works party. The Jinty assisted where required but 'Fonny' was the one in charge.

It was a true honour to drive her on the final trip. For me I have grown up with this engine, having my first footplate ride on her, becoming a cleaner, a fireman and later a driver. Putting her back on shed lead to a few quiet minutes for me and my fireman as we realised the end had finally come but then the memories of the last two days started coming back and there were smiles all round the yard!

Fonmon will definitely return, as everyone at 75F wants to see her out hauling trains at her 100th birthday in 2024. This weekend's celebration will appear nothing to what that weekend could produce. We hope to make a start on her just as soon as some of the projects currently underway, are completed but don't expect much to happen for a few years yet.

Matt

 

Video will be available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOYmayphTD0 when youtube's finished processing the '0's and '1's...

 

Excellent video George. Hope you enjoyed the day despite the travel problems!

Matt