Steam Ban Nationwide

Many thanks Brian - my good friend, Harry, who is acting as Chauffeur to the Bride (he has a Porsche - least, I hope he said Porsche and not Porch!) keeps asking both of us if we've changed our minds and has checked with the Vicar what to do if Joyce changes her mind!

Steven

(Almost on topic - just stopped raining here now and menat to keep that way until the ceremony is over - another favour asked of the Lord, who, having brought Joyce and me together, seems to have had all the hard work to do on this wedding! )

 

Best wishes to you both Today reminds me of my own wedding day - sunny but unseasonably windy, all the photos were taken outside the church wall as it offered some shelter!

 

Looks like the breakdown has been very localised. We watched the planes into Gatwick dodging the the thunder and lighting to the West of Tunbridge Wells yesterday afternoon but not a lot of rain came nor much evidence of it along the A26 and A27. Tomatoes wilting today and strong wind has evaporated any moisture scorched grass and straw as dry as it was on Thursday. Only thing that has altered has been temperature

 

Was volunteering on the railway sunday and people asking why it's raining and where running diesel people don't know that railways plan there loco roster a week or more in advance so by the time rain is on the forecast the loco roster is already done
We m issed the thunder storms Friday night but got a small 5 minute storm on Saturday around 4pm but on Sunday I was coming back from the station on my motorbike and the heavens opened I got soaked never seen so much rain now it's drying up again and heatwave back and end of week and they say all August looks good weather so where back at square 1

 

On the GCR today its a dmu shuttle between Rothley and Leicester North due to fire risk.

 

Had a trip behind 1501 on 7 teaks yesterday. 1501 is a loud engine, but it fairly 'whispered' up Eardington. Clearly it was being driven with fire risk in mind and was a superb example of enginemanship and the power of this little loco, as it still managed to get the load up to line speed.

Shropshire is still tinder dry compared to here in Mid-Wales, which has greened up in the last couple of weeks.

 

I'll vouch for that.

 

Wonderful picture !

Today's version of the forecast for Saturday it does look like the August monsoon is on it's way - the only thing you can guarantee is it will probably be different by then!
I hope the irony won't be lost on anyone with a 120 ton steam whistle on the front of their train .
Here's hoping NR are confident enough to relax the restrictions at least in the north.

 

Guess it all depends in how dynamic the risk assessment process can be.

 

Where was that photo taken?

However...

The UK's hot weather could last until October, the Met Office has said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45085034

 

And I guess how big a risk they want to take.
To us on here it is of course a very important and significant weekend. To those trying to run a semi broken railway on a daily basis it may be a risk too far. A fire on Shap that delays to mega minutes of delay and numerous regular passengers inconvenienced may be a risk too far. That is apart from risk to crops, lineside equipment and maybe property etc.
My bigger concern (and that is probably because my wife will tell you I only ever see the negative in things) is that someone in NR thinks actually it has worked really well with diesel behind steam and that is the way forward. I can not think of any tours running late since this was introduced and even when the diesel failed on the S & C there was a handily placed 8F to help out to get to Hellifield.
I am sure people will scream open access but rules (and laws) only apply until they are changed.

I hope nothing does change because I for one would not want to spend the rest of my life behind a "show pony"

 

Hallelujah, a sane voice. Couldn't agree more.

 

Yes, that encapsulates my concern precisely. I completely accept the need to restrict/curtail steam operations during drought conditions and I can keep amused by switching to other interests for a few months. Beyond that it's a different matter. Steam haulage without steam doing the haulage makes gardening look more attractive. Being a glass-half-full man, I think there is sufficient interest in real steam to stop this happening.

 

Agreed but there is a vocal and, in my view, misguided group which keeps trumpeting the palpable nonsense that show ponys do no harm becauae it keeps the customers happy enough. Presumably the same people would argue against NR imposing it as a condition on the basis it was damaging to business?
If its too dry for steam run the train with a diesel, apologise to customers, offer some recompense and start running proper trains when its cooler.

 

Yes I wondered. Where I worked orders were if the track was flooded ,go slow as possible but if water goes into the ash pan ,stop and reverse out. .This was in ironstone quarries.
I was riding behind a New Zealand oil burner (KA942 )that slipped on a steep grade ,the sparks from the wheel slip caused a embankment fire. That was noticed from the train a few minutes later ,we reversed and put out the fire with fire fighting equipment which was carried on the train. As mentioned before brake blocks rubbing on wheels will also create sparks.

 

And of course Saturday is a big risk assessment as consists of 2 Northbound runs over Shap, 1 Northbound run over the S & C and 3 Southbound runs over the S & C.
Rather glad I am not part of that decision making process.

 

I thought it looked like a GWR 22xx in the Devon countryside, but caption says “Remarkable steam locomotive showing its teeth going through flood caused by heaviest rain of the season Boston, photo by Leslie Jones during the Boston floods of 1915”

 

The Boston floods 1915 photo would actually appear to be this one, and it refers to Boston, Massachusetts, not Lincolnshire...
https://superretro.com/boston-steam-locomotive-on-submerged-tracks-during-the-floods-of-1915/

The picture you posted seems to have been taken in floods in the Melbourne, Victoria, area, and is shown as such on the couple of versions I found of it (South Yarra floods)
That explains why the loco looks rather British, but the coach behind is an odd clerestory design (look at the end nearest the loco) and the buildings in the background are rather "Colonial" in their style!

It was in 1907 according to the original postcard....
https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/598be51621ea8d19dce721ea

.

 

Glad you clarified that, I can’t remember any cuttings near the real Boston!


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