Mainline Steam Tours - Serious Fire Risk

Not on a railway but...

I was on Ainsdale beach yesterday and had walked past this area less than 10 minutes before. I was downwind and there was no sign of smoke or any fire.



The fire spread over a few acres of grassy dunes within minutes fanned by a strong easterly wind.







Luckily it was blowing in that direction, if it was blowing from the southwest, west or northwest a lot more dune grass and tinder dry grassland would have been destroyed and there is also a pine forest further to the east near RAF Woodvale. The damage seen was done within around 25-30 mins.

Sorry the image quality isn't brilliant but I only had a small compact camera with me and I wasn't getting in any closer, especially in shorts and sandals!

Neil

 

Have to say I am very sorry bit I think Steam Dreams and their customers have drawn the short straw here with their major tour about to start.

Parts of the country are in a very bad state at present and even a day or so more without prolonged rain, and fire fighting resources are going to get very stretched.

So anything that adds, even very slightly, to the risk of more fires is going to be a very real problem. IMHO.

And that comment from someone whose total hatred of anything box shaped within miles of a steam hauled train is very well known.

 

That's why the bobby had his back turned..............

 

As you have probably seen me in my usual summer attire of shorts and walking boots Ralph it wouldn't have been that scary, though if I have been a bit closer my legs would be a bit bald by now.. :biggrin1:

Luckily this fire broke out around a mile from the main entrance to the beach, if it had been near the main vehicle entrance it would have been pretty scary for all the familes with small children playing in the dunes with the speed it initially spread.

Neil.

 

That's almost on my doorstep Neil. Heard a rumour there'd been a sighting of a man in shorts with very white legs, he he
Seriously though, the Pinewoods are home to red squirrels, and must be tinder dry at the moment

 

Have read elsewhere of rumours of a steam ban in the south which may affect 34067's LE move from Southall to Carnforth on Friday. Can anyone confirm?

 

Having started this topic a couple of weeks ago, I cannot believe it is any drier than it was when 70013/black 5 from Cornwall and 5029 Bristol to Paddington trains took place. I was fearful of an over reaction from the authorities and this may now have happened.

Ironic when the first rain in a couple of months is forecasted for Saturday!

 

We have had around an hour or so of reasonably heavy rain here in south Lancs this afternoon but it has stopped now.

Neil.

 

If I had a £1 for every forecast of rain which does not happen, I would not need to do the lottery again!

 

Report on one of the Yahoo groups that 46115's move to York tomorrow has been cancelled due to fire risk and steam ban over the S&C.

 

Very unlikely that a loco + coach move, limited to 45mph, will be banned. If the rumours concerned 45305 in Kent or 6201 on the ECML, then they might be slightly more credible. Trouble is, so many of us are debating whether or not a ban might be imposed, that our speculations tend to come back round to us as certainties.

Likewise, there's no need to ban a loco+coach move. Mind you, it's shown on UKsteam.info as 46115+diesel+ECS, so I'm not sure what's going on there. Surely Lizzie is bringing the coaches from London? Or maybe they're needed for a different tour starting from York this weekend?

 

I wonder what will happen about it's stint on the Cathedrals Explorer then? If the report is true, it is probably the thin end of the wedge. Regarding the serious forest fires in the Bracknell/Crowthorne areas over the last week or so, I believe roads are still closed. Not sure if it is still burning though. Also just heard on the local news that two 14 year old boys have been arrested on suspicion of arson ( I believe related to this).

 

Raining in Yorkshire keighley/skipton etc

 

Rain falling here in Mid Wales, first serious rain here for weeks. Would have been pretty dodgy otherwise for the Cathedrals Explorer over the Central Wales next Thursday.

 

Just heard on very good authority, that 5043 and 4965 on the Birmingham-Didcot-Birmingham run to celebrate 6023's official launch, started 4 lineside fires which resulted in over 80 hours of delays to normal services.

No wonder the NR regions are getting twitchy!!

 

Just the opposite here, forecast now for more hot-sunny weather. It always seems the SE corner of the UK escapes rain when you look at the tv weather charts. Now caused by the Spanish something or other. Looks like plenty of rain from the midlands northwards though, also in the SW corner.

 

They set fire to the outskirts of Worcester on the north-bound leg of the tour.

 

The problem with some of the fires on the moors in Yorkshire, for instance, one of which is less than a mile from me, is that they go very deep and in fact never really go out at all. The slight shower we have had in the last 24 hours wo'nt really help matters, even though all our "heroes" aka fireman are working to put them out.

 

Local news this morning; still burning; 90 fire engines around the site pumping water from local reservoir. BUT BUT BUT heavy rain forecast for this evening !!! Lets hope they,re right for once and it helps the firefighters.!! No steam due around here for a while.