MellishR's Recent Activity
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MellishR liked 21B's post in the thread GWR four-cylinder arrangement?.
The only truly superfluous thing about this thread is this thread. A two cylinder high speed steam engine would never have been permitted by the civil engineers, even assuming any mechanical department were convinced of there being advantages....
Jul 16, 2026 at 11:49 AM -
MellishR liked LMS2968's post in the thread GWR four-cylinder arrangement?.
I'd like to see the evidence! Even with balancing, which would not eliminate all the out of balance stresses anyway (you can't balance to 100% of the reciprocating masses), and which becomes ever more problematic as speed rises, you still have...
Jul 16, 2026 at 11:45 AM -
MellishR liked acorb's post in the thread Fire Risk.
What would be the cost of a structural failure of a bridge or viaduct as a result of root damage? Weight restrictions, route closure, complete replacement. God forbid if a train was crossing at the point of failure.. Trouble is the longer its...
Jul 16, 2026 at 11:41 AM -
MellishR replied to the thread Fire Risk.
The combination of rampant vegetation and loads of vulnerable lineside equipment and cables is the crucial issue. Steam locos are one cause of fires, but there are plenty of other causes. One of my journeys a few years ago on the WCML was...
Jul 15, 2026 at 2:22 PM -
MellishR liked 35B's post in the thread Fire Risk.
Very likely, as vegetation grows. I was in Gateshead recently, looking across the Tyne. On my right was the Tyne Bridge, with very clean stonework. Ahead was the ECML viaduct entering Newcastle from the north, on my left the High Level Bridge....
Jul 15, 2026 at 2:18 PM -
MellishR liked johnofwessex's post in the thread Fire Risk.
The point is that irrespective of the cause there is now a lot of hi-tech equipment and cabling hidden in the undergrowth, and given the current climate an increased likelihood that it will catch fire at times
Jul 15, 2026 at 2:17 PM -
MellishR liked Big Al's post in the thread Fire Risk.
The railway was the focus as I understand it. And no steam locomotive in sight....
Jul 15, 2026 at 2:17 PM -
MellishR liked mattspencer's post in the thread LSL Private Train: 18-19/05/26; 10/07/26.
[IMG] Return of the Badger by Matt Spencer, on Flickr
Jul 15, 2026 at 2:15 PM -
MellishR replied to the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
That video does indeed show the exhaust thrown very high.
Jul 15, 2026 at 9:14 AM -
MellishR liked Jamessquared's post in the thread North Yorkshire Moors Railway General Discussion.
Well, I suspect the answer is probably fairly obvious, even if a little uncomfortable: that over a period of many years, they haven't put sufficient money into loco overhauls to keep up with a rolling programme of maintaining a stable fleet size....
Jul 15, 2026 at 9:01 AM -
MellishR liked ross's post in the thread GWR four-cylinder arrangement?.
I have to ask Mr Hermod, how familiar are you with Britain and it's geography? At times you have stated that any locomotive with driving wheels greater than 5' is an error, and that designing locomotives to operate at more than 75mph is...
Jul 15, 2026 at 8:48 AM
