To hot

Today was just way to hot, it was only 21 deg C but I get to stand next to the boiler on the steam engine all day which just makes it uncomfortable to say the lest! but it's all part of the job and I DO love the job, but just like all jobs it has it's good and bad points.... like slowing cooking in summer ;)

I guess one of the worst jobs I've done is cleaning out the smoke box at the end of the boiler so the boiler inspector can have a good look at it and we also took out the steam pipe to weld new ends on them. When you look at the photo all you see is a rusty looking place, BUT before I cleaned it out it was just BLACK with fine soot and ash, anyway it is a very good feeling when after all the work on it over a month or two it's finished and has come alive again.

Alive you say? YES it's the only thing that comes close to describing how it is.... how the engine seems to breath and live, how you have to feed and water it or it dies again, really the only major differences that a steam engine can die and then be made to live again and every other thing is dead for ever when it dies.

Today's weight 129.30kg, that's 1.25kg lost in 24 hours, so it make 2.80kg in 48 hours, I guess some of it is water but then I have also been good on the diet so far this week!

Jeff