[Malc-Y]

Yesterday we steamed David Philpot's Clayton from Luton to Old Warden, an enjoyable and oterwise un-eventful journey. We left David's yard at 10.25 and arrived at our peg at 18.00, 22 miles in about 7 1/2 hours including two stops to pick up water from streams and several stops to transfer more wood from the trailer to the engine bunker and a stop of about an hour for a leisuerly lunch.......However, before leaving the yard we noticed a steady drip of water from the rear left hand side of the firebox, we initially thought that it was the mudhole door leaking but on looking into the ashpan with the aid of a torch we could see that there was a leak from under the foundation ring.....So the first job on Friday morning before lighting up will be dropping the ashpan and caulking the area of the leak.
I am relating all this so as to scotch any rumours that may spread around the rally field (as they do) on someone seeing the ashpan of and various legs sticking out from under the engine that there is nothing seriously wrong!

Malc.