A view of the North Norfolk Railway station at Weybourne in October 2006. Photo Charles Adams
Right : Charles standing in front of class 4 2-6-0 number 76079 in Holt station on the North Norfolk Railway in March 2009.
A tribute to Charles Adams a true steam enthusiast by Ben Boggis, a North Norfolk Railway volunteer.
Charles Adams was a self proclaimed 'puffer nutter'. He was bitten by the steam bug from an early age, and it went on to last a life time. His interest and passion for anything steam was all consuming, from narrow gauge to standard gauge, UK and foreign both road and rail. He was a keen railway photograper, and enjoyed railway reading, as well as taking an active part in the restoration and operation of some of the UK's preserved railways. His hands on involvement with steam coincided with the start of the preservation movement during the early 1970's. This led to him becoming one of the formative members of the then Yorkshire Dales Railway at Embsay and later volunteering on both the North Norfolk Railway and the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway. He was always willing to see and encourage new trainee footplate crew into the preservation movement, with many new drivers and fireman benefitting from his enthusiasm. A selection of Charles Adams photographs recording the early days of preservation at the Embsay and Bolton Abbey steam Railway can be found in one of the photo galleries of historical photos on the Embsay And Bolton Railway's web site.
Bagnall 0-6-0ST Cranford No. 2 built in 1942 as works number 2668, prepares to depart with a passenger service from Embsay station on the Embsay And Bolton Abbey Steam Railway. Photo Charles Adams.
Wells And Walsingham light railway Garratt 2-6-0+0-6-2 locomotive number 3 'Norfolk Hero' built in 1986, working a passenger service on the line. Photo Charles Adams.
Like many railway enthusiasts, his indulgence in photography came from a desire to capture and relive a bygone age. Ultimately this would lead to world travel in search of operational steam, where it was recorded on film and later flash cards for future generations. Charles visited several countries to record steam activities including Turkey, Bosnia, Serbia, China, America, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Germany to name but a few, as well as regularly visiting the many preserved railways around the UK.
A night time view of the locomotive depot at Daban China, with a number of QJ class 2-10-2 locomotives awaiting their next turn of duty in January 2005. Photo Charles Adams.
Here follows some extracts from Charles' diary entry from Sunday the 17th September 1989 on a trip to South Africa. Back in the glorious land of steam again where great black behemoths heave huge tonnages through barren scrublands, leaving their black signatures hanging in the sky. The steam is still preciously scarce, but even as my pen scratches the paper I hear the sweet sound of steam shunting in the yards, barely a mile away, it's mournful whistling piercing the night air. Steam has sent me to sleep and stirred my slumbers and I have found it so reassuring, so comfortable to hear it, for such regular sounds have long since departed the mother country. Unfortunately steam is breathing it's very last gasp as it is cast aside by the masters it so faithfully served. Instead the air is rent by the reverberating snarl of diesels, often hauling in multiple what a single steam loco could manage in it's heyday. On Monday 18th September 1989 Charles described in his diary the starting of a class 25 4-8-4 locomotive working a goods train on a steep gradient between Kraankuil and Potfontein. The engine rolled back before digging her heels in to restart her mammoth burden which had to be over 1,000 tons or more. The wheels slipped briefly and black smoke erupted furiously in bouts, the noise tearing the air. Slowly but surely this battle scarred veteran fought to gain momentum, shouting defiance at the grade, as bit by bit the exhaust quickened it's beat. This had to be the highlight of the day, even of the holiday thus far. This 'hack' was proving that she was anything but lame, in fact she had plenty of life in her. Full regulator, full gear, few other engines would have lasted long on a grade that was the equivalent of Shap in England, but which was just another hill to climb in South Africa.
Class 16E 4-6-2 locomotive number 858, pilots an unidentified 4-8-4 working light engine possibly at Orange River, in September 1989. Photo Charles Adams.
A small selection of Charles' railway photographs are shown below.
Duro Dakovic class 62 0-6-0T locomotive number 62-368 of 1953 and Henschel class 33 2-10-0 locomotive
number 33-236 of 1944 between duties outside of the locomotive repair workshops at Bukinje, Bosnia in April 2009. Photo
Charles Adams
Right : SC-3 class 2-8-0 locomotive number 29, built by ALCO in 1906 as works number 39637, working a passenger service on the Grand Canyon Railroad, USA. Photo Charles Adams.
Right : SC-3 class 2-8-0 locomotive number 29, built by ALCO in 1906 as works number 39637, working a passenger service on the Grand Canyon Railroad, USA. Photo Charles Adams.
Class 46 2-8-2 locomotive number 46217 built by Baldwin as works number 64513 in 1942, piloting class
56 2-10-0 locomotive number 56140 built by CKD as works number 2523 in 1949, working a passenger excursion train in Turkey
May 1988. Photo Charles Adams.
Right :B class 0-4-0ST locomotive number 802 built by North British in 1927 as works number 23678, takes on water at Tindarhia station, whilst working a passenger service to Darjeeling in January 1981. Photo Charles Adams collection.
Right :B class 0-4-0ST locomotive number 802 built by North British in 1927 as works number 23678, takes on water at Tindarhia station, whilst working a passenger service to Darjeeling in January 1981. Photo Charles Adams collection.
An 0-4-0 tram engine locomotive number B1221 built by Beyer Peacock as works number 2576 in 1884 working a passenger
service at Surabaya, Java on the 7th August 1975. Photo Charles Adams collection.
Right :Saxon Meyer 0-4-0+0-4-0T locomotive number 99.1516-6 built by Hartmann as works number 1779 in 1892 working a demonstration goods train on the preserved Dollnitzbahn between Oschatz and Mugeln, in March 2018. Photo Charles Adams
Right :Saxon Meyer 0-4-0+0-4-0T locomotive number 99.1516-6 built by Hartmann as works number 1779 in 1892 working a demonstration goods train on the preserved Dollnitzbahn between Oschatz and Mugeln, in March 2018. Photo Charles Adams
Class 556 2-10-0 locomotive number 556.036 built by Skoda as works number 2803 in 1952, working a
passenger excursion train at Brezno station in the Czech Republic, on the 25th September 1992. Photo Charles Adams
collection.
Right :Baldwin 0-6-0T plus tender, locomotive number 106 built as works number 59268 in 1926, working a loaded cane train across a river bridge on part of the railway system at Central La Carlota sugar mill on Negros Island in the Philippines in May 2009. Photo Charles Adams collection.
Right :Baldwin 0-6-0T plus tender, locomotive number 106 built as works number 59268 in 1926, working a loaded cane train across a river bridge on part of the railway system at Central La Carlota sugar mill on Negros Island in the Philippines in May 2009. Photo Charles Adams collection.
An early preservation scene at Lakeside station with class 4 2-6-4T locomotive number 42085 built at Brighton
works in 1951, working a passenger service from Haverthwaite on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite railway, on the 12th August
1973. Photo Charles Adams.
Right :Avonside 0-4-0T locomotive named Marchlyn built as works number 2067 in 1933, returns to its operational roots on part of the short lived re-instatement of the Penrhyn quarry railway at Bethesda. Photo Charles Adams.
Right :Avonside 0-4-0T locomotive named Marchlyn built as works number 2067 in 1933, returns to its operational roots on part of the short lived re-instatement of the Penrhyn quarry railway at Bethesda. Photo Charles Adams.
Class 4 2-6-0 locomotive number 43106 built at Darlington works in 1951, working a demonstration goods
train across Oldbury viaduct on the Severn Valley railway on the 20th April 2015. Photo Charles Adams.
Right : A recreation of the daily goods train to Grasington using Class 4 4-6-0 locomotive number 75014 built in Swindon works in 1951 and renumbered as 75019, this being one of the original locomotives operating this kind of train on the line in the late 1960's. Photo Charles Adams.
Right : A recreation of the daily goods train to Grasington using Class 4 4-6-0 locomotive number 75014 built in Swindon works in 1951 and renumbered as 75019, this being one of the original locomotives operating this kind of train on the line in the late 1960's. Photo Charles Adams.
Class 1300 0-6-0T locomotive number 1369 working a demonstration goods train along the river Dart on
the South Devon railway. Photo Charles Adams.
Right : A short demonstration passenger service on the Beamish museum railway using visiting Avonside 0-6-0ST locomotive number 34, built as works number 1764 in 1917, on the 9th April 2015. Photo Charles Adams.
Right : A short demonstration passenger service on the Beamish museum railway using visiting Avonside 0-6-0ST locomotive number 34, built as works number 1764 in 1917, on the 9th April 2015. Photo Charles Adams.
