Mainline Steam Tours - Serious Fire Risk

Yes. It's prolonged rainfall we need to retrieve the situation.

And I do hope that 43505 behaves perfectly passing Grove Ferry today. I think the line stays North of the Stour, ( I hope it does), all the way past the wonderful Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve. It's a marsh, but there is still plenty of very dry vegetation there. Including vast amounts of very dry looking marsh reeds. And the paths are cracked open and very, very dry.

I know this as I've spent 5 of the last 6 days down there, and will probably be going down there shortly for the day. To watch and photograph the wonderful dispays by the Hobbys, (a Falcon marginally bigger than a Kestrel), that use the Marsh as a refuelling stop on their way from South of the Sahara prior to dispersing round England to breed. And to see the some of the six pairs of Marsh Harriers said to be nesting there this year. A species almost wiped out by mankind, but now, thanks to reserves like Stodmarsh, rapidly climbing back into national bird life. Plus vasts amounts of other bird life there.

It would be an absolute disaster to see a major fire started there.

 

Our w/e forecast for the Midlands was wall to wall rain. Now it's back to more glorious sunshine with the odd shower. Can't believe I'm actually starting to crave the wet stuff, at least for brief while!

 

Turns out to be the tour from Tysley-Llandudno-Tysley on 30/4/11 and the delay to services was 821 minutes and 2 cancellations!

The train was hauled by 5043 and 4965 with fires at Abergele, Clifton Park Road and Robin Hood Caravan Park between Rhyl and Prestatyn

As I said, it is no wonder that NR sectors are being very cautious wth this ongoing dry weather.

I just hope that the predicted thundery downpours overnight materialise but I fear that a sustained period of rain will be needed to get things back to normal for this time of the year.

 

Well the barometer is certainly moving in the right direction...............rain, thunderstorms...........

 

We've had a mixture of downpour and showers in West Wales. I must admit, I enjoyed walking in the rain for once!

 

Been pouring with rain in Worcester tonight.

 

pouring down in West yorks, oh Lawdy, typical.

 

Rained overnight in Warwick - lovely fresh damp air!

 

Actually rained in Reading last night & first thing this morning. Too good to last though, boring sun back out.

 

yes sun back in daventry after over night rain and the sun real warm as well;

all the best
jane;

 

So much rain in the Bristol area yesterday evening and overnight that the Cathedrals Explorer passing through
the area on Friday, 13th could be disrupted by floodwater!! All joking aside, we seriously needed it. <BJ>

 

Cool and showery in Oxfordshire this morning after heavy rain overnight.

 

I'd like to claim the plaudits for the appearance of the strange wet dropletty things in the Midlands today. I spent much of yesterday watering our lawns, having burnt them with feed and weed followed by weeks of drought.

 

Here in South Lancs I don't think we have had a day without rain in some form for at least two weeks now. I have not even had to water the potted plants which usually need a good soaking at least once a week. :rain:

Neil.

 

First significant rain for ages in Bedfordshire. Absolutely throwing it down at the moment.

 

Cheered me up no end it has!

 

Plenty of rain in Fort William this week...

 

huge amount of rain this afternoon in Hellifield

 

Well what's on fire at Coniston Cold then??? - The A65 is shut!

 

Building fire , building believed to contain gas cylinders.