Fawley Hill Railway; Steam takes on the steepest gradient in the world!

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  • čas přidán 17. 05. 2024
  • 2 engines were visiting for the vintage transport festival at Fawley Hill. King George from Didcot and a small Kerr Stuart engine from the Foxfield Railway. Both had their turns at taking to the 1 in 13 with the diesel there for brake power down the hill. It would take its weight up the hill. I hope you enjoy the volcanic sounds of these industrial engines,
    Luke
  • Krátké a kreslené filmy

Komentáře • 67

  • @eliotreader8220
    @eliotreader8220 Před 29 dny +8

    I bet that Sir William heard the train working hard coming up the hill

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 28 dny +4

      The railway goes right past his house, you can see the front gardens to the left of the train in the videos! Thanks for watching.

    • @AaronThompson
      @AaronThompson Před 28 dny +8

      @@LukeAlfordUKsteam He passed away in 2018. I believe the comment was more insinuating he would be able to hear it in the afterlife.

  • @frenchsteam7356
    @frenchsteam7356 Před 23 dny +1

    The Tanfield Branch had a section of 1 in 11-it would take two N10s to push 2 x 21T hoppers up the bank, The tool vans turned up one day with FOUR engines pushing them up the bank, it did slacken off to 1 in 21 after the 1 in 11,

  • @ianbrown9108
    @ianbrown9108 Před 22 dny +1

    Marginally steeper than the Hopton Incline on the Cromford and High Peak Railway at 1 in 14,which was the steepest on the BR system. It also featured one of the tightest turns,the Gotham Curve.

  • @mrmrst9020
    @mrmrst9020 Před měsícem +3

    Fantastic footage really lovely to hear the locos working hard 👍🏻👍🏻

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 29 dny +1

      Absolutely, you just can't beat an industrial engine for a volcanic exhaust! Thanks for watching.

  • @FeckHallBahn
    @FeckHallBahn Před 29 dny +1

    Love it! Fabulously eccentric set up

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 28 dny +2

      Agreed, it's the sort of thing only a rich train enthusiast could come up with. If only we could all have private railways in our back garden!

    • @FeckHallBahn
      @FeckHallBahn Před 27 dny

      @@LukeAlfordUKsteam
      Well, I guess I do have a private railway in my back garden. It’s just a teeny bit smaller!!

  • @philipstanbridge6535
    @philipstanbridge6535 Před 27 dny +1

    I’ve been up Snowdon on a steam train. There’s a rack so the loco can be worked hard with no danger of slipping.

  • @Allan_aka_RocKITEman
    @Allan_aka_RocKITEman Před 26 dny

    Great video...👍

  • @LisbonRailProductionsandF1

    Magnificent catches of the trains coming y abd pass, i like it 5 stars.
    Thumbs up.
    Keep up the perfect work, my friend, just liked and subscribed, Greetings from Portugal to the UK.

  • @MrDavil43
    @MrDavil43 Před 29 dny +2

    And there's a happy me in the rear of the brake van on the first run in this video!

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 28 dny

      Such a fun ride. It's a shame the engine couldn't be directly behind the coal wagon but they didnt trust the brakes. Their usual engine should be back from overhaul next year, but the Kerr Stuart was very impressive.

  • @cedarcam
    @cedarcam Před 29 dny +2

    I used to ride on a loco at a brick works which in a book I have says the loco stands on the 1:9 gradient. It could be a misprint and mean 1:19 but it certainly was like seen here. Fantastic sight and sound

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 28 dny +1

      Wow, maybe. Some industrial systems had very steam gradients. Maybe a climb to a coal drop or something as you'd certainly be limited to a wagon or 2 on such a steep climb.

    • @cedarcam
      @cedarcam Před 28 dny +1

      @@LukeAlfordUKsteam They only hauled 2 wagons of clay or 3 Hudson, I think or could of been Chas Roberts, V hoppers of stone from the quarry. There were 3 locomotives and I only got to ride on two of them. Happily the 3rd one is preserved and I hope to get a footplate ride on that one day.

  • @crunchynutsteamfilms5043
    @crunchynutsteamfilms5043 Před měsícem +1

    Super stuff Luke mate, that is one hell of a gradient lol! Makes the Lickey look virtually flat 🤣Hope you had a good day. Regards, Dan

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před měsícem

      It was a brilliant event, and yeah it's 3 times steeper than even the Lickey... Shame it doesn't operate more often

    • @joginns778
      @joginns778 Před 29 dny

      Have you been to the lickey? That engine on this video with it's train wouldn't make it up the lickey😅😅😅,

  • @tweed532DaveH
    @tweed532DaveH Před měsícem +1

    Pretty cool, lucky dry sunny day, might be a struggle in the wet!! Various random wild life on the tracks made me chuckle, no not some of the passengers... Hope any coupling inspection/risk assesment was signed off, would have preferred to see the diesel 'downhill' behind the guards van to be honest. 🤔👍🇬🇧

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 29 dny

      Yes, the deer especially seemed pretty unphased by the train. They've even got a lemur enclosure in the park grounds! I can't imagine how difficult the climb would be with slippery rails. Glad you enjoyed watching.

  • @user-gk8gg1zt7l
    @user-gk8gg1zt7l Před 29 dny +1

    Nice video, Like!

  • @rogerevans425
    @rogerevans425 Před 27 dny +7

    I heard rumours that this might well be the last open day at Fawley. Hopefully not because it is always one of my favourite days - the museum alone is excellent

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 26 dny +3

      Unfortunately, that appears to be the case. Judy mcalpine is 80 this year.

    • @SteamCrane
      @SteamCrane Před 25 dny

      Hope a group can take it over.

    • @alanbuckley65
      @alanbuckley65 Před 24 dny +1

      It's the last Transport Festival, but open days are continuing for now.

    • @paul-bw8fy
      @paul-bw8fy Před 19 dny

      yes here that from one of the old members bob Hatfield

  • @send2gl
    @send2gl Před 22 dny

    Didn't realise conventional engines could cope with a 1/13 gradient. Guess it depends on how much weight it is pulling.

  • @Tavok22
    @Tavok22 Před měsícem +3

    1:13 might be the steepest gradient in the UK but not in the world.

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 29 dny

      I just took this from their website. They advertised as the steepest standard gauge in the world, which seems likely?

    • @Tavok22
      @Tavok22 Před 29 dny +1

      @@LukeAlfordUKsteam Just look at wikipedia: List of steepest gradients on adhesion railways

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 29 dny +2

      Looking at that, it does seem somewhat dubious for them to advertise as the steepest in the world. I'll update the description of my video. That said, most of the steeper examples are on metros or use specially geared engines, so this railway certainly is something special.

    • @oscarknight3588
      @oscarknight3588 Před 29 dny +2

      @@Tavok22 still in the top 20 though, which is certainly impressive for these machines which aren't specially designed for it

  • @justice5832
    @justice5832 Před 25 dny

    Why are the diesels behind them? Can they not carry the small load by themselves?

    • @KoffieMoffie
      @KoffieMoffie Před 23 dny

      Why don't you bother to read the description provided?

  • @bcmineresearch
    @bcmineresearch Před 15 dny

    I'm used to percentages. Thats a lot of converting!

  • @johnkuzma7066
    @johnkuzma7066 Před 29 dny +3

    1:13 thats nothing for a west coast logging railroad,roaring camp has a grade of 1 in 10 and there was a line that tried 1 in 5 that used little Americans to seesaw there way out of the valley with 1 log car.

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 28 dny +1

      Since uploading, I've found out about these. The railway themselves were advertising as steepest standard gauge railway in the world, but its possible they meant the steepest to use non specialised equipment. I'd love to visit the Cass scenic railroad some day!

  • @brianletter3545
    @brianletter3545 Před 23 dny

    Not much 'steam', is there.
    And the diesel, what's it for?

  • @derbyshiretrainboy235
    @derbyshiretrainboy235 Před měsícem

    What is the gradient?

  • @georgeenache9004
    @georgeenache9004 Před měsícem +1

    second engine is also pushing

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před měsícem

      Yes, the steam engine can only take the wagon and the brake van but the diesel had to take its own weight.

  • @forrestrobin2712
    @forrestrobin2712 Před měsícem

    1:12 !!

  • @toyotaprius79
    @toyotaprius79 Před 28 dny +1

    Maybe be too little too late but such a steep preserved railway could really benefit from a battery electric loco. Especially one that can regenerate energy while braking down hill. It would limit a lot of the wear and tear and consumption on any steam or diesel which is not going to get any easier when the youngest steam locos left are around 60 years old.

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 27 dny +2

      Luckily this is a very short line so it doesn't get through too much coal. The main draw of it is the steam working hard for many people, myself included.

  • @nigelbrazier8585
    @nigelbrazier8585 Před 29 dny

    The Kerr Stuart is from the Foxfield Railway not Tanfield

  • @finlayfraser9952
    @finlayfraser9952 Před 25 dny

    Surely the diesel could do it on its own?

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 23 dny

      It could but it let the steam do the work as that's the main draw

  • @petercrossley1069
    @petercrossley1069 Před měsícem

    Seems diesel is doing most of the work.

    • @cadetkohr5508
      @cadetkohr5508 Před 29 dny

      Nah mate, can't you hear the bark? The echo of the thunder? That diesel's there for safety my friend, it's barely moving it's own weight. Those little shunters are giving everything they have to give, make no mistake.

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 29 dny +1

      Having been there for some of the diesels solo runs, you would hear it if it was taking anything over its own weight. It's true it was putting in some work as in a normal running day the engines would only be paired with the 2 wagons, diesel was needed for brake power on the way down. Thanks for watching!

    • @marionbloom1218
      @marionbloom1218 Před 27 dny

      Sounded like the steamer was working pretty hard! You only get that sort of sharp exhaust beat when the engine is in full gear or near to it.

    • @scottfw7169
      @scottfw7169 Před 26 dny

      Sounds like the steamer may have slipped a bit after the 2:05 point by the footbridge, and again right after going off screen after 6:40; it ain't gonna be slippin' if it ain't workin'.

  • @burklander3338
    @burklander3338 Před 6 dny

    It would have been nice to see the ride from the perspective of an actual passenger on the train, sorry, but this was kind of disappointing

    • @eekee6034
      @eekee6034 Před 4 dny

      When I'm a passenger, I'm always disappointed because I can't see the loco. 😆
      Oh! Now I see a _Fawley Hill Railway Driver's Eye View_ thumbnail right next to this comment. Maybe you'd like to put that in CZcams's search.

    • @LukeAlfordUKsteam
      @LukeAlfordUKsteam  Před 3 dny

      Sorry didn't see this at first but the train is very busy and has people sitting opposite you facing you, who I would've been filming.

  • @motomotomotomot
    @motomotomotomot Před 11 dny

    Clearly not the steepest in the world though

  • @harry130747
    @harry130747 Před 17 dny

    Lots of steper gradients elsewhere.
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_steepest_gradients_on_adhesion_railways