Great Britains steam locomotives

Does your source of information say how many steam engines we have in total that are in service on preserved lines etc?

Regards,

Neil

Neil

Good thing you asked that question.

Only 25 steam locomotives in main line service.

here is the quote from a youtube video

At present here in GB we have 25 Mainline Operational Steam Locomotives, however in Musuems and Heritage Railways your looking at 1000's.

And the Brits recently BUILT the Peppercorn Tornado.  Very impressive, I say!  If only we could bring back a Hudson...

I thought they called them Pufferbellies?

But the Germans built the Tornado's boiler...

Rusty

Fantastic clip! 

As a wee lad, I was dazzled by the Flying Scotsman racing down the PRR mainline (think it was at Princeton Jct.).

And my last three cars were built in Wolfsburg... So who cares? So what?

Thats nice, but I don't understand why so many other countries still operate steam locomotives for mainline service, while here in the U.S. we operate diesels, when we could, and in my opinion, should still operate steam locomotives too. I really hope the U.S railroads bring them back to mainline service.

You can't be serious!

1) EPA would surely have something to say about all the emissions and pollutants expelled  into the atmosphere and onto the ground.

2) The physical plant and infrastructures to support steam locomotives no longer exist in this country, i.e water treatment facilities, fueling facilities, lubrication and associated facilities, etc., etc., etc..

3) The labor force no longer exists, plus OSHA will not let a person pick up ANY of the heavy tooling required to maintain steam locomotives (the big Alimite grease gun is a prime example).

4) Our litigious society would simply have a field day!

5) How would you put PTC on a steam locomotive?

Just a few thoughts.

Well I can see that you clearly don't like steam locomotives, but you are right. And apparently, you haven't read a recent issue of Train Magazine, in which there is an article about a man who is setting out to prove that there's still a life out there for steam locomotives. He even invented a natural fuel source doesn't pollute the air. He and his team are going to rebuild a steam locomotive, and have it done in just a couple of years.

About that article in Trains Magazine, you may want to do a search for the thread about that Santa Fe 3463 here on the Real Trains Forum. Also, don't hold your breath on THAT project replacing any diesel electric locomotives.

As far as me not liking steam locomotives?     You have no clue, do you!

(gets out the popcorn and sits back)

---PCJ

I've heard that song before, particularly from the Ace 3000 folks.  Even with a supposedly clean burning fuel, the mechanical's of a steam locomotive still requires more maintenance than a diesel.

And why couldn't this miracle fuel be used in a modified diesel locomotive instead?

The steam locomotive is indeed a marvelous machine, full of sight, sound and wonder.  But, it's time on the mainline railroads has passed.

Rusty

It may be prudent to not believe everything you read/hear...

Originally Posted by Hot Waterriginally Posted by Polar Express 1225: Well I can see that you clearly don't like steam locomotives, but you are right. And apparently, you haven't read a recent issue of Train Magazine, in which there is an article about a man who is setting out to prove that there's still a life out there for steam locomotives. He even invented a natural fuel source doesn't pollute the air. He and his team are going to rebuild a steam locomotive, and have it done in just a couple of years.About that article in Trains Magazine, you may want to do a search for the thread about that Santa Fe 3463 here on the Real Trains Forum. Also, don't hold your breath on THAT project replacing any diesel electric locomotives. As far as me not liking steam locomotives?     You have no clue, do you!

What do you mean by that?

"You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind..."

Let's just say he knows a thing or two.

I may not agree with everything Hot Water says, but I do respect his in depth steam locomotive knowledge and experience.

Rusty

Joins in with a beer in one hand & DCS remote in the other

Well I can see that you clearly don't like steam locomotives

said Polar Express.

You have no clue, do you!

replied Hot Water.

What do you mean by that?

asked Polar Express.

smiled all the spectators.

Polar express

At the risk of putting an end to the fun everyone else is having at your expense I'll offer you a little more than a clue.

Now I don't have Mr. Water's resume in front of me but I will try and be as accurate as my memory allows.

His web handle comes from his part time work over the last 50 years as a locomotive fireman.  A steam locomotive fireman.  Some of his earliest work came about 50 years ago hand firing 2-8-0s in revenue service on an all steam short line.  Later he was assigned my his employer to work as part of the crew of the American Freedom train commemorating the Bicentennial of this nation.  His AFT work began an association with SP 4449 (a steam locomotive) that continues to this day.  He also fired for the Union Pacific steam program on UP 844 and 3985.  Union Pacific 3985 is the worlds largest operating steam locomotive.  His decades of work with some of the finest and most powerful steam locomotives ever built has given him a level of hands on experience with steam locomotive operation that is very rare today.  There are few people who have worked as many mainline miles in the left seat of a steam locomotive on class one railroads in the last half century as Hot Water.

I mentioned that his employer assigned him to support the operation of American Freedom Train.  His employer was General Motors.  The Electro-Motive Division of General Motors to be more precise.  In case you aren't aware, EMD is the outfit most responsible for the demise of the seam locomotive.  Why?  Was it a massive conspiracy?  No.  They just built a product that was faster, cleaner, more reliable, more efficient and cost far less to operate than the steam locomotive.

Hot Water knows both steam and diesel locomotives inside and out.  And I think it is fair to say that he loves steam locomotives more than almost anyone.  He has spent thousands of hours with them.  He has operated them in fair weather and foul.  He has gotten filthy dirty working on them.  Much of that time was unpaid.  If someone had a steam locomotive that could compete economically with a Diesel-Electric Hot water would be one of the first people they would try to hire to sell them to the railroads.

Diesel locomotives take about 30-40% of the heat energy in the fuel they burn and convert it into useful work.  Steam locomotives lose over 90% of the energy of the fuel they burn and can only convert a single digit percentage to useful work.  There are no fuels available today that are so cheap you can lose over 90% of them to waste and make money operating machines with them.  And if you tried to sell or operate such inefficient machines for daily service in a first world country some regulatory agency would be there to stop you from trying.  They would cause far too much pollution to be tolerated by todays standards.

It is fair to say that hot water loves steam locomotives.  He certainly knows their operations well.  And he knows why they are never coming back in daily revenue service. 

I love steam locomotives, but they are not going to be part of railroading's future.

I'll be more than happy if mainline steam excursions continue...and hopefully there will be more locomotives restored to running condition.

There seems to be a little fresh hope in that department...

Jeff C

While I know bringing back steam to regular revenue service is a far off dream, I wish we were more like our friends in the UK and had much more mainline steam for special trips (which the public could ride).

I sure agree with THAT! However, our great country is so lawsuit happy, no class one railroad is willing to increase/expand what they are already doing relative to steam. Then there is CSXT!

Hey Hot water, man, I'm sorry. I had no clue that you were a steam locomotive fireman. You know sometimes you just never know who it really is that you are talking to. You have certainly gained my respect sir! Apology accepted?

Sure. Hope you learned something in the process too.

Oh don't worry about that, I sure did! Thanks!

From today,  L.N.E.R Class A4 4-6-2 "Union of South Africa" (second day of service after a total overhaul)...steamers and British countryside, hard to beat.

Video courtesy of Austin, aka ACW71000....visit his channel for lots more of fantastic British steamer action

http://www.youtube.com/user/acw71000/featured

Now that is a GREAT video of that A4 "Union of South Africa"!  Even if she is a three cylinder or a compound, that locomotive sure has a VERY odd exhaust beat. Something doesn't sound right with her, especially for as fast as she is running.

Thanks for posting! Got to love the sound of this engine and the whistle too! But will trust Hot Water if he says something ain't right... 

Prairie

Thanks for posting that vid! Beautiful locomotive moving through beautiful countryside. It sounded like a galloping horse. Whether that's the way its supposed to sound, I don't know. Very cool, however.

I was in Scotland for several weeks in June, and got to ride & photo three steamers.  Their steam program is really super!  They are very railfan friendly too.  The beautiful steamers made up for the ugly freight engines.     If you're looking for a place to go see foreign steam, I highly recommend putting Scotland at the top of the list!  Beautiful scenery, terrific trains & coaches, and very friendly folks.

Kent in SD

well the reason they have so many steamers is because they had steam until the very late 60's and by then everyone wanted one

Hi Guys, regular mainlne steam survived right up till 1967 in Scotland and 1968 in England. However ,small industrial steam operations ,mainly in collieries soldiered on till the 80s. Born in 1953 I remember steam well. Heaven for me was never church on a Sunday,heaven for me as a kid was travelling from my home town Hamilton into Glasgow on the train most saturdays on shopping trips wi my mam and granny and the highlight was passing Polmadie engine sheds on the way. A proper steam mecca. Anyway,heres some pics, 1)1959,I'm 6yearsold, magic, 2)1967,I'm 14 years old still some magic remains but diseasels on the premises,1968,I'm 15 years old, magic gone but the water colums remain,dieseasels only,and finally present day,brain numbing boredom. OH to turn back the clock.

 Yes you can still see plenty steam in the British isles but the old workaday steam environment along with the way of life back then is long gone.  At least I lived at the tail end of that wonderfull era.    DAVY

Davy

Really terrific stuff

Thank you for taking the time to post those great photos

I suppose everyone has their own opinion, but in my opinion British steam looked the best.

Hi Guys , glad you liked the pics Charlie, John, for me the Britannias and Clans took some beating for looks. But the B&O P7c's and the USRA light pacificsand Mikes etc.,alike were great lookin American machines to my eyes. 1) Britannia 2)L&N USRA light pacific3) B&O P7 ...all fanstastic lookin machines to me...and that monochrome pic P7 should be all blue with a graphite smokebox face and stack, great lookin machine,best lookin US pacific bar none to my eyes.

A real beauty!!

.

I must agree that they do have some great looking power over there...but in the end I like our big steam better......

PennsyK4's great tape of the beautiful Merchant Navy Class #35028 coming into the station prompts a question (noting that her drivers slipped a bit). Did British locomotives employ sand for traction? I see no evidence of sand domes or boxes on their locomotives. South Africa, too.