There is something about steam trains...
Discussion
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8428097.stm
'He added: "If any of the train operators want to modernise their services by using steam trains, I would be happy to give them a quote."
'He added: "If any of the train operators want to modernise their services by using steam trains, I would be happy to give them a quote."
Read that yesterday too.
Just got back from the severn valley railway, having taken the kids on a steam santa express. they had a great time, my daughter was impressed how quiet the loco was when pulling out of the station, compared to the diesel/electric we went on in the summer.
my wife asked why they stopped using steamies, anyone know, apart from the fact that in the 50's the future was seen as electric?
Just got back from the severn valley railway, having taken the kids on a steam santa express. they had a great time, my daughter was impressed how quiet the loco was when pulling out of the station, compared to the diesel/electric we went on in the summer.
my wife asked why they stopped using steamies, anyone know, apart from the fact that in the 50's the future was seen as electric?
sawman said:
my wife asked why they stopped using steamies, anyone know, apart from the fact that in the 50's the future was seen as electric?
The manpower upkeep on Steam locomotives is quite astonishing, even just to get the thing going in the morning is a major operation.The quantities of coal they consume is quite surprising too - a run from London-Edinburgh in the later efficient classes like this would require two coal tenders (from memory) and at least one stop for water.
Compared with Diesel-Electric, where you more or less press and go.
sawman said:
Read that yesterday too.
Just got back from the severn valley railway, having taken the kids on a steam santa express. they had a great time, my daughter was impressed how quiet the loco was when pulling out of the station, compared to the diesel/electric we went on in the summer.
my wife asked why they stopped using steamies, anyone know, apart from the fact that in the 50's the future was seen as electric?
Steam disapeared completly from British mainlines in 1969 the reason being that diesel powered trains are much more energy efficient than steam and electric better still, less manpower needed to maintain and run them too I would guess.Just got back from the severn valley railway, having taken the kids on a steam santa express. they had a great time, my daughter was impressed how quiet the loco was when pulling out of the station, compared to the diesel/electric we went on in the summer.
my wife asked why they stopped using steamies, anyone know, apart from the fact that in the 50's the future was seen as electric?
Much as I like steam engines, the main killer would have been the 1950's smog events.
People were literally dying of smog.
It wasn't like a modern lead or benzine intolerance. Late in life you sue the government because you've developed some lung disease, that the government didn't prevent.
This was like people trying to walk to work, not being able to see where they were going. They'd die before they got where they were going just because they were going uphill, and had to breathe harder.
Clearly it wasn't just steam railway locomotives. It was coking plants, houses, and industry too. Everyone had a chimney.
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/greatsmo...
People were literally dying of smog.
It wasn't like a modern lead or benzine intolerance. Late in life you sue the government because you've developed some lung disease, that the government didn't prevent.
This was like people trying to walk to work, not being able to see where they were going. They'd die before they got where they were going just because they were going uphill, and had to breathe harder.
Clearly it wasn't just steam railway locomotives. It was coking plants, houses, and industry too. Everyone had a chimney.
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/greatsmo...
Edited by dilbert on Thursday 24th December 21:28
Dunk76 said:
The manpower upkeep on Steam locomotives is quite astonishing, even just to get the thing going in the morning is a major operation.
The quantities of coal they consume is quite surprising too - a run from London-Edinburgh in the later efficient classes like this would require two coal tenders (from memory) and at least one stop for water.
Compared with Diesel-Electric, where you more or less press and go.
But steam trains are cool.The quantities of coal they consume is quite surprising too - a run from London-Edinburgh in the later efficient classes like this would require two coal tenders (from memory) and at least one stop for water.
Compared with Diesel-Electric, where you more or less press and go.
Saddle bum said:
Dunk76 said:
The manpower upkeep on Steam locomotives is quite astonishing, even just to get the thing going in the morning is a major operation.
The quantities of coal they consume is quite surprising too - a run from London-Edinburgh in the later efficient classes like this would require two coal tenders (from memory) and at least one stop for water.
Compared with Diesel-Electric, where you more or less press and go.
But steam trains are cool.The quantities of coal they consume is quite surprising too - a run from London-Edinburgh in the later efficient classes like this would require two coal tenders (from memory) and at least one stop for water.
Compared with Diesel-Electric, where you more or less press and go.
RedYellowGreen said:
less manpower needed to maintain and run them too I would guess.
I never can work out how they managed to get that past the unions. However they did they need to do it again in other areas of the public sector.Or did they promise to relocate the workers into other areas of the business, in other words paid to do nothing. A trend that is also carried on today in other areas of the public sector.
dilbert said:
Much as I like steam engines, the main killer would have been the 1950's smog events.
People were literally dying of smog.
It wasn't like a modern lead or benzine intolerance. Late in life you sue the government because you've developed some lung disease, that the government didn't prevent.
This was like people trying to walk to work, not being able to see where they were going. They'd die before they got where they were going just because they were going uphill, and had to breathe harder.
Clearly it wasn't just steam railway locomotives. It was coking plants, houses, and industry too. Everyone had a chimney.
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/greatsmo...
ah the good old days!People were literally dying of smog.
It wasn't like a modern lead or benzine intolerance. Late in life you sue the government because you've developed some lung disease, that the government didn't prevent.
This was like people trying to walk to work, not being able to see where they were going. They'd die before they got where they were going just because they were going uphill, and had to breathe harder.
Clearly it wasn't just steam railway locomotives. It was coking plants, houses, and industry too. Everyone had a chimney.
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/greatsmo...
Edited by dilbert on Thursday 24th December 21:28
steam trains are cool though, right?
FourWheelDrift said:
RedYellowGreen said:
less manpower needed to maintain and run them too I would guess.
I never can work out how they managed to get that past the unions. However they did they need to do it again in other areas of the public sector.Or did they promise to relocate the workers into other areas of the business, in other words paid to do nothing. A trend that is also carried on today in other areas of the public sector.
;o)
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