Warning: Tour Promoters Can Die in Hot Summers

A couple of hours of disruption between Swindon and Kemble due to a (non steam related) lineside fire today might have hardened attitudes about the risks being real rather than just hypothetical, which may in turn have knocked Tornado from being just worth a risk to not being worth the risk.

 

Where has this come from. As a dining passenger, we've had no interaction, i've checked their twitter and nothing. If that's the case I'd rather spend another day watching surrey. We even called them at lunchtime to change our boarding point and they confirmed Tornado.

But if the operator tell us nothing, we'll be at Woking tomorrow morning.

 

I don't think they change much these days. Until a while ago I was being told fairly regularly that the oil fired tender for coal fired pacific 03 1010 was sitting somewhere outside of Meiningen Works.

The last "regular" changing around I can remember was in the days of DDR. DR, the East Germany Railway, did seem to change some locos to and from oil firing depending on price and availability of oil.

I imagine the expertise is still around in Germany because of the oil fired locos they still run. Sadly not 012 100-4, which due to all the "political" reasons is still side lined. Well, it was last time I heard about it.

But for the present I just hope the Tour Promoters in UK ride this one out as it impacts on them, and that the punters accept the problem is real and not imagined.

I will say again I think the TBEL web site is showing the way in communication etc on this issue at present. Good on them!

 

Correct. There is a light engine path following the down train from Eastleigh for the diesel to haul the stock + Tornado back to Southampton, from where the A1 takes the train via Romsey, Laverstock Loop and Andover back to London.

 

An email I have had sight of, sent to various parties at 17:14 this evening. I doubt SD would have been aware of it as of lunchtime. I will apologise most profusely if this turns out to be misinformation, but I doubt it.

 

Unfortunately my role on the railway probably wouldn't let me see said email.

What worries me even now is that as a passenger who had forked out well over £400, we've heard nothing. In fact I dont think we've officially been told what time to ve anywhere

 

Just a personal view but maybe it's best to wait until SD make an announcement, even if that is only at the departure station in the morning . Though common sense tells us the current weather has the potential for causing problems.

I recall that Ben from Vintage Trains encountered extra work etc because of someone making a statement about one of his trains that wasn't correct.

I know it's easy for me to just type that when a previous poster has £400 invested in the train tomorrow. But none of us know what is going on this evening between SD and NR etc , and what will happen with tomorrows train.

 

Their is no move either way as I've seen.. It was oil or coal fired so it is restored as is.

However Germany also has a steam ban, I am sat in my hotel in Frankfurt as we type.. And only oil fired steam is allowed to work...
That's where the difference lies.

 

Have a look at their web site or UKSteam info they match so either is OK. I'll be peeved if the above is correct like all the rest of us.

 

Thanks Owl Man. Amazes me how the HSB manage to run all those coal fired locos at full thrash up the Brocken without setting fire to it all. Perhaps they can teach us something about spark arresting.

 

My previous post was meant as a reply to Phil K sorry.

 

You mean it sometimes gets dry on the Brocken! LOL.

I seem to remember that special arrangements were in force during heat waves up there. Changed driving techniques and fire extinguishing methods close to hand, even if they were only the next returning downhill loco in the frequent service stopping to use hoses to extinguish fires. Easier to handle on a short route like that.

That is from some years ago though and from a fading memory.

 

Ash dropping out of the ashpan has always been the greater problem than sparks out the chimney (so I've always been told). How many engines on the mainline have ashpan dampers?

 

All of them? Certainly all the one's I'm familiar with. I can't imagine many British steam locomotives working properly without a supply of primary air to the fire.

 

AFAIK spark arresting extends to the ashpans as well.

 

For an alternate take on steam vacations, I saw this advertised tonight...



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You don't need much German to understand a 9 day steam trip through the UK...

 

I don't think Neil meant "dampers", as in means of ventilation (oh the joys of the English language!) but probably what I think are known as Ashpan sprinklers - a fine water supply running around the area where cinders may exit. Certainly, cinders can be a problem even when a steam loco is being assisted to reduce sparks.

The big difference on the Brocken is the same as any self-contained system - only the steam operator to worry about, and, like any heritage line (which strictly the Brocken probably isn't), goes slow enough and repeatedly over a fixed route so that a "fire patrol" can follow the train or the next steam service can stop and deal with any fires started by a preceding service before they get out of hand.

Steven

 

Are ashpan sprinklers an NR requirement like spark arrestors or down to individual designs/owners ?.

 

Welcome to one of the downsides of a combustion system that relies on primary airflow for its functioning - or putting it more simply dragging the bulk of its combustion air requirements though the firebed. A firebed made up of particles a fair proportion of which intended for the bed are either not going to touch the firebed before being ejected or, if they do settle are not going to hang about for very long. The limit is reached when 50% of the fuel intended for the fire is ejected. The sound and the clag emitted by a locomotive achieving this would be seen by some as wonderful. Count me out of that particular party thanks. Is there a solution? Well, yes in part. Worth trying? Has been done and can work rather well. No chance of it happening here though. Too much conservatism and narrow mindedness.