Steam & Excursion > UK Steam - Every day on the mainline here

Yesterday in Bristol UK on arriving from a spin to Birmingham with UK mate rugbytown, noted a collection of "neds" (US: foamers) milling at the end of a platform, an indication that something out of the ordinary is afoot. A quick check of Traksy (one of many stunning sites ala Flightaware displaying UK rail traffic) found a head code 1Z92 (Z denotes a charter) steam powered excursion operated by West Coast Railways was coming in. 

Didn't have to wait long and was rewarded with the glorious sight of SR Merchant Navy class 35028 looking like it just left the works.

This a daily occurrence in the UK where steam operators can access the mainline subject only to available paths thanks to national ownership, unlike in the States where the Big 7 do all they can to prevent an excursion.

Seen arriving from Salisbury, part of a nine-day outing.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/25 09:45 by PumpkinHogger.

---

---

---

A GWR HST killer passes inbound from Plymouth as the fireman places a marker for the reverse from the station.

Closer view of the front.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/25 09:42 by PumpkinHogger.

---

---

Close-up of the cab and beautiful copper piping.

Class 57 (re-engined Class 47 with EMD guts, sounds like an SD39 because it basically is) on the rear for the reverse from the station.

Just another day on the rails in the UK....

---

---

Fantastic!
Hope to visit someday.

Posted from Android

Chris Bost
Leesport, PA

Well done, sir! 🤗

Posted from iPhone

Great photos! Some things that I'm curious about. The crank on the #3 driver. Is that some sort of lubricator? Are there British whistle signals posted any where like ours in America? And I've always wondered why the route the cylinder cock exhaust right out to the rails in front of the engine. Do British engines carry sand?
Inquiring minds want to know.

Weak guess: that whatever-it-is on #3 driver wasn't there in BR days.

How about the white discs on the smokebox?
Two side by side like that wasn't usual on BR, was it?

A beautiful British locomotive!

The Wikipedia article says it has air brakes.
Can it still haul vacuum-braked cars?

Beautiful locomotive!

I noticed that there is no "headlight" on the boiler door.  I guess that those 3 small high-intensity / LED lights mounted on the buffer frame serve the same purpose?

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Wikipedia article says it has air brakes.
> Can it still haul vacuum-braked cars?

Maybe the brakes on the locomotive, i.e. the independent brakes are air pressure, while the train brakes are vacuum brakes..

British steam does not have headlights.  Those are the equivelate Of class lights.  Depending on which are lit denotes what type of train the locomotive is pulling.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great photos! Some things that I'm curious about.
> The crank on the #3 driver. Is that some sort of
> lubricator? Are there British whistle signals
> posted any where like ours in America? And I've
> always wondered why the route the cylinder cock
> exhaust right out to the rails in front of the
> engine. Do British engines carry sand?
> Inquiring minds want to know.

Don, not positive but I want to say this is a speedometer.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great photos! Some things that I'm curious about.
> The crank on the #3 driver. Is that some sort of
> lubricator?

That I can't answer, for someone knowledgeable.

Are there British whistle signals
> posted any where like ours in America?

There aren't whistle posts for crossings ala our practice as they are heavily protected with barriers so whistling for crossings isn't done. They also initiate closing at a longer advance time than ours. Too, if you're in the gauge it's on you to sort out and not a cadre of ambulance chasing lawyers.

Horns are used pretty much only to warn workers. No whistling off when starting either - same as US commuter practice - as there would be a load of unhappy eardrums in stations.

And I've
> always wondered why the route the cylinder cock
> exhaust right out to the rails in front of the
> engine. Do British engines carry sand?
> Inquiring minds want to know.

Again, must leave that to those with the knowledge.

PH

All you'd ever want to know and then some:
https://sremg.org.uk/headcodes/sheadcodes.html

timz Wrote:
---------------------------------
> How about the white discs on the smokebox?
> Two side by side like that wasn't usual on BR, was
> it?

Anything running on Network Rail today is equipped with familiar-to-us standard air brakes; there is still vacuum-braked stock on heritage railways. "Unfitted" equipment was phased out in the '80's.

timz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Wikipedia article says it has air brakes.
> Can it still haul vacuum-braked cars?

One of my favorite class of British steam

Excellent series !
I would love to see that every day.
Gary

I sit corrected on whistle posts. Rode the branch lines from Darlington to Whitby yesterday, there were a few W signs, elicited only a single brief toot.

Rode the North Yorkshire Moors Railway today, asked about the cylinder cock exhaust. Consensus was they point forward account of high platforms that would block side exhaust as well as due to tighter clearances that would scatter passengers. So there ya go.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great photos! Some things that I'm curious about.
> The crank on the #3 driver. Is that some sort of
> lubricator? Are there British whistle signals
> posted any where like ours in America? And I've
> always wondered why the route the cylinder cock
> exhaust right out to the rails in front of the
> engine. Do British engines carry sand?
> Inquiring minds want to know.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/25 08:01 by PumpkinHogger.

---

PumpkinHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I sit corrected on whistle posts. Rode the branch
> lines from Darlington to Whitby yesterday, there
> were a few W signs, elicited only a single brief
> toot.
>
> Rode the North Yorkshire Moors Railway today,
> asked about the cylinder cock exhaust. Consensus
> was they point forward account of high platforms
> that would block side exhaust as well as due to
> tighter clearances that would scatter passengers.
> So there ya go.
>
> Frisco1522 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great photos! Some things that I'm curious
> about.
> > The crank on the #3 driver. Is that some sort
> of
> > lubricator? Are there British whistle signals
> > posted any where like ours in America? And I've
> > always wondered why the route the cylinder cock
> > exhaust right out to the rails in front of the
> > engine. Do British engines carry sand?
> > Inquiring minds want to know.
I guess that makes sense about the cylinder cocks although they are blowing steam and oil vapor right on the track. I don't know if there is sand on their engines but it seems like it would be a little slippery.  Not criticising, just curious.
I admire how much is running over there.  One of my favorites is the Black Fives. I can't imagine
running at night without a headlight.
Thanks for your answers.