Steam Dreams 2021

Like you, my initial response is to throw hands in air and bemoan society for its nappying attitude and vexatious litigation tendencies. However, when you think about it calmly, a safety valve lifting under a bridge - or just by the rail/parapet, could have serious safety implications. Not so at Winchfield, but what if there was also OHLE? the potential (scuse the pun) is obvious. I am going to pop down to Chertsey passenger bridge next Surrey hills run, and see what the attitude there is.

 

I'd defer to someone with electrical engineering knowledge, but if there were such a risk associated with safety valves lifting under OHLE, I'd be surprised that steam were allowed there.

 

Mayflower on yesterdays trip to Lincoln, alongside the Harringworth Viaduct Shuttle with 7029 and 46233:

 

A note for anyone going out to photograph Clan Line on the 14th. As far as I know it will be vacuum braked so a uniform set of maroons with no Pullman liveried support coach behind the engine.

 

What do you consider the risks to be?

 

25KV, Water vapour under pressure, not very large distances - You just need basic physics to see the potential, let alone high pressure steam being blasted at someone overhead.
Plenty of recent OHLE strike videos and past station instances of flashover just through steam to give a demonstration.

Re Winchfield, not been there for a year or so, do they still have that rickety old bridge? If so Its not disability open access suitable, nor is the road bridge. They must throw up one of those hideous huge over engineered Gomshall things soon.

 

Well how about standing with your face just over the parapet when 200psi of steam suddenly smack you around. That'll raise an eyebrow.. How about debris being thrown up from the gaps in those planks, You dont need to be too inventive to see the risks.

 

I fully comprehend the logic behind the risk, but question how it is that this has not been deemed worth active risk management until recently.


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Fine by me - Liveried pullmans round the back streets of Hounslow always seems a bit incongruous.

 

No idea, with hindsight its maybe been a long time coming. Post Flying Scotsman lunacies perhaps

 

Never bothered us as spotters in the 50s and it happened not infrequently if not regularly.

 

Good pun if you meant it. I have rather more than basic physics and I think the risks that you imagine are insignificant. I fail to see the relevance of recent OHLE strike videos. If you think one is at risk from a flashover standing on a bridge, you are not. Can you provide an example of flashover through steam?

 

here ya go.



The risk of electrocution from a flashover is small, because the bridge is bonded. There are other risks from being near explosive expansion however.

 

B R done tests in Liverpool Street station in the early fifties regarding steam loco's under the wires.Nothing was found to be a problem.

 

All these examples of flashovers are a good illustration of why the minimum distance from a OHL for anyone is 2.75m and the use of fire irons is banned under the wires. That must sometimes cause a problem if running long distances on electrified track and the fire needs a bit of livening up.

 

Yes, I remember that, but that is a flashover from the OHL through the locomotive to ground. Not the same thing as steam causing a flashover UP to a bridge or other structure. What are the risks from this explosive expansion as you call it?

I've also seen that one before. Again a flashover from the OHL through the loco to ground.

 

PS. I think I might have misunderstood you @mrKnowwun . Did you mean steam locomotives causing flashovers as distinct from the substance steam itself causing flashovers? If that is the case, don't forget that diesel and electric locomotives also cause flashovers as do other rail vehicles and none are assessed to be a significant risk to bystanders on bridges or for that matter platforms.