When was the steam ban lifted?

[ianwales]

Hi all

 

What year did BR lift the ban on preserved locos running on the main line please, also I have a vague recollection of an article or a website which listed the locos passed for main line running and what years they were active or is it just a figment of my imagination, I'm interested in the locos that were in useduring the early years of M/L steam running

 

Thanks

Ian

[br2975]

October 1971.

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The loco that broke the ban was 6000 'King George V'

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Although a part of the National Collection, KGV was returned to mainline standard at the expense (at least in part) by H.P.Bulmer of Hereford.

 

I, and thousands of others flocked to the lineside on October 2nd 1971 - in my case with hundreds of bods to Sevren Tunnel Junction in order to see KGV and its rake of Bulmers liveried Pullman cars.

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I had earlier seen it under repair / renovation at Newport Docks (c/o United Wagon Works IIRC).

 

Brian E

[ajwffc]

The SRPS moved Clydesmill No3 by rail under her owns steam from Clydesmill Power Station to Falkirk Springfield Yard in late 1970 early 1971.

[Titan]

Was not Flying Scotsman running up to 1969 until Alan Peglar took it to the US?

[scorpion]

i suppose a cegb loco could scrape through by being not privately owned and not preserved, the same thing happenned with NCB deisels which could run from place to place during the "preserved deisel ban"

[LH&JC]

AFAIK some of the Lambton Hetton & Joicey Colliery locos were permitted to run over BR metals, although I'm not sure if that was still happening in the late 60's.

 

EDIT: The LH&JC did but stopped running on BR metals in 1967.

[br2975]

ISTR that Flying Scotsman was the only loco allowed to operate during the ban on steam locos.

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The orginal question related to the ban on preserved steam locos, so the use of BTC registered industrials on BR metals is a bit wide of the mark.

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A handful of steam locos evaded the ban by being delivered to their new homes in steam.

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But 'KGV' is regarded as the first to work a passenger train.

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Within a couple of years of 'KGV' breaking the ban, several locos were passed for mainline running over several selected routes - e.g. The North & West, which had turning facilities at each end, and a steam centre (in this case Bulmers Railway Centre) nearby.

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I believe those preserved locos used where hired to BR at a nominal sum.

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Brian R

[dana]

Reading MODEL RAIL Raitour Report part 2 (october 2012) GWR King George V was moved November 13 1968 to be Moved for Restoration then when restored moved under its own power with out desial shunter assist to attend a TYsley open day in1971 , . The king had to move under its own power for a 60 mile trip So that BR could use it as an excuse to see how a steam hulled special would work under a "modernized " railway . October the 4th 1971 it hual a train to tysley then went to kingstonolympia followed by a trip to swindon on the 7th then back to hereford on october 9th 1971. "KGV" 1971 trials helped BR relax its rules and by the end of 1972 steam tours were on approved routes. sorry for word for word out of the mag but i had just ben re reading the article when i saw this topic

[Colin_McLeod]

There was never any main line steam ban in Ireland (north or south).

[Michael Delamar]

Open day at Allerton depot Liverpool in 1969, not sure if they travelled there under their own steam.

 

049 5593 at Allerton open day July 1969 by edgehillsignalman, on Flickr

 

Allerton by Kerry Parker (KP), on Flickr

[Gwiwer]

4472 was permitted to make very limited runs during the steam ban account its iconic status. It appeared at Brighton during that time IIRC on a charter which had a BBC film crew in attendance for the "Blue Peter" children's programme.

 

Once the ban was formally lifted in 1971 "Permitted steam routes" were slowly made available beginning with those carrying lighter traffic, with turning facilities and at least nominally easy access to coal and water. As more and more "permitted" routes were opened up operators under the banner of SLOA pressed for more which streadily increased the options to the point at which almost any route would be considered - but with no guarantee of acceptance!

 

In effect the steam ban lasted from 1968 - 1971 but there were some very limited steam operations over BR metals in those years. LT continued with steam-hauled engineering trains on a regular (not quite daily) basis until June 1971 including alongside what is now the Chiltern Trains route (Finchley Road - Moor Park section)out to the tip at Croxley.

[LMS2968]

The steam ban came into effect on 12th August 1968 following the 15 Guinea Special the previous day, although 70013 did not complete its journey to Norfolk until the morning of 12th August, thus infringing the ban. Alan Peglar, who then owned 4472, had previously obtained a contract with BR allowing that engine to run over the main lines after this date, and that was honoured. 4472 was therefore the only steam loco allowed to work over the system, and I recall being rather upset when he took the only mainline certificated steam engine to America before the expiration of the contract, thus denying us the opportunity to enjoy any main line steam.

 

There were though steam movements over the system after 12th August. At first, light engine movements were made from one site to another. The preserved 8F 8773/8233 was to make its way LE from Rose Grove to Bewdley. The move was stopped at the last minute, not because of the steam ban but because part of the movement would be under the wires south of Crewe, and she carried, incorrectly, the yellow prohibition stripe. Later all movements had to be made with the engine in light steam (for cylinder lubrication) but hauled by a diesel, with a crew from the engine's owners on the footplate. The same 8F went to a Tyseley open day in 1970 under this system. The engines at Allerton open day (which I was at) also arrived and departed under this arrangement: diesel hauled in light steam.

[Gwiwer]

There were numerous depot open days around that time - possibly by way of encouraging "new generation" enthusiasts since steam had gone - or so we thought - and with token appearances of a locomotive in light steam at those depots. Those locos were moved from and to their homes by rail but as per the post above they were diesel hauled and the light steam was really only sufficient to keep them warm and the motions in good order. It helped that there was a vague smell of fire about them and the occasional wisp of steam from the chimney. GWR 4555 attended Bristol Bath Road open day in (IIRC) October 1970 under these conditions and was posed alongside E3044 towed in from the LMR.

[LMS2968]

Is it true they are re introducing a ban on steam from 01/04/2013?

Well, Steam Railway has been prophesying it for as long as I can remember!

[Foo]

Hope not else this is a lot of rail tours to cancel...

 

http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs13.htm#mar

[Guest Belgian]

Is it true they are re introducing a ban on steam from 01/04/2013?

The date seems significant!

 

Under 'open access' provisions of the privatisation process, the right to run steam locomotives, as long as they comply with Railtrack/Network Rail and statutary requirements, seems to be enshrined.

[The Stationmaster]

The date seems significant!

 

Under 'open access' provisions of the privatisation process, the right to run steam locomotives, as long as they comply with Railtrack/Network Rail and statutary requirements, seems to be enshrined.

That is true but equally NR can impose revised or new conditions for 'safety reasons', it can make changes under Network Change which might make it very difficult or impossible to operate steam traction, or it can make agreements with operators which effectively leave no capacity for steam specials due to their lower speed and rate of acceleration (e.g once Crossrail is in place to Maidenhead there is unlikely to be any weekday capacity for steam hauled trains east of Airport Jcn - and maybe even further out than that).

[John_Hughes]

The new ERTMS system has certainly b*gg*red up any current hope of steam on the Cambrian Coast line!

[Coldgunner]

73050 moved from Manchester to Peterborough, light engine and through the night, one month after the steam 'ban'.

 

You would think that a heritage operator would have just as much access to an 'open access' system as anyone else.

[The Stationmaster]

 

You would think that a heritage operator would have just as much access to an 'open access' system as anyone else.

They do have in many respects but if there is no line capacity due to, for example, the need for extended stops to take water or the fact that they are running at lower speeds then it can become difficult for them to gain access.