How do steam railways tackle lineside fire risks?


The Watercress Line is operating its Canadian Pacific loco to reduce the risk of fires - Image © Peter Trimming

Prolonged dry weather has led to a temporary ban on steam trains on the national rail network but the rules do not apply to independent heritage lines.

Swanage Railway in Dorset and the Watercress Line in Hampshire are among the attractions still running steam locomotives when it is deemed safe to do so.

So how do operators decide when it is safe, and how do they mitigate the risk?

Safety measures include devices that prevent embers from escaping, choosing bigger locomotives to pull the trains, and assessing the strength and direction of the wind.

Watercress Line chief executive Rebecca Dalley said: "We do have to be very careful but there are lots of things we can do.  There is a wonderful device called a spark arrester.  They've got very fine mesh so almost nothing can escape, so you are only getting smoke coming out of the top and a bit of steam."

Dalley said screens were also fitted to the dampers that let the air in beneath the fire so there is "no means of escape".

"We check the condition of our ash pans that collect the embers from the firebox and we fit water sprays to dampen everything down," she said.

(BBC article continues)