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Britain has a huge rail preservation community and a lot of their restored trains, many steam, make it out onto the main line. If you'd like to catch a glimpse

by mocko 4y ago

Britain has a huge rail preservation community and a lot of their restored trains, many steam, make it out onto the main line. If you'd like to catch a glimpse of one or even book a seat on it, check out the calendar at http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/tours.html http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/tours.html.

chanakya 4y ago
Yes, they actually run at near main-line speeds in the UK (60-80mph). Riding one of those at that speed (particularly at night) must be an awesome experience.
- mocko 4y ago
  It's very atmospheric, an absolute joy. But the best part has to be turning up at Victoria in the middle of the evening rush in an 80 year old steam train. The looks on people's faces alone are worth the price :)
- Symbiote 4y ago
  I have done this as a child with my grandparents, but I'm not sure there's that much difference from an old/worn (less smooth) commuter train at a similar speed. For a child, I think a better experience is visiting a larger preserved railway. I liked visiting the locomotive works at Loughborough (Great Central) since age 8 or so I was shorter than the largest wheels of most locomotives. I'm not sure if it's still the case, but back then we could walk close enough to risk getting grease on our clothes. From Google review photos it looks like it. (From the article, I'm still shorter! They're over 2m in diameter.)
- fredoralive 4y ago
  It’s a bit pedantic, but on a fair chunk of the main lines trains can run at 125mph, so the 75mph limit for steam locomotives (barring Tornado, which can run at 90) isn’t that close. Various “box on wheels” trains like variants of the Turbostar and Desiro can easily outpace them, let alone real intercity trains. (Cue nostalgia of the heyday of steam, before all these limits where every steam express definitely managed to hit a ton at some point).
  - gerdesj 4y ago
    I remember the HST 125 as it was introduced. Go back to 1980. Two small boys (nine and 10) are stood on the east bound GWR platform at Newton Abbot in Devon, waiting for the Paddington train from Penzance. Will we get a sleek futuristic looking 125 or the usual boring diesel loco? The rails made a clikkety click/clakkety clack or a CAtic/CAtac sound and more besides which sometimes enabled you to know where you were by the sound. You could also estimate speed with your eyes shut. [I could go on ...] Anyway. 125mph is shit for something that runs on rails. There are quite a few examples of 180mph+ railway systems. Sadly, 125mph was considered the future.
    - lmm 4y ago
      > I remember the HST 125 as it was introduced. Go back to 1980. Two small boys (nine and 10) are stood on the east bound GWR platform at Newton Abbot in Devon, waiting for the Paddington train from Penzance. Will we get a sleek futuristic looking 125 or the usual boring diesel loco? The HST/Intercity 125 was diesel too you know.
      - gerdesj 4y ago
        Yes I know it was but it looked like it ran on rocket fuel. It must have had better exhaust vents too because when the old blunt yellow noses turned up they absolutely stank. The 125 smelled quite a bit too but only as being present rather than stuffing black soot up your nose. I was very young then and I would have been repulsed by anything worse. Fast forward to today and GWR is a customer and the modern version of the 125 (I forget the Class number - I'm just IT) is still running. I've seen them in bits in Laira (Plymuff) and St Phil's Marsh in Bris'l. The power plant is a bit of a whopper. In the sheds there are dispensers for ear plugs, regularly spaced for quick access. You should try to keep a few in a pocket anyway - ideally all of them! They are quite handy when a technician fires up the motor and decides to run it at max chat. Back in the day I saw the APT doing trial runs. Nowadays I can take a Pendolino ...
  - PaulDavisThe1st 4y ago
    The coaches have a 75mph limit, which I think is the determining limit for the Tornado tours.
a_c 4y ago
This is perfect. Hopefully I can find some seats in April. My son is going to love it :) Edit: I wonder how to book a ticket, e.g. the 22nd April London to Winchester one?
- Symbiote 4y ago
  https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/tours.php?tourid=72721 https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/tours.php?tourid=72721 Found by searching the company name in the final column.
- timthorn 4y ago
  Even if you can't get a seat on a mainline trip, there are plenty of lines operating at lower speed that you could just turn up to. Some of the bigger names include the Great Central Railway, Severn Valley Railway, Bluebell Line, North Yorkshire Moors Railway... But there are plenty more across the country. That's one of the positive legacies of the Beeching cuts.
kerrsclyde 4y ago
The heritage steam community is under enormous threat because of the UK government attitude to the burning and digging of coal. Troubling times. [1] https://news.sky.com/story/amp/more-than-150-heritage-steam-railways-facing-potential-critical-shortage-of-coal-12589865 https://news.sky.com/story/amp/more-than-150-heritage-steam-...
- justin66 4y ago
  Are you really troubled that your country is moving beyond using coal as fuel, which was pretty much mankind's next step after burning wood or dung as fuel?
  - kerrsclyde 4y ago
    When coal is burnt to generate electricity or heat homes then no, we have better alternatives. When it is being used within heritage railways which provider pleasure for so many - see some of the comments on this thread - I feel an exception should be made. Much coal is still burnt within industrial processes in the UK, cement producers for example. Because this is much less visible and because they are powerful multi-national companies they do not appear to face the same level of scrutiny. I understand attitudes of younger generations to me. The tide is turning. People will no longer tolerate "polluting for pleasure" and the days of steam railways are numbered. Grab a trip or sight of Tornado whilst you still can!
    - ElevenLathe 4y ago
      How viable is it to build (or retrofit) "heritage" steam locomotives with electric boilers? I assume it would be very difficult to run off battery, but maybe draw from the catenary on electrified lines? I know it's not /quite/ the same but I'm curious if this is a road things might go down.
      - mocko 4y ago
        Given the amounts of energy involved and (terrible) thermal efficiency of steam traction it would be impractical. You could short the 25kV overhead wires on an electrified route straight to the boiler and I doubt even that would make sufficient steam to get an express up to speed. A more practical option would be oil firing, which was tried in the days of steam and found to work, but didn't save enough money to be worth the effort in a country that still had an efficient supply chain for coal. It could be done again now and would doubtless work, but wouldn't smell or look quite the same. Better than nothing I suppose and if coal really does become unavailable, that's what heritage operations will have to do.

by mocko 4y ago

chanakya 4y ago

Yes, they actually run at near main-line speeds in the UK (60-80mph). Riding one of those at that speed (particularly at night) must be an awesome experience.

mocko 4y ago
It's very atmospheric, an absolute joy. But the best part has to be turning up at Victoria in the middle of the evening rush in an 80 year old steam train. The looks on people's faces alone are worth the price :)
Symbiote 4y ago
I have done this as a child with my grandparents, but I'm not sure there's that much difference from an old/worn (less smooth) commuter train at a similar speed. For a child, I think a better experience is visiting a larger preserved railway. I liked visiting the locomotive works at Loughborough (Great Central) since age 8 or so I was shorter than the largest wheels of most locomotives. I'm not sure if it's still the case, but back then we could walk close enough to risk getting grease on our clothes. From Google review photos it looks like it. (From the article, I'm still shorter! They're over 2m in diameter.)
fredoralive 4y ago
It’s a bit pedantic, but on a fair chunk of the main lines trains can run at 125mph, so the 75mph limit for steam locomotives (barring Tornado, which can run at 90) isn’t that close. Various “box on wheels” trains like variants of the Turbostar and Desiro can easily outpace them, let alone real intercity trains. (Cue nostalgia of the heyday of steam, before all these limits where every steam express definitely managed to hit a ton at some point).
- gerdesj 4y ago
  I remember the HST 125 as it was introduced. Go back to 1980. Two small boys (nine and 10) are stood on the east bound GWR platform at Newton Abbot in Devon, waiting for the Paddington train from Penzance. Will we get a sleek futuristic looking 125 or the usual boring diesel loco? The rails made a clikkety click/clakkety clack or a CAtic/CAtac sound and more besides which sometimes enabled you to know where you were by the sound. You could also estimate speed with your eyes shut. [I could go on ...] Anyway. 125mph is shit for something that runs on rails. There are quite a few examples of 180mph+ railway systems. Sadly, 125mph was considered the future.
  - lmm 4y ago
    > I remember the HST 125 as it was introduced. Go back to 1980. Two small boys (nine and 10) are stood on the east bound GWR platform at Newton Abbot in Devon, waiting for the Paddington train from Penzance. Will we get a sleek futuristic looking 125 or the usual boring diesel loco? The HST/Intercity 125 was diesel too you know.
    - gerdesj 4y ago
      Yes I know it was but it looked like it ran on rocket fuel. It must have had better exhaust vents too because when the old blunt yellow noses turned up they absolutely stank. The 125 smelled quite a bit too but only as being present rather than stuffing black soot up your nose. I was very young then and I would have been repulsed by anything worse. Fast forward to today and GWR is a customer and the modern version of the 125 (I forget the Class number - I'm just IT) is still running. I've seen them in bits in Laira (Plymuff) and St Phil's Marsh in Bris'l. The power plant is a bit of a whopper. In the sheds there are dispensers for ear plugs, regularly spaced for quick access. You should try to keep a few in a pocket anyway - ideally all of them! They are quite handy when a technician fires up the motor and decides to run it at max chat. Back in the day I saw the APT doing trial runs. Nowadays I can take a Pendolino ...
- PaulDavisThe1st 4y ago
  The coaches have a 75mph limit, which I think is the determining limit for the Tornado tours.

a_c 4y ago

This is perfect. Hopefully I can find some seats in April. My son is going to love it :) Edit: I wonder how to book a ticket, e.g. the 22nd April London to Winchester one?

Symbiote 4y ago
https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/tours.php?tourid=72721 https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/tours.php?tourid=72721 Found by searching the company name in the final column.
timthorn 4y ago
Even if you can't get a seat on a mainline trip, there are plenty of lines operating at lower speed that you could just turn up to. Some of the bigger names include the Great Central Railway, Severn Valley Railway, Bluebell Line, North Yorkshire Moors Railway... But there are plenty more across the country. That's one of the positive legacies of the Beeching cuts.

kerrsclyde 4y ago

The heritage steam community is under enormous threat because of the UK government attitude to the burning and digging of coal. Troubling times. [1] https://news.sky.com/story/amp/more-than-150-heritage-steam-railways-facing-potential-critical-shortage-of-coal-12589865 https://news.sky.com/story/amp/more-than-150-heritage-steam-...

justin66 4y ago
Are you really troubled that your country is moving beyond using coal as fuel, which was pretty much mankind's next step after burning wood or dung as fuel?
- kerrsclyde 4y ago
  When coal is burnt to generate electricity or heat homes then no, we have better alternatives. When it is being used within heritage railways which provider pleasure for so many - see some of the comments on this thread - I feel an exception should be made. Much coal is still burnt within industrial processes in the UK, cement producers for example. Because this is much less visible and because they are powerful multi-national companies they do not appear to face the same level of scrutiny. I understand attitudes of younger generations to me. The tide is turning. People will no longer tolerate "polluting for pleasure" and the days of steam railways are numbered. Grab a trip or sight of Tornado whilst you still can!
  - ElevenLathe 4y ago
    How viable is it to build (or retrofit) "heritage" steam locomotives with electric boilers? I assume it would be very difficult to run off battery, but maybe draw from the catenary on electrified lines? I know it's not /quite/ the same but I'm curious if this is a road things might go down.
    - mocko 4y ago
      Given the amounts of energy involved and (terrible) thermal efficiency of steam traction it would be impractical. You could short the 25kV overhead wires on an electrified route straight to the boiler and I doubt even that would make sufficient steam to get an express up to speed. A more practical option would be oil firing, which was tried in the days of steam and found to work, but didn't save enough money to be worth the effort in a country that still had an efficient supply chain for coal. It could be done again now and would doubtless work, but wouldn't smell or look quite the same. Better than nothing I suppose and if coal really does become unavailable, that's what heritage operations will have to do.