Mainline Steam Tours - Serious Fire Risk

More than likely, as the local pyromaniacs enjoy setting the valleys alight, with incidents occurring every year whenever there's prolonged dry weather.

 

19.....mumble.....mumble....mumble.... LOL!

 

So are we witnessing climate change or just a decade long bout of "freak weather conditions"?
If I had to nip along to William Hills tomorrow I know where I'd bet my fiver.

 

I'm not sure that the planet's climate has ever been that stable?

It's just that in the previous long and hot dry spells there were no transport problems as horse and carts didn't start roadside fires!

 

Heard the smog warning myself this morning, hot weather & lack of wind being blamed. People with complaints like asthma are being told to stay indoors & keep their doors & windows shut. Last thing you want to do in these conditions! Actually at around 5pm last night we had a few spots of heavy rain, only lasted a few minutes though & very localised. Possible heavy rain & thunderstorms may be on the cards in this area tomorrow (believe it when I see it).

 

I seem to remember from the 60's, that frequent 'smog' conditions especially in London were caused mainly by combination of fog and smoke ( yes, coal fires of all sorts). But take away the coal/smoke element and what is the 'smog' now ??Just heat and general emissions assumably. Might as well have the steam engines give us a REAL smog again !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We had a torrential downpour in West Wales last night. It was a welcome change! Its pretty overcast now, though.

 

Lucky you!

 

Heavy thundery rain in Sheffield now ! first rain for a weeks.
Brian

 

I let the wipers on the car have 5 flicks on the way home in York just now.

 

Wipers? What are they fitted for? Can't see why they are a legal requirement.

 

They are needed to wipe the dust off windscreens. So I use them every day I drive the car down here in Kent.

We had a few rumbles to the West today. But nothing fell from the sky. Except the dust!

 

Well, it sort of rained a bit at just around 17:45 at Grosmont. As the 17:30 from Whitby approached, with 250+ passengers primed to change train to swap over the 6 and 7 coach Whitby sets, the heavens opened and the hail started - some of it the size of golf balls by the time we were in the plaftorm. I radioed the Controller and once he'd stopped screaming he was soaked to the skin, it was rapidly agreed to forgoe the set swap. There was nearly a cheer the length of the train when we said "hold you seats"! Torrential to heavy to light rain for over an hour in the Whitby area, nothing by the time I got home to Northallerton but a sharp shower a few minutes ago. Thundery downpours as forecast.

Steven

 

Had a very light shower in B'ham on Friday evening and nothing else. I hope this doesn't mean that when I visit the SVR on Friday that the trains stop every few minutes for the TTI and crew to jump off and run along the embankment with their fire beaters. It can be quite entertaining to watch but makes for a very long journey.

 

Crowthorne and Bracknell in Berkshire, not to mention the North West and Ireland, have suffered serious forest fires over the last day or so.

What the Great Britain proved is that efficient spark arrestors are capable in the main, of supressing the angry sparks which can cause lineside fires and with only one incident in Scotland reported, those in authority, very surprisingly in my view, gave steam a chance and it didn't let anyone down.

With continued dry weather this week, mainline steam crews must be cautious and not thrash their steeds as this is when trouble happens.

Weather forecasst for next Saturday is wet and windy for the UK and let us hope that this brings an end to this exceedingly unusual hot and dry spell which has lasted so many weeks and months, in some areas.

 

I was about to say, at least you can't blame the fires in the Crowthorne/Bracknell areas on steam locos. You could see the smoke from these in certain parts of Reading, especially from the M4 bridges. I think it was pretty serious, several roads were shut in the area. Again, I have to say, no rain here for the last two months at least. Any forecast rain never happens, some threatened in the next few days-we'll see? Yes it is cooler/windier/cloudier. BUT STILL DRY!

 

At long last the kids are now back at school (what is one of them?). Should now keep them out of mischief.