Safe Speed Forums

To hell with global warming we had it right a 100 years ago, So funny and so heartwarming to see a blast from the past.
All aboard The Polar Express Looks a beauty too
Passengers stranded when modern-day trains fell victim to the freezing weather have been rescued by the crew of a steam engine.
About 100 passengers climbed aboard the first mainline steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost half a century at London Victoria when electric trains were delayed.

The 1940s technology used to power Tornado, a £3million Peppercorn class A1 Pacific, was able to withstand the snow and ice that brought much of the South East to a standstill on Monday night.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... rains.html

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nigel_bytes

Lovely story! I saw it up at Carlisle a few months ago (I have two young lads who are complete "puffer nutters")! I was most amused when the driver did what I imagine must be the steam engine equivalent of a "burnout" for the crowd and whacked the regulator open whilst leaving the brakes on the carriages on! It just sat there spinning its wheels for a few seconds without going anywhere - pure theatre!

The story reminds me of a similar tale when the last of the traditional Isle of Man boats left its mooring for its last scheduled service and the new Sea Cat took its place. The Sea Cat was expected to overtake the old lady a few miles out to sea but unfortunately, sucked an old fishing net into one of its turbojet drives and broke down. The old ship had the last laugh and turned back to tow it back in.

Not sure if its true, but a similar warming tale just the same!

The only downside to the loco was the fact the boiler had to be built in germany
Whatever happened to british engineering ?

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nigel_bytes

Nobody qualified to build boilers !

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The world runs on oil, period. No other substance can compete when it comes to energy density, flexibility, ease of handling, ease of transportation. If oil didn’t exist we would have to invent it.”

56 years after it was decided it was needed, the Bedford Bypass is nearing completion. The last single carriageway length of it.We have the most photogenic mayor though, always being photographed doing nothing

Another bit of trivia ,if anyone's interested that is , is that at severalpoints on the West Coast Main Line ( Euston to Glasgow) are stationed diesel locos of the Thunderbird class ( named after the characters) .They're fitted with the different coupling as used on the Virgin locos and are used to tow a breakdown or if there's a loss of traction voltage .

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on