On Saturday I had another excellent day at the SLSLS grounds in Ryde.

I started off spending a while using my brushcutter to get rid of a lot of overgrown grass and other plants impeding progress around the elevated track [which I will need in a fortnight’s time if I can get to the “Smaller Gauges Open Day”]

I was then able to get my steam engine through both its “hydraulic test” and its “steam test”, which means that it is certified as safe to use in the future (4 years in theory).

We then tried to run my engine around the circuit.

The trouble was, I had forgotten to put the “steam oil” into the oil supply for the cylinders, so it lost steam constantly, and after about 100m “I ran out of steam” – literally.

However this disappointment was lessened by my being given a chance to drive the 3½ inch gauge “Britannia”, which was also having its steam test done.

It is a much bigger model engine than mine and as such is very “forgiving” if you are an inexperienced driver (!).

I drove it around the circuit a couple of times – really special !!!!