The Plug Dropper - Ardrossan Steam Engine Days

[johndo]

I can remember that wee yellow loco great to see it has been saved, don't remember seeing the diesel loco

[Hughie]

I remember watching from the Montgomerie Street bridge the wee pug shunting in the Shell Mex - our neighbour from Whitlees Crescent, Mr Bates was the driver.

[aland]

I can remember that wee yellow loco great to see it has been saved, don't remember seeing the diesel loco

the diesel wasnt regarded as a success, it was only used while the fireless was needing an overhaul, shell decided that as the power source for the fireless (steam strangely enough) was a by product of the bitumen refining they would use that as it was basically free fuel. the fireless went back home to andrew barclay in kilmarnock for an overhaul and the fowler diesel went to another refinery

[johndo]

its a pity the restoration did not keep it yellow

[calleytwo]

[quote="

if a fireman dropped a plug by failing to keep the correct water level in the boiler it was almost a hanging offence in railway terms[/quote]

And so it should be - it could be dangerous. Here in South Australia a few years back one of our great streamline 520 class locos (one of the most successful engines ever built anywhere), running on one of our preserved railways, dropped a plug. The resultant steam scalded one of the three people on the footplate so badly he died. Re the fireless loco "pug" was a generic nickname applied to small four wheeled steam locos - usually employed on docks, coal mines, factories and steel works. Incidentally one of the most successful and prolific builders of the coal fired pugs was Andrew Barclay in Kilmarnock! Wee Ali

[aland]

the shell pug is a barclay loco, surprising amount of barclay locomotives survive in preservation, a lot of the 040 pugs but also the 060 not to mention barclay built industrial diesels

[Meg]

Our much missed member BobbyDarg worked there along with my cousin and Mitchy's favourite uncle Hugh Gordon.

Meg