At det at være fyrbøder tiltider har været et hårdt fysisk arbejde er der ingen tvivl om, undtaget hvis lokomotivet var oliefyret eller havde stoker, men det havde de danske lokomotiver som bekendt ikke. Men distancerne var jo heller ikke så lange. Men jeg kan da huske at min nu afdøde onkel fra Struer som var fyrbøder i damptiden, klagede over N maskinernes glubbende appetit.

Følgende lille beretning stammer fra bogen ”The Great Steam Trek” af A. Jorgensen (Jo uden dansk ø) og C.P. Lewis. En fantastisk flot billedbog med gode tekster om Sydafrikas jernbaner og damplokomotiver.

For many years the Rosmead 19Bs (Steen: 2D1 lok) worked a diagram involving running between Klipplaat and Neupoort. From Kendrew there is a continuous ramp of 84 miles to Lootsberg summit with a vertical climb of 3712 feet (Steen: Circa 1200 meter) followed by a descent to Rosmead and then another climb of 1180 feet in 21 miles to Carlton.
Handfiring an engine up nearly 5000 feet (Steen: circa 1600 meter) in one day is a feat which should qualify the Rosmead firemen for an entry in The Guiness Book of Records, especially when one remembers the coal was of poor quality and the 19Bs had short travel valves and voracious appetites.
Once we rode on the footplate of No 1413 on a northbound freight out of Graaff-Reinet. At 330 tons we were 15 tons overloaded for the 1:40 grade, and with driver Strauss in charge we knew we were in for an interesting ride.
The first 4 miles are solid 1:40 against the engine and we barely held walking pace. In spite of a huge build-up of 1413s fire before leaving, the young fireman was soon shoveling hard, sweat running down his neck. There was to be no respite for him for the next over four hours except at the water stops at Pretoriuskloof and Koloniesplaas. At Blouwater, where the last 1000 feet to the summit begins, driver Stauss reached into his seat box and pulled out a chunk of ballast which he jammed into the regulator quadrant. This held the lever full open against the vibration of the engine. Seeing our surprise when the fireman collapsed onto his seat and Strauss grabbed the showel and shouted above the roar of the exhaust; “Ek stook maar die berg uit”. There was apparently an understanding amongst some Rosmead crews that the last nine miles to the summit should be fired by the driver.

Samme bedrift omtales iøvrigt også på Wikipedias site vedr SARs 19B lokomotiv. link

Jeg mødte forøvrigt Jorgensen på min tur til Portugals smalsporsbaner i 1977. Vi havde et par interessante dage sammen på Corgo linien og han lærte mig et og andet om fotografering. Bl.a. når jeg bare stillede mig op og var klar til at tage et billede, gik han rundt i landskabet foran motivet og kiggede på beplantningen og andre ting for at finde den helt rigtige vinkel. Hist og her stampede han en lille busk ned eller brækkede en gren af som han syntes var i vejen paa billedet. Hans bog som jeg omtaler, er efter min mening den flotteste billedbog med damplokomotiver og landskaber som jeg kender. Absolut anbefalelesværdig!
Mvh
Steen