Which heritage lines do and don't have steam bans currently?

SECR 65 · 30 Jul 2026

Today was the first day of a Bluebell Railway Steam ban.

https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bluebell-Railway-Notice-2.pdf

SERVICE UPDATE: due to the fire risks no steam locomotives will operate from Thursday 30th July until further notice. Diesel trains will be running on timetable B. Read more

KESR also have a steam ban.

- Kent & East Sussex Railway

Welcome to the Kent & East Sussex Railway Service Update Due to the very high risk of lineside fires, services will be operated by heritage diesels until 7th August. Thank you for your kind understanding. Heritage trains between Tenterden & Bodiam through the Weald of Kent and Sussex Trains...

kesr.org.uk

Service Update
Due to the very high risk of lineside fires, services will be operated by heritage diesels until 7th August. Thank you for your kind understanding.

RailUK Forums

Jan Mayen · 30 Jul 2026

I was told The Bluebell had a ban until further notice, rather than until at least mid August. Has that changed?
To be fair I imagine it'll be until we get a prolonged downpour. And nothing like that is in a forecast I've seen

Narrowgauge725 · 30 Jul 2026

No steam ban on England’s most northerly steam railway Heatherslaw Light Railway

SECR 65 · 30 Jul 2026

Jan Mayen said:
I was told The Bluebell had a ban until further notice, rather than until at least mid August. Has that changed?
To be fair I imagine it'll be until we get a prolonged downpour. And nothing like that is in a forecast I've seen

Post #1 is now edited to better reflect the announcement.

I had extrapolated the mid-August thing based on where the website says timetable B - that's a change from previous F/G/H, up until 14th August. https://www.bluebell-railway.com/events-calendar/
It would be logical for the ban to last beyond BOP - but I would suspect beyond even that - until it rains. In all places, it's "until further notice". You will appreciate, from a planning point of view, there is effectively a finish date to when the originally planned steam services will have so far been overridden.

HertiageFan · 30 Jul 2026

Keighley and Worth Valley railway don’t currently have a steam ban, 52044 was running (unassisted) today

Ashley Hill · 30 Jul 2026

SDR only ran diesels during the extreme heat of a few weeks ago, 86F and above.

kje7812 · 30 Jul 2026

Severn Valley still running steam. Loco availability is a little tight atm with just 13268 and 813 in use the past few days. 7714 should be back after washout and 75069 is reserve after ashpan repairs.

trebor79 · 30 Jul 2026

Bodmin running steam this week.

Jan Mayen · 31 Jul 2026

SECR 65 said:
Post #1 is now edited to better reflect the announcement.

I had extrapolated the mid-August thing based on where the website says timetable B - that's a change from previous F/G/H, up until 14th August. https://www.bluebell-railway.com/events-calendar/
It would be logical for the ban to last beyond BOP - but I would suspect beyond even that - until it rains. In all places, it's "until further notice". You will appreciate, from a planning point of view, there is effectively a finish date to when the originally planned steam services will have so far been overridden.

Ah! I understand. Many thanks.

tumbles · 31 Jul 2026

Swanage is still running steam I believe. They are pretty hot on their vegetation clearance - usually daily before services start.

steamybrian · 31 Jul 2026

The Spa Valley Railway have rostered Caledonian Railway no. 828 for the next two weekends.

Llanigraham · 31 Jul 2026

Rheiddol seem to be only using their oil fired steam loco.
Corris; diesel only.
Welshpool were steam but with a following diesel water unit following last weekend.

david l · 31 Jul 2026

ELR running steam (and HST over the weekend!)

geoffk · 31 Jul 2026

Dartmouth Steam Railway was running 5239 last Tuesday, 28th July.

HertiageFan · 31 Jul 2026

Strathspey railway has a steam ban in place

A S Leib · 31 Jul 2026

No issues with steam on the Isle of Man Railway, Groudle Glen Railway or, I'm guessing, the Great Laxey Mines Railway.

Inverness21 · 1 Aug 2026

tumbles said:
Swanage is still running steam I believe. They are pretty hot on their vegetation clearance - usually daily before services start.

Whilst pretty hot on vegetation clearance....but daily definitely not

Forty29 · 1 Aug 2026

The South Devon Railway is running steam, however according to a message on their website they don't believe ANY heritage railways have a steam ban imposed.
However reading this thread it seems they're almost right with only a few lines with one now.

SECR 65 · 1 Aug 2026

I must say, I am somewhat surprised how few lines currently have a steam ban. That said, temperatures are not as high as they were. Surely fire risk must be very high in many places? Maybe it is a matter of time before different lines in turn suffer from a significant steam-ending fire?

Iskra · 1 Aug 2026

The Great Central was running steam today, as well as Tulyar and a DMU- something for everyone.

tumbles · 1 Aug 2026

Inverness21 said:
Whilst pretty hot on vegetation clearance....but daily definitely not

Must just be the days we camp nearby as we hear and see the clearance digger go down the tracks nearly every morning !

norbitonflyer · 2 Aug 2026

I saw Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland and Llangollen all running steam last week, but only saw diesels on the Snowdon Mountain Railway

HertiageFan · 2 Aug 2026

At Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, 75078 has been replaced by 47715 as it caused line side fires

Belperpete · 3 Aug 2026

It is not so much the temperatures, but the length of time without any rain that is the problem. The north west had rain last weekend, and has had rain previously, whereas I understand that parts of the south east have had no rain to speak of for some considerate time.

The Ffestiniog hasn't had a steam ban recently afaiaa, but has at times double-headed with diesels, and had water spray trains out.

It has also done a lot of work experimenting with and modifying the spark arrestors in the locos to suit the current coal supplies. The problem with spark arrestor meshes is that you want to set them as fine as possible to stop cinders and sparks from passing through, but if you set them too fine they clog up and stop the loco breathing. So the finer the mesh, the more frequently a loco needs to stop for the arrestor to be cleared.

I understand that the brickets that many lines are now having to burn can produce much finer particles than traditional lump steam coal did, with increased risk of sparks getting through. A small spark is not normally a problem as it dies out faster than a large spark, but in the current conditions even small sparks can start a fire.

Amos390 · 3 Aug 2026

Great Central North has been running the 20 over their steamer for the start of their summer services, however that also may be down to there was a fire caused by the steamer during the Reunification weekend, so they aren’t taking their chances.

Belperpete · 3 Aug 2026

The additional costs that many lines will have incurred, by double heading, running spraying trains, etc will be significant, particularly at a time when many lines are already struggling financially. How sustainable this will be, if this is to be the "new normal" is the big question?

leightonbd · 3 Aug 2026

Strathspey is back to running steam today.

Cymroglan · 3 Aug 2026

I understand that a steam ban must hit heritage railway finances really hard. I also understand that management will be working harder than ever to find other ways of operating.
So there’s no criticism real or implied in this suggestion: if someone at a line running diesel locomotives and/or diesel units could share some details, there are those of us who would travel a long distance to enjoy the novelty of (for example) riding on the demu which the Bluebell has hired to cover for steam. I know this won’t be a financial life saver, but every penny counts.

kje7812 · 3 Aug 2026

Severn Valley is diesel only from tomorrow (tuesday 4th). A lineside fire on sunday was the final straw, especially as the weather forecast continues to be dry ahead (any rain forecast is less than 50% chance and for few hours at most).

amahy · 3 Aug 2026

kje7812 said:
Severn Valley is diesel only from tomorrow (tuesday 4th). A lineside fire on sunday was the final straw, especially as the weather forecast continues to be dry ahead (any rain forecast is less than 50% chance and for few hours at most).

Seems like a wise decision. Stupidly, they decided to have Pannier tank 7714 hauling 8 coaches, which only made the fire worse.

Which heritage lines do and don't have steam bans currently?

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