Fire Risk

What was the post war experience in the UK with oil firing like and what might it tell us for todays operations?

 

I understand 4024 burns a heavy oil which has a lighter fraction added, perhaps gas oil, to make it easier to pump.

What we don't want is bunker C heavy fuel which is the dregs of oil refining. It's high in trace elements and needed to be steam heated even in East Africa to keep it fluid. It did burn clean if handled carefully. But a bucket of sand needed to be chucked in the firebox every now and again to remove the sticky soot mixture which stuck to the fusebox and tubes. Photos to follow later when I'm back on my computer.
Cheers, Neil

 

Moving back to fire risk issues - as I predicted I am sorry to say that the Swanage trip this week is now diesel-hauled.

 

52 8055 is more than just an oil fired conversion, it's incredibly efficient. All the bearings have been replaced with roller bearings, including on the rods. The boiler is a lot better insulated, and warm water can be pumped through it overnight so it's ready to go in the morning.

https://dlm-ag.ch/en/10060-2-copy-copy-copy-copy/

It's been used on overnight engineering trains because it's capable of sitting silently for hours on end in built up areas, then being ready to go almost instantly when required.

 

Less surprising to me than the Castle being allowed to run on Saturday.

 

The oil fired German 01 seems to burn relatively cleanly, certainly putting out less than the coal fired mobile smokescreen that is Tangmere normally seems to.

 

Some nice footage. It's a long time since I last went up the Shiefe Ebene. That was behind 01 coal fired pacifcs back in normal steam days, on the Bamberg-Hof trains of course.

Bryan

 

Thanks for that. I have read a bit about it and it certainly wasn't just a conversion to light oil firing.

Bryan

 

February 1973 from memory. Even time runs Hof to Bamberg after falling down a cutting in the snow on the Schiefe Ebene trying to phot an 01. Recovered while eating sourcraut chips and sausages in the buffet at Bamberg and then carrying on overnight to Austria

 

Did you sample the smoked beer in Bamberg ?

 

What’s the current fire risk please for Thursdays SSE ?
Thanks in advance
Neil

 

Mix of Amber and Green. Though operation stated to be diesel assisted steam.

 

Thank you

 

Oh yes, I did. That was back in the days well before I became teetotal.

Bryan

 

Yes I did have a beer. My ankle hurt but I carried on overnight to Wien as I was leading a small party on an Austrian bash which included the deepest snow I ever saw at Vordernberg

 

The fire risk will have to be raises significantly if you are eating sauerkraut

 

Interesting bit on Countryfile this week regarding Wildfires, their increasing frequency and the need to develop a better strategy for predicting and tackling them.

 

More interesting from our perspective I thought was that the main months for natural wildfires (i.e. not bbq started etc) was March April and May. Add to that that June to September are usually the hottest and driest months then you have a steam tour season, (Christmas trains excluded) that is probably when most of the general public, who of course are now the main tour base are likely to not want to travel due short daylight hours or post Christmas finances.
Not good being a tour promoter.

 

Bring on a couple of class 8 oil fired main line steam locos!

Bryan

 

Is there any indication that Network Rail will permit the operation of oil fired steam locos at times of high fire danger when coal fired locos are prohibited? Has anyone even asked the question? You would look pretty foolish if you spent a small fortune converting your loco only for it to be banned on the network because there is no recent precident or safety standards for its use.

Peter