NYMR news and updates.

[MarkyT]

Happens every year without fail and likely to happen more and more often.
Much as i dont normally approve NYMR is a railway that could really benefit from a few oil fired steam engines.
Did i read that Vera Lynn might be oil fired or did i dream that?

Vera Lynn and a US-built S160 2-8-0 are to be equipped with oil firing I understand.

Is there any spark arresting technology that could be used on the larger steam stuff?

Quite widely used I think, and mandatory for mainline steam. Sparks can still escape though especially if the mesh screens become damaged.

 

[kje7812]

Is there any spark arresting technology that could be used on the larger steam stuff?

Already widely used, but there's a limit to what the arrestors can do. Also some fires are from the ashpan. I gather 80136 was stopped on Sunday or Monday due to holes in the ashpan being discovered.

Is this an overreaction? Were the fires minor?

Several decent sized one. The national park and fire brigade would have something to say about running in a fire risk period (and of course the
cost of fire brigade call outs). NR has a Steam ban at the moment as well I gather.

I guess the key question in understanding that is: are they held liable for the costs of fighting any fires they start?

Yes, though the costs vary on local fire brigade. For the Severn Valley, Herefordshire & Worcestershire charge more than Shropshire.

 

[blackfive460]

Goyles? Sorry, I don't know ow what that means.

Nickname for Class 31 diesels.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Nickname for Class 31 diesels.

Many thanks

 

[30907]

Makes you wonder how we managed in the long hot summers pre diesel days and yes I can still remember those diesel free days.

They were rare enough (when was the drought summer before 76?) - and summer grassland/moorland doesn't have loads of last year's dead grass to burn.

 

[John Webb]

Makes you wonder how we managed in the long hot summers pre diesel days and yes I can still remember those diesel free days.

Because the railway in those days kept lineside vegetation under control to minimise fires and particularly their spread to adjacent fields with crops. (They had to pay compensation for damage to crops!)

 

[DarloRich]

Because the railway in those days kept lineside vegetation under control to minimise fires and particularly their spread to adjacent fields with crops.

are you saying the NYMR don't do that? IMO the issue is more with the wild moorland than anything inside the boundary. That will burn when it is dry.

 

[John Webb]

are you saying the NYMR don't do that? IMO the issue is more with the wild moorland than anything inside the boundary. That will burn when it is dry.

Sorry - not casting aspersions on the NYMR at all. But grah2702's comment in their original post seemed to be a general comment and I replied in like vein.
The problem is that Winter kills off through frost much of the previous year's growth and dries it out. New growth in March/April should provide fresh growth to cover the old, but the lack of rain has delayed the new growth this year, leaving the old dead stuff more likely to be ignited by a stray spark. The NYMR are pretty good at responding to the need for caution and taking a long-term view of their needs.

 

[DarloRich]

The problem is that Winter kills off through frost much of the previous year's growth and dries it out. New growth in March/April should provide fresh growth to cover the old, but the lack of rain has delayed the new growth this year, leaving the old dead stuff more likely to be ignited by a stray spark.

Agreed - it has been very dry this spring. We have had the frost but not the rain

The NYMR are pretty good at responding to the need for caution and taking a long-term view of their needs.

They have to be so careful as they could easily burn a vast moorland area and the damage that would cause from both a PR/reputation and environmental standpoint would be terrible

( and I know that part of the moorland management is burning - but in a controlled manner!)

Sorry - not casting aspersions on the NYMR at all

Sorry - that was a bit pointy. I just recall on my last visit there was a very well defined cut area within the boundary, especially on the moorland section

 

[NER1621]

( and I know that part of the moorland management is burning - but in a controlled manner!)

Glad to see several responses taking a grown-up position on the MYNR's very sensible attitude towards moorland fires.

But just a point of information on DarloRich's comment: controlled burning plays no part in genuine moorland management. It's undertaken by landowners who pretend that they are making a vital contribution to the countryside economy by encouraging an overpopulation of grouse, so that hooray henrys and other entitled thugs can compensate for their inadequacies by paying to blast away at birds who've been scared into flying over them.

(I'm not opposed to meat-eating or skilful hunting for the pot by careful stalking, but driven shooting over butts is the moral equivalent of stampeding cattle over a cliff.)

 

[Iskra]

Glad to see several responses taking a grown-up position on the MYNR's very sensible attitude towards moorland fires.

But just a point of information on DarloRich's comment: controlled burning plays no part in genuine moorland management. It's undertaken by landowners who pretend that they are making a vital contribution to the countryside economy by encouraging an overpopulation of grouse, so that hooray henrys and other entitled thugs can compensate for their inadequacies by paying to blast away at birds who've been scared into flying over them.

(I'm not opposed to meat-eating or skilful hunting for the pot by careful stalking, but driven shooting over butts is the moral equivalent of stampeding cattle over a cliff.)

And of course preventing the land becoming trees as it would if it wasn't burnt, is preventing carbon capture (and releasing carbon via burning) and contributes to flooding.

 

[Ploughman]

Are reared birds not covered by Avian Flu regulations?

 

[JGurney]

Are reared birds not covered by Avian Flu regulations?

They are. See: https://raptorpersecutionuk.org/202...ility-in-n-yorkshire-after-bird-flu-outbreak/

"Thousands of gamebirds culled at breeding facility in N Yorkshire after bird flu outbreak. ..... (at) Westfield Farms, where pheasants, red-legged partridges and ducks are bred and reared to be sold for gamebird shooting"

Makes you wonder how we managed in the long hot summers pre diesel days and yes I can still remember those diesel free days.

Several factors which meant that a small lineside fire would usually be spotted and put out quickly, before it could spread, including:

• platelayers regularly checking their stretches of line.
• Far more people working on the land
• More people walking and travelling by horse, both on rural roads and paths, before the spread of the car. A pedestrian, carter or equestrian is much more likely to spot the early telltale wisp of smoke than a driver travelling at 50 or 60mph with their eyes fixed on the road.
  • my wife and I have put out an incipient NYMR fire exactly this way. We were walking over Gothland Moor on course to cross the line by the barrow crossing near Ellerbeck Bridge. A train passed the crossing when we were about 500m from it. As we got nearer the crossing we noticed smoke rising just south of it. No flames were visible until we were on top of it but the smoke showed. It was easy to stamp it out, but if no-one had been there to interfere it might have spread

 

[D Williams]

They are. See: https://raptorpersecutionuk.org/202...ility-in-n-yorkshire-after-bird-flu-outbreak/

"Thousands of gamebirds culled at breeding facility in N Yorkshire after bird flu outbreak. ..... (at) Westfield Farms, where pheasants, red-legged partridges and ducks are bred and reared to be sold for gamebird shooting"


Several factors which meant that a small lineside fire would usually be spotted and put out quickly, before it could spread, including:

• platelayers regularly checking their stretches of line.
• Far more people working on the land
• More people walking and travelling by horse, both on rural roads and paths, before the spread of the car. A pedestrian, carter or equestrian is much more likely to spot the early telltale wisp of smoke than a driver travelling at 50 or 60mph with their eyes fixed on the road.
  • my wife and I have put out an incipient NYMR fire exactly this way. We were walking over Gothland Moor on course to cross the line by the barrow crossing near Ellerbeck Bridge. A train passed the crossing when we were about 500m from it. As we got nearer the crossing we noticed smoke rising just south of it. No flames were visible until we were on top of it but the smoke showed. It was easy to stamp it out, but if no-one had been there to interfere it might have spread

Be very careful about taking matters into you own hands in the current authoritarian climate. I'm sure your well-meaning actions have contravened a multitude of regulations.

 

[JGurney]

Be very careful about taking matters into you own hands in the current authoritarian climate. I'm sure your well-meaning actions have contravened a multitude of regulations.

Possibly a technical offence of trespassing upon the railway, but I am not sure that entering land for the purpose of extinguishing a fire which would otherwise be likely to cause damage would be held to amount to a trespass.

 

[D Williams]

Possibly a technical offence of trespassing upon the railway, but I am not sure that entering land for the purpose of extinguishing a fire which would otherwise be likely to cause damage would be held to amount to a trespass.

Rules is rules. Stay off the railway.

 

[Egton]

Makes you wonder how we managed in the long hot summers pre diesel days and yes I can still remember those diesel free days.

In those long hot summers pre diesel
BR gangers burnt off dead lineside vegetation within the boundary fence every spring - hence little left for loco to ignite
those same gangers scythed grass growing within 6 feet of the ballast every July August - which rotted away quickly in those warm wet summer days - again - little left for locos to ignite
The NYMR used to have some controlled burning of lineside vegetation - but that had to end because much of the route's lineside and adjacent land has been classified as a SSSI since Dr Beeching's axe
The SSSI status also inhibits cutting of lineside vegetation
The relative remoteness of the NYMR through Newtondale also results in long time delays before locations of any fire is identified - and even longer delays before professional fire fighters can reach said location
And those pre diesel days did not have Global Warming to contend with

 

[Ryry]

Which engine is leaving Thursday for Kidderminster SNG or Bahamas

 

[andyjhatton]

Which engine is leaving Thursday for Kidderminster SNG or Bahamas

Bahamas.

 

[JGurney]

Is this leading towards a separate thread on the steam v diesel issue - or has such a discussion already happened?

 

[John Webb]

Is this leading towards a separate thread on the steam v diesel issue - or has such a discussion already happened?

Has as from yesterday - see https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/nymr-is-diesel-the-way-forward.284781

 

[kje7812]

Anyway, with some rainfall yesterday/today, 44806 has been in use on the Moorlander dinner. Hopefully no issues.

 

[Ploughman]

I believe it was going to be Steam whatever the weather.

 

[grah2702]

Service Disruptions - 20 April​

Update 20/4 09:15
Due to a lineside fire yesterday, our services will not run between Levisham and Goathland this morning.
This morning, services will consist:

• Pickering to Levisham shuttles using the Class 37 and 6 coach set and Northeastern Auto Car
• Grosmont to Goathland shuttles
• Grosmont to Whitby Shuttles

There are no through trains until further notice. Passengers are still welcome to have a ride on the shuttles, visit the Baby Dinosaurs at Goathland and use our tea rooms and shops.
We apologise for the disruption and we hope the line to be re-opened at some point.

 

[kje7812]

Service Disruptions - 20 April​

Update 20/4 09:15
Due to a lineside fire yesterday, our services will not run between Levisham and Goathland this morning.
This morning, services will consist:

• Pickering to Levisham shuttles using the Class 37 and 6 coach set and Northeastern Auto Car
• Grosmont to Goathland shuttles
• Grosmont to Whitby Shuttles

There are no through trains until further notice. Passengers are still welcome to have a ride on the shuttles, visit the Baby Dinosaurs at Goathland and use our tea rooms and shops.
We apologise for the disruption and we hope the line to be re-opened at some point.

A further update from the railway
"Update 20/4 11:30

We are now able to re-open the section of line between Levisham and Grosmont. Services will run with diesel locomotives and the following adjustments:

Pickering Departures

Autocar will depart Pickering at approximately 12.00.

Approximately 12.20 - Class 37 and set will form the service to WHITBY stopping at all stations – as booked.

13.10 departure from Pickering is cancelled.

All other departures are as booked.

Goathland Departures

Autocar will pass through about 1250.

1310 train to Whitby will run as planned.

No 1410 departure of the rail car to Grosmont.

Please speak to station staff for up-to-date timings if you are travelling today. Once again, we apologise for the disruptions to our services today"

One of the update posts yesterday said that fire brigade crews were from Whitby, Goathland, Pickering, Lythe, Scarborough, Danby and Malton along with an argocat from Kirkbymoorside. Reportedly over 100 acres burnt to the south of Goathland summit.

 

[Iskra]

I don’t know why they used steam again, although there has been some rain over the last week, it hasn’t achieved much on the ground which is still very dry.

 

[DarloRich]

The NYMR had to bus people back to their starting stations on Saturday apparently.

I was at KWVR today and they were having lineside fire problems.

Approximately 12.20 - Class 37 and set will form the service to WHITBY stopping at all stations – as booked

Assume the 37 came off at grosmont and a 31 or 25 went on

 

[HST43257]

I assume we’re expecting a full diesel service for the next few days?

 

[kje7812]

The NYMR had to bus people back to their starting stations on Saturday apparently.

Yes

Assume the 37 came off at grosmont and a 31 or 25 went on

31128, the 25 is out of use at the moment and 31466 isn't passed for the mainline.

 

[grah2702]

I assume we’re expecting a full diesel service for the next few days?

Their website confirms diesel ONLY services until further notice.