Video: A steaming Christmas dinner that’s plain loco

Staff at a Yorkshire museum attempted the ultimate in outdoor cookery yesterday by creating a full Christmas feast on board the footplate of a steam locomotive.
Matt Ellis, a rail co-ordinator  at the National Railway Museum cooking sausages in the firebox of 'Teddy', a tank locomotive that pulls the Santa special trains at the museum.Matt Ellis, a rail co-ordinator  at the National Railway Museum cooking sausages in the firebox of 'Teddy', a tank locomotive that pulls the Santa special trains at the museum.
Matt Ellis, a rail co-ordinator at the National Railway Museum cooking sausages in the firebox of 'Teddy', a tank locomotive that pulls the Santa special trains at the museum.

The firebox of Teddy, a festive green locomotive that hauls Santa’s Steam Adventure at the National Railway Museum was used to cook the festive turkey feast for 4-6 people, complete with stuffing, roast vegetables and gravy.

Preparation started at the museum at York at 9am, when the locomotive was getting warmed up to take museum visitors on a magical ride to help Santa receive his letters in time for Christmas.

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The turkey and trimmings were baked to perfection in the firebox while pigs in blankets were sizzled using the traditional fireman’s shovel technique that has made bacon sandwiches a steam locomotive crew staple over the decades. Gravy was warmed up using a baked bean tin.

Matt Ellis, a rail co-ordinator  at the National Railway Museum cooking sausages in the firebox of 'Teddy', a tank locomotive that pulls the Santa special trains at the museum.Matt Ellis, a rail co-ordinator  at the National Railway Museum cooking sausages in the firebox of 'Teddy', a tank locomotive that pulls the Santa special trains at the museum.
Matt Ellis, a rail co-ordinator at the National Railway Museum cooking sausages in the firebox of 'Teddy', a tank locomotive that pulls the Santa special trains at the museum.

The resulting festive feast was served with all due ceremony on Christmas-themed paper plates. The brandy butter was also brought out for a Christmas pudding slowly steamed by steam engine.

Matthew Ellis, rail operations co-ordinator at the museum said: “There is a long history of cooking on the footplate, as although it was often frowned upon by those further up the railway hierarchy it was often the only way loco crews could get hot food on the move.”

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