Mainline Steam Tours - Serious Fire Risk

With the news coming through from Scotland about the serious lineside fire which has been blamed - although not yet confirmed - on the passing steam loco on the Great Britain, it is time to look ahead to the forthcoming days throughout the UK. The weather is expect to reach the mid-20's (upper 70's farenheit) for several days into the bank holiday.

This really will test the effectiveness of the spark arrestors but I have a horrible feeling that someone within Network Rail may find justification in providing a diesel pilot or worse case scenario, ban steam haulage altogether.

We have just had one of the dries March months in history and April is not only turning out the same, but those darned temperatures are climbing to levels way above what is expected in Mid April.

Let's just hope and pray that the weather changes for the worse. Maybe now is the time to do a rain dance, keep our fingerse crossed, and PREY!

Nick

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/10209

 

Again the weather is all over the show, here in the home counties we have had no significant rain for about 2 months now. As already been mentioned temperatures are way way above the seasonal average. What is it going to be like come June, July, August? What happened to the old saying "March Gales, April showers"? Global warming which has been ignored for years. Every year they say this that or the other has beaten all previous records.

 

Ah yes, the global warming that brought lots of snow last November with record frosts.

 

don't forget................ "Ne'er cast a clout till May be out"...........and "April showers be May,s flowers"

 

It was apparent how dry it is during the MHR Spring Gala as there were a few lineside fires. Friday and Saturday of the event were very hot. I wonder what will happen with the ML runs this coming weekend. Although saying that I am going to a car show, "Wheels Day" on Friday in Rushmoor Arean and it always belts it down for that !

 

Climate =What the trend is over a period of time.
Weather= What we experience now.
Global warming= A gradual warming of the average temperature of the ENTIRE Earth.

The increase in temperature of the planet could actually lead to colder winter's for us. Scientists monitoring the ice caps in arctic have noticed an increase pool of freshwater in the ocean from the meltwater. This could affect weather patterns which keep us artificially warm in winter. Read all about it here;
http://www.independent.co.uk/enviro...-could-spell-trouble-for-britain-2263654.html

Last winter's cold weather was caused by an unusually long spell of blocking of the South Westerly air flow and a weakening of the gulf stream. This meant we lost our artificial warmth from the Atlantic and experienced the sort of winter that North America has, which is on the same latitude as us.

And what's this got to do with Steam? Global warming will mean more extremes of weather & it is already happening. Longer spells of of dry weather such as we're experiencing now and more extreme rainfall events have all caused trouble to the SVR, Bodmin & Wenford and the Cumbrian Coast in recent years.

 

I really hope thats a joke, it is (to put it midlly) a little more complicated than everything getting a bit hotter and it certainly doesnt mean the end of unusual weather events - if anything, it could mean more.

 

My thoughts precisely, there's been a lot of global warming bashing lately. It would appear that one or two colder winters here and everyone suddenly thinks it's a load of rubbish. The fact remains that actually 2010 was once again one of the warmest years on record -GLOBALLY..

 

Not around here it didn't.

 

Most likely wet and miserable.

 

Well lucky old you having your own microclimate. I presume you missed the reports on here of several heritage railways around the country having their services disrupted by snow and Santa Specials cancelled at least partially on a number of lines.

 

Once again I post on here, in this case with my own observations, & everybody jumps on me like a pack of wolves. Have I got 3 heads or growing horns of something?
I am entitled to my say on here as much as everyone else.
No Spamcan81, I did not miss any reports, I said "not around here", not all parts of the country are the same. We had a bit of snow just before Christmas & that was it.
I should post a picture of myself to show I am no different to anyone else.

 

I do like a realist - 100% agree !

 

A couple of weeks ago the Met. office did suggest that June would be cool and wet, but with a fine August.

 

Well, there is lots of steam booked to run over the summer ;-)

 

Why don't they stop all this 'long range' nonsense. In fact, they have no idea. Two weeks ago they were saying last week would bring heavy rain (hooray!) Did it b*****y.

 

I've just had a look at the Met Office rainfall radar and its been raining in the North of Scotland today and I think the weather up North has been colder and wetter than the rest of the country (UK) for some time now so perhaps steam is a usefull scapegoat !
Colin.

 

What a lot of moaners. Here we are enjoying the nicest Springtime in living memory, with a glorious Easter in prospect, bringing pleasure to millions (including me!). So what happens? People start threads bleating about the possibility that a steam train they might want to watch might have a diesel attached on the back. Flipping heck.

 

This I think puts the whole matter in perspective. I am enjoying this glorious weather while it lasts and have no intention of doing rain dances!

 

May I remind you of this .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1aQCR7o7gY