How many of you know that there are around 700 restored and operational steam locomotives in the United Kingdom? Vintage passenger coaches too. Check out some of the videos on YouTube. AMAZING! Totally different "mindset" over there....
Mike C.
Seven HUNDRED? In an island nation with the square milage of Wyoming? Where do they keep them all?
Not that I'm complaining mind you, I think it's too cool for words.
Makes sense at any rate. Next to parliamentary democracy the steam locomotive is probably Britain's greatest gift to the world.
I go to Britain twice a year and have sampled many of their heritage railways. Do you like steam? Hot oil? Coal smoke? Go to Britain. You will absolutely love what they're doing over there. A lot of heritage lines are being extended, some connecting back to the main lines after being cut off during the Beeching years. Some of these include the Bluebell Railway, the Swanage and the North Norfolk. Just go!
Britain's other great accomplishment? The Supermarine Spitfire!
Don't forget the AVRO Lancaster, and the Enfield SMLE rifle.
Oh, and pennicillin of course!
Indeed! Let's not forget the R.M.S. Mauretania and the original Mini Cooper! And the best thing of all? Cask-conditioned real ale!!
>> Seven HUNDRED? In an island nation with the square milage of Wyoming? Where do they keep them all? <<
Well , Firelock - with no intention to shock you : yet they had better than 20.000 steam locomotives running in the high time of railways in Britain .
Although , it must be added , of the once so popular 4-4-0 express engines , about six wouldn't have been needed for not quite too slighly miss matching the cylinder power output of one Niagara 4-8-4 or Pennsy T1 4-4-4-4 .
Unfour comparison , I hear the Brits exclaim - and truely so .
Best regards and
have a good year 2015
Juniatha
And a Happy New Year to you Juniatha!
Now, just where did they keep 20,000 steam locomotives in Britain?
I'm surprised the island didn't sink under the weight!
wobblinwheel How many of you know that there are around 700 restored and operational steam locomotives in the United Kingdom? Vintage passenger coaches too. Check out some of the videos on YouTube. AMAZING! Totally different "mindset" over there....
in my quick back of the envelope count I get 457 total, much less operational.
Locomotives in Britain were a lot smaller than the ones used here so 70,000 could have fit on that right little, tight little island. The Pacific was generally the largest type used in Britain but they did have the occasional Mikado and Garratt. The most common is the 4-6-0 and the last steamer built before The Tornado (a Pacific) in 2011 was a 2-10-0, The Evening Star, built in 1961, I think. 2 Mikados are currently being built amongst others.
>> I'm surprised the island didn't sink under the weight! <<
Well , there you are ! See what considerate people the Brits are : ever so vaguely , I suppose , remembering the rumble and trembling of the fateful days when Atlantis was doomed to sink below the waves , they wisely limited axle loads yet at the same time keeping maximum some 10 - 12 % above Continental 20 t limit .
Hm .. looks like we have some 'sinking' topics going around - or staying afloat , to stay with the picture - in this forum basically based on RR topics where the High Iron is supposed to keep engines from sinking into the ground .
Gee , that's queer , we have sort of a marine railroad array of topics floating along here ...
Well , after all sail ships and steam locomotives - why they go together well , wouldn't it have been just right for them to have worked along side by side .
It was not to be except for a transient time of a few decades ..
Regards
It's about the thing no one has ever seen, the force that changed the world more than any other. Ships, trains, cars. Steam!
Isn't it amazing that the people who REALLY change the world never really set out to do so, but those that DO set out to change it usually leave chaos in their wake?
So I,m guessing the jokeing part about the island.....
Would not tie in with the R.M.S TITANIC? Just kidding!!!!!!! I couldn't,t resist. Lol
Firelock ,
that's a wise remark , really ...
Oh Juniatha, you made me blush!
Then again, Lady Firestorm calls me a wise-guy anyway.
54light15I go to Britain twice a year and have sampled many of their heritage railways. Do you like steam? Hot oil? Coal smoke? Go to Britain. You will absolutely love what they're doing over there. A lot of heritage lines are being extended, some connecting back to the main lines after being cut off during the Beeching years. Some of these include the Bluebell Railway, the Swanage and the North Norfolk. Just go!
Don't forget the NYMR (North Yorkshire Moors Railway). In beautiful countryside.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Firelock
>> Then again, Lady Firestorm calls me a wise-guy anyway. <<
Looks like you're a happy guy , too - both combined being *very* rare indeed -
add to it a ride behind # 611 alive and kicking again
( erhm , we all know which-one-and-only 611 )
.. and heaven can wait , I guess .
Schlimm, I'm hoping to do the NYMR this next time in Britain when I go in late March. Going to try to do the Leighton Buzzard which isn't too far from London and also Didcot. There's no end to the steam railways over there.
STEAMEISTERLike our "beloved" President maybe??? Hmmmmmmm......
I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes. What's that supposed to mean?
And remember, politics really don't belong here in the Preservation threads. History yes, politics no.
Please no politics. I am tired of ignoring such silly remarks here and on other sires as well.
Yes and to quote the late, great Thelma Ritter in "Miracle on 34th Street" (My favourite Chistmas movie of all time)
"I don't get it, I just don't get it."
George Hilton penned a delightful article about IOMR and the various other railways on the Isle of Man in TRAINS in the mid-1960's.
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