Fire Risk

I think we will have sufficient rain for steam to return for heritage line use pretty soon, as preserved lines have sufficient mitigation measures to combat all but the very highest risk.
Steam on the mainline will be struggling though for a little while yet.

 

It was announced in July 2025 they would be changing back to Metoffice. Surprising over 12 months later they still haven’t?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crm4z8mple3o

 

If the forecased rain materialises over the next few days, the SVR is hoping to reintroduce steam from September 2nd.

 

Interesting to see the floods in Spain and hail in the Pyrenees as big as golf balls, cycling had to be cancelled. Just nudge it north a bit and all will be okay

 

The great BBC/Meteo Group night of storms forecast, still showing for mid-Kent on the BBC website when I went to bed last night, delivered around 3 hours of the very gentlest rain possible. A whole 1 mm, 1/25 th of an inch. Only measureable in my rain gauges.

So, whilst there is a sort of green tinge on some of the local parched areas this morning I think quite a lot more may be needed befor 35028 can be out on the Kent main lines again.

Bryan

PS, just to add that with very high humidy persisting here at present, and the sun not yet out, the ground is still damp. So the moisture that gently found its way to earth from circa 03.20 here, is still lying around nearly seven hours later, hence the sort of green tinge in some places.

 

Same amount of rain in norf lunnon, but it's dried out already.

Metcheck is giving various %age chances of rain today, but predicting 0mm in each case.

 

Nowt in Kidderminster.

 

The decision as to whether to allow steam to run on Network Rail (in England & Wales) is made by the Network Rail Freight Service Delivery Manager(s). They send an almost daily report to Steam Charter operators and some loco owners with their decision for the next 7 days (inclusive).
The report is a table broken down by Region and sub-region. The Steam Fire Risk is colour coded:-
Green = Spark arrestor and ash pan sprinkler
Amber = In addition to above consider use of diesel
Red = Diesel assisted steam
Black = No Steam operation

All of England & Wales has been Black since midnight on 12th July.

I have no idea (I'm sure I'm not the only one) how the FSDMs will make their decision as to when steam will be allowed to run on NR again.

 

I'm not sure if two "likes" is appropriate. The FSDMs are effectively powerless to use actual weather and ground dryness/dampness conditions.
The final decision as to whether to allow steam traction to return to NR in England & Wales rests with Network Rail Deputy Chief Executive Officer. He says no.

 

It was the list of the four colour coded conditions I was liking. They are around somewhere else, but for something like that I find it very helpful to have them at or near the front of this thread.

So thank you for posting them here.

Bryan

 

Well there's nothing like an eye witness report.

Something of distant memory just started falling out of the sky here in Shropshire.
Thunder lightning and strong gusts - just like it's summer !