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Oxonhutch
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« Reply #195 on: November 01, 2023, 21:43:02 » |
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broadgage
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« Reply #196 on: November 02, 2023, 13:51:01 » |
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Brandy is a form of bioethanol, but the term is more generally used to describe bioethanol intended for burning as fuel, and treated to render it undrinkable, as otherwise it would be very cheap vodka. Ethanol fuel is used as an ALLEGEDLY green additive to petrol, and also to fuel camping stoves, food warming units, and lab burners if gas is not available. |
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« Last Edit: November 02, 2023, 14:59:51 by broadgage »
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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TonyK
Global Moderator
Hero Member
Posts: 6594
The artist formerly known as Four Track, Now!
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« Reply #197 on: November 02, 2023, 20:58:27 » |
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I use a couple of pieces of barbeque charcoal soaked in bioethanol, and a handful of plain charcoal, success every time !
I have one of those gas-fired weed burners. It's rubbish at weeding, but great for lighting fires, and would probably be safe indoors if use under a chimney. |
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Now, please!
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broadgage
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« Reply #198 on: November 06, 2023, 18:05:48 » |
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For lighting anthracite I use either some charcoal soaked in bioethanol, or an LPG▸ blowlamp
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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grahame
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« Reply #200 on: October 27, 2024, 09:15:48 » |
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It's a significant problem right across the sector and reading the article, the Welsh Highland and Ffestiniog company is looking for a solution. The Tallyllyn has also identified the problem - mentioned in the article - but I have seen others reporting the issue too. What is co-operation like between all the heritage rail groups on this - is this something that the Heritage Rail Association [is/could/should] be helping with? There is talk of the expense of shipping appropriate coal from a world away - would that expense to both the environment and the heritage operators be reduced by bulk? The people in Caernarfon feel are saying "this line is just for leisure - and this is our daily lives seriously damaged", asking perhaps for curtailment of the trains. But yet leisure brings people and business to the town, and their lives and and the town would take a serious knock if it were not to run. It's questionable to me whether the Welsh Highland really is heritage, but in so many heritage /preserved lines, I see steam fading somewhat and more trains becoming diesel. Not that switching is a magic solution - indeed diesel multiple units with engines under the carriage have made places like Westbury, where trains wait a while, thoroughly unpleasant at times. Engines /power plants burning any fuel at the extreme ends of the trains, away from the buildings are one thing but ticking over in the centre / near and under canopies and places where people are trying to eat / meet / work make those environments nasty. Perhaps we should be moving all the more to electrification which can be sustainable, and where it isn't it uncouples the generation from the location of the train itself. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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broadgage
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« Reply #201 on: October 27, 2024, 10:54:55 » |
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Could not patent smokeless fuel be used in steam locomotives ? It was trialled back in BR▸ steam days and found generally satisfactory, but more expensive than natural coal. Back in the old days, this fuel was generally known as "ovoids" a reference to the shapes it was made in.
I can also see two ways in which coal consumption and smoke production may be minimised.
Firstly fit electric immersion heaters into the water space in the boiler. The boiler may thus be preheated by a shore supply before the first duty of the day. With the boiler full of hot water, steam may be raised quickly with minimum coal use and smoke production. AFAIK▸ one narrow gauge UK▸ railway does this.
By increasing the electrical loading, it would be possible to raise steam thus rather than merely heating the water in the boiler.
A more radical suggestion would be to construct (or modify from existing stock) a few motor luggage vans as used on the southern decades ago.
Such a vehicle if equipped with traction motors of at least 500 HP, and a lithium battery able to supply full power for an hour could be usefully coupled behind the steam engine. Fit in the steam loco cab a simple push button control by which crew can select "nothing" or normal operation, "50% electric assistance" or "100% electric assistance" Most of the time the steam loco would be operated in the normal way. If the engine tends to slip under adverse rail conditions, or is at risk of stalling on an incline, then the driver can apply electric assistance.
This would reduce the temptation to "over-fire" the loco and would would reduce coal use and smoke production. Charge the battery overnight from a shore supply, one charge should last a working day, remembering that use is intended to be only brief under adverse conditions.
On DMUs▸ in general, consider shutting down one engine when stopped, saving fuel and reducing diesel fumes.
The larger heritage lines should consider a battery loco for ECS▸ moves and engineering trains. The odd passenger train could be hauled thus, some enthuisiasts would pay well for the novelty, though most expect steam.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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IndustryInsider
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« Reply #202 on: October 27, 2024, 14:01:12 » |
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Given the very tight financial margins (and reliance on donations and volunteers)
the majority of heritage operators operate under, how would they finance these suggestions?
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To view my GWML▸ Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/ |
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broadgage
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« Reply #203 on: October 27, 2024, 16:03:15 » |
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Given the very tight financial margins (and reliance on donations and volunteers)
the majority of heritage operators operate under, how would they finance these suggestions?
Use of smokeless patent fuel should not add to costs, but only a trial would show this with any reliability. Preheating the boiler with electricity would save coal, and volunteer hours and probably be self financing. Especially if off peak electricity could be used. The slow and steady warming should prolong boiler life. Use of a battery loco as described is almost certainly cheaper in running costs, but hugely expensive in capital. There is growing interest in battery locos on the national network, perhaps we might see prototypes loaned to heritage lines for testing and free publicity ? My suggested new battery powered motor luggage vans sound expensive ! but could be justified for main line steam rail tours. Having an extra say 500 HP available on demand could allow a steamer otherwise restricted to 8 coaches, to haul 10 or more vehicles, think of the extra ticket sales. The need to hire a diesel loco could be avoided. The new vehicle would not add to the train length as it could double as the support coach. Having justified the capital costs for main line steam specials, why not keep it on a preserved line who could use it at little cost. |
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #204 on: October 27, 2024, 18:14:26 » |
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I've merged a few more posts from today into an existing topic here on the same subject - as ever, in the interests of continuity and clarity. CfN.  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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Mark A
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« Reply #205 on: October 27, 2024, 22:04:39 » |
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Do heritage railways form a consortium to jointly pursue this? It's an approach that must have been explored.
Mark
Full disclosure: used to the curious property of peat, as it burns, to emit smoke that doesn't sting the eyes, I bought peat briquettes from a small shop in a rural seaside town and then used too much at once in a hearth with which I was not familiar.
Firstly, the chimney, though extended in height at some stage in the building's existence, didn't draw well at all, and secondly, whatever the binder used in these briquettes, the perpetrator needs to sit down somewhere and consider their career choices. Three days later, the stench was more of less gone from the little dwelling...
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broadgage
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« Reply #206 on: October 28, 2024, 04:53:24 » |
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Peat is now out of favour for either fuel or for horticultural purposes, due to the environmental harm resulting from the large scale extraction of peat.
Peat WAS used to fire locomotives, mainly in the Irish republic during the last war. Ireland has no significant coal reserves and was therefore reliant on imports from the UK▸ or from mainland Europe. Neither was reliably avilable in wartime.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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grahame
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« Reply #207 on: October 28, 2024, 06:37:43 » |
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Do heritage railways form a consortium to jointly pursue this? It's an approach that must have been explored.
Mark
I would be astonished if at the least there hadn't been a few messages going around asking about working together on what appears a common problem. |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, TravelWatch SouthWest Board Member
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Mark A
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« Reply #208 on: October 28, 2024, 17:54:47 » |
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Peat is now out of favour for either fuel or for horticultural purposes, due to the environmental harm resulting from the large scale extraction of peat.
**snip**
Hard agree, even though I was the perpetrator of that particular peat product burning. Mark |
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GBM
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« Reply #209 on: October 29, 2024, 09:09:21 » |
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg7m7n511voTrain smoke is making us sick, say residents Families living above a tourist railway believe thick acrid smoke from trains is making them ill. They claim fumes from the Welsh Highland Railway has caused "considerable concern" on Rhes Segontiwm, in Caernarfon, Gwynedd. Nia Davies Williams said: "People are getting sick. It's terrible, I'm very worried about our health." The railway said the war in Ukraine was making it more difficult to get cleaner coal leaving them reliant on dirtier imports. ...........continues
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Personal opinion only. Writings not representative of any union, collective, management or employer. (Think that absolves me...........)  |
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