New fireman passed out!

[Chris Janisch]

FOTR now have 2 newly qualified firemen!
Steve Smith and Dewald Heydenrych received instruction and guidance from Cliff Avis, and were passed out by Machiel Boshoff, both of the TFR railway college. Here are some pics of these new men of steam with Machiel and Cliff, on loco 3664 at Capital Park on 14 February 2009.

[Tom Macrery]

Well done, Steve and Dewald. Next step: Driver!

[Nathan Berelowitz]

Wonderfull news. Congratulations to the both of you. May the shovel ring and the safety valves sing!

[John Ashworth]

Congratulations, Steve and Dewald! To repeat the advice I was given by many an old footplateman several years ago, now you've qualified you can actually begin to learn how to be firemen!

[Kevin Wilson-Smith]

Steve and Dewald - congratulations! Contact Nathan to book your tattoo!

[Gabor Kovacs]

Congratulations to both Dewald and Steve S!

Wishing you both many hours of steaming bliss!

Gabor

[Steve Appleton]

I would like to add my congratulations to Steve and Dewald. Well done. Grateful thanks must also go to Cliff Avis for being such a good instructor and also a keen supporter of FOTR.
Next stop, shedmen and then, drivers.

[John Ashworth]

I second Kevin on the tattoos!

Oh yes, and Gabor, where's your FOTR fireman's tattoo?!

[Gabor Kovacs]

John,

Sorry, to disappoint but I will never have a tattoo!

Don't believe it is right!

I have no problem with FotR tee-shirts & caps!

[John Ashworth]

Fair enough!

[Mike Haslam]

At long last! Congratulations to both.

John, they will acquire their very own tattoos soon enough, off the hot pipes. Very colourful when first done!!

[John Ashworth]

Ah yes, the fireman's badge of honour, most commonly worn somewhere between wrist and elbow in my experience!

[Mike Haslam]

Except, John, the day you were not prepared for it when I had to rush off for a customer emergency. Some pretty hot legs I understand and I mean it not in the "Rod Stewart" way.

[John Ashworth]

Yes. Advice to the new firemen: if you are not rostered as fireman for the day, off duty, never pop in just to say hallo while wearing shorts. When the rostered fireman suddenly becomes unavailable at the last minute, and they look around asking who is going to take over at short notice, you will find yourself with very hot knees!