STEAM LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEMAN’S. Manual - part 10

Chapter 5: - Fireman’s Duties

 

 

 

 

The clinker bar is placed back in the correct position after 
which the fire is spread over the clinker bar to prevent 
chilling of the tube plate. 

 
 

The fire is then built up ready for starting the train. 

 
 

The ashpan traps are closed following which a check must 
be made to ensure they are fully closed.  This is important to 
avoid the risk of dropping live ashes when running. 

 
 

After the traps are closed and the ashpan water closed off, 
the level of water in the boiler is noted to ensure that it is 
satisfactory. 

 
5.5 

MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES OF FIREMEN 

 
 

The footboards, engine front, gauge glasses and protectors, 
cab windows, boiler front, cab panels, oil bottles and feeders 
are cleaned.  Coal is wetted to prevent dust from blowing 
into the cab.  In addition, the fireman performs such other 
duties as may be required of him by the Driver. 

 
5.6 

FIREMEN TO TAKE RIGHTAWAY SIGNALS 

 
 

Firemen are to look for Rightaway signals as required and 
advise the Driver of the Rightaway.  Firemen are to ensure 
that all is clear when a Righta way signal is given. 

 
 

Firemen are to look back and observe trains leaving 
platforms until the last carriage has left the platform.  A close 
watch is to be kept to see that all doors and gates are closed 
and that no passenger is attempting to join or alight from the 
train while it is leaving the platform. 

 
5.7 

TAKING ON COAL 

 
 

Coal is usually loaded at Box Flat, by end loader, before the 
start of public train operations.  After coal has been loaded, 
any coal, which has spilled onto the footplate, is to be picked 
up and the cab floor swept. 

 
 

Coal is to be kept clear of the water filler recess at the back 
of the tender.  Space must be allowed for the fire irons to be 
safely placed on the hooks provided. 

 

Chapter 5: - Fireman’s Duties

 

 

 

5.8 

FIRING METHODS 

 
 

The admission of too much air into the firebox will reduce the 
temperature and damage could be caused to firebox plates.  
On the contrary, if there is insufficient air, the combustible 
gases will not all ignite and will drift away in the form of 
smoke. 

 
 

A smoldering smoky fire in all cases denotes defective 
combustion.  The air that gets through a partly open fire 
door, when the firebox is full of flame, will not cause harm to 
the boiler.  Effective combustion will only be obtained by a 
proper air supply for a given quantity of coal, according to  
coal quality. 

 
 

Engines should be fired with ‘half shovels’ at short intervals. 
The firedoor should be kept about two inches open after 
shoveling coal onto the fire to allow air to come into quick 
contact with the combusting coal.  If the firedoor is shut 
immediately after each shovel full of coal is put in the firebox, 
the intake of air for combustion is restricted and unburnt 
gases will be produced and pass out the chimney as smoke. 

 
 

The firedoor should never remain fully closed while the 
regulator is open on an engine fitted with a brick arch and 
baffle plate. 

 
 

The emission of smoke for an instant immediately after firing 
is an indication that the fuel bed is in good condition, but if 
smoke continues to show for any length of time, it is an 
indication that insufficient oxygen is available for the amount 
of coal fired, causing a lowering of temperature in the fire 
box.  The firedoor may need to be opened wider.  As density 
of smoke decreases the opening of the firedoor should be 
narrowed. 

 
 

When firing,  coal should be fired purposefully to a definite 
area of the grate.  It has been found that coal thrown 
haphazardly through the firehole can be carried over the 
brick arch causing a blockage of the lower tubes and poor 
steaming. 

 
 

Refer to FIGURE 6 in Annex A. 

 
 

This Figure shows how coal should be introduced into a 
narrow firebox, each successive half-shovel full being thrown 
to the points indicated by the numbers, in sequence.  This 
method of firing will tend to make the firebed uniform but the 
judgment of the Fireman must be depended open to ensure 
that thin spots are kept covered. 

Chapter 5: - Fireman’s Duties

 

 

 

 

A spot or hole in the fire will admit a large welcome of cold 
air in the firebox causing a serious chilling effect. 

 
 

If the engine is not steaming freely, the fire should be leveled 
over occasionally.  The firebed in the PB15 locomotive 
should ideally slope evenly from the backhead of the firebox 
to the tubeplate. 

 
 

If a firebed becomes dull over portions, it is an indication that 
clinker has set on the grate.  Cinders may begin to ‘boil up’ 
from places where draught through the grate is not impeded 
and pile up over the dull places.  If the clinker is not dealt 
with early, the Fireman will experience trouble in maintaining 
steam pressure. 

 
 

The pricker should be used to break up the coked surface of 
a firebed to allow air to penetrate.  The pricker should not 
disturb the ash under live coals. 

 
 

If a firing must be placed before the previous one is properly 
burnt through, the pricker may be used in order to loosen the 
fire.  If smoke is emitted after the engine has stopped, the 
firebox door should be opened, the dampers closed and the 
blower gently put on until the smoke disappears. 

 
 

When working up hill, the firedoor should be used as little as 
possible.  Experienced Firemen leave the door open just 
wide enough to permit the front and middle of the box to be 
fed with half shovels. 

 
5.9 

FEEDING THE BOILER WITH WATER 

 
 

The successful working of an engine depends, to a great 
extent, on how the boiler is fed with water.  At all times the 
supply should be regulated such that the steam pressure 
and the water level in the boiler vary as little as possible. 

 
 

When using the injector, it should be cut down to the point 
where it will feed the water to the boiler at the same rate as 
the water in the boiler is being evaporated. 

 
 

The best water levels to be maintained are three quarters of 
a glass on a rising grade, half a glass on the level and a 
quarter of a glass on a falling grade. 

 
 

When going up a bank, it is important to be certain that there 
is sufficient water in the boiler to cover the crown sheet of 
the firebox at the top of the bank, before moving onto a down 
grade section.   

 

Chapter 5: - Fireman’s Duties

 

 

 

 

On a long rising grade, the water level should not be allowed 
to fall below half a glass at any time.  The boiler should not 
be filled to more than three quarters of a glass when starting 
out with a train. 

 
 

To prevent the engine from blowing off steam while standing 
for periods of time, the water in the boiler should be kept 
sufficiently low before stopping to allow the injector to be 
worked, if necessary, without having to overfill the boiler. 

 
 

Care should be taken to avoid blowing off at the safety 
valves as it is unnecessary and wastes water and coal.  It 
also intensifies any tendency of the boiler to prime. 

 
 

Care should also be taken not to overfill the boiler, as this 
may also cause the boiler to prime. 

 
5.10 

THROWING SPARKS 

 
 

It is important to keep the smoke box of the engine airtight to 
avoid throwing sparks through the chimney.  Spark arrestors, 
tubes and blast pipes on engines must also be kept clean to 
prevent sparks from being ejected. 

 
  

If an engine is throwing sparks, it could be attributed to a 
defective spark arrestor, but in some cases it is caused by 
the bottom of the smokebox drawing air or the air being 
drawn around the blast pipe, steam pipes or at the ash jet 
cap. 

 
 

If the smokebox is kept airtight and the spark arrestor, blast 
pipe, tubes and top of the brick arch are kept clean, the 
engine will steam more freely, run better, consume less coal, 
and will not throw sparks from the chimney. 

 
5.11 

WORKING OF FIRE DOOR ON DOWN GRADES 

 
 

When running down grades with the regulator shut, care 
should be exercised in order to prevent cold air from getting 
into the firebox and tubes and causing possible tube 
leakage. 

 
 

When the regulator is shut off, the firedoor should be closed 
as far as possible so that excessive smoke is not issuing 
from the chimney.  When the fire is bright and smoke has 
cleared away, the door can be fully closed and the blower 
turned off.