Preserved main line steam locomotive support in the United Kingdom
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
The support coach and crew are an essential part of the long distance operation of preserved steam locomotives in the United Kingdom on the main line network, as opposed to their use on heritage railways. Since main line steam operation ended in 1968, the static infrastructure and paid staff required to support steam locomotive operation no longer exists, requiring the use of support coaches and crews to travel with the locomotive. The crews are made up of volunteers from locomotive preservation societies, or in the case of operational main line certified locomotives of the National Collection, from their permanent custodians. The support crew supplements the three-man professional train crew consisting of the engine driver, fireman and traction inspector, who are employed by the train operating company for charter trains and railtours.
Contents
Support crew
The support crew usually comprises volunteers, and will often have to travel long distances just to assemble, before carrying out their duties on the locomotive. Support crews will usually number around half a dozen people, and depending on their roles, will often include either professional railwaymen, or volunteers or employees of steam heritage railways.
A typical commitment of a support crew's time is 100 hours for 5 hours of actual train running, although commitments of up to 7 days are not unknown. Support crew members are required to obtain a Personal Track Safety (PTS) certificate, before being allowed to be part of a support crew. The PTS is not however, a general trackside access permit when not operating as part of a support crew.
Support coach
Support coaches are drawn from passenger brake van railway coaches of the British Railways Mark 1 or Mark 2 era, taking advantage of the existence of the guards/parcels van space in these coaches for ease of conversion to workshop/stores/mess functions. The seating portion of the coach will often be of the compartment with side corridor style layout. One part of the former van area contains a storage and workshop area, another serves as the mess room, while the passenger area may provide seating and/or sleeping accommodation for the crew. The support coach will invariably be the first vehicle in the rake of coaches, immediately behind the locomotive.
The spares compartment carries all sensible equipment and spare parts that might be required should the locomotive develop a fixable problem. In addition to the traditional steam locomotive spares and consumables, spares are also required for the modern electrical equipment required for operation on the modern railway, such as radios, event recorders and signalling / train protection equipment.
Storage is also required for the miscellaneuous items required for train operation, such as bulk amounts of sand (for wheel traction), water hoses, train lamps and headboards. The coach may even carry a wheelbarrow and oil drum for transporting and storing the ash raked out of the ashpan, if there is no pit available at the terminal stop.
The mess will usually feature a gas cooker and wash room, and the mess will carry all food and drink supplies required for the entire trip, as work schedules and locations usually mean sourcing supplies while operational is not possible. The coach also carries all the water required for cooking, washing, cleaning and operating the toilet.
Operations
Before any steam locomotive railtour can commence, the support crew must prepare the locomotive for operation. The crew will then accompany it on any required positioning moves (known as light engine moves), as well as on the actual railtour. The crew will service the locomotive at stops for coal/water, and at terminal stations. While stationary at terminal stops, and at the end of the run, the crew will also clear the ashpan as part of a disposal routine.
Preparing the locomotive is a time-consuming activity, involving an unofficial physical inspection of the locomotive and support coach. After the locomotive and support coach passes an official fitness-to-run exam, the crew lights the locomotive fire, and will then commence cleaning and oiling the engine while the steam pressure is raised. The largest of the preserved mainline British steam locomotives, the Pacifics, can take between 18 and 24 hours to reach operating steam pressure.[clarification needed (when raised 'from cold' presumably?)]
During water stops, as well as refilling the locomotive tender with water and possibly coal, the support crew will also inspect the engine oil levels and check for overheating in mechanical bearings. The crew will also tend the fire and provide food for the footplate crew.
While on the move, most of the support crew ride in the support coach. One crew member rides on the footplate, to act as the locomotive owner's representative. This person assists the train crew – who have general knowledge of steam locomotives and the UK mainline – by offering specialist knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of the specific locomotive, and reacting to matters arising. On the move, the remaining crew in the support coach will also record the locomotive's performance while operating, including punctuality and fuel efficiency.
Water stops
The UK no longer has any water troughs and very few water cranes on the mainline railway network, as opposed to on heritage railways. Cranes that remain include Appleby, Hellifield, Scarborough and Grosmont. Most water stops today are therefore carried out using firehoses carried on the support coach. Water is sourced either from road tankers, or from hydrants, but with tankers preferred due to pressure variation and the risk of boiler contamination from hydrant sources. The traditional water stop is 45 minutes, although the lack of available sidings and scheduling requirements often mean that short 'splash and dash' arrangements occur using road tankers, which can deliver 2,500 gallons in 12 minutes, using two pipes.
See also
- Main line railway preservation
- Heritage Railway Association
- Rail transport in Great Britain
- Rail transport operations
References
- The Railway Magazine, September 2009 issue, 5 August 2009, IPC Media, pages 40 – 44, A week in the life of a mainline line steam support crew
External links
- 'The Kings Own' a report on a support crew turn on No. 6024 King Edward I
