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

[HertiageFan]

Is East Lancashire Railway still steam hauled?

 

[LGM08]

Is East Lancashire Railway still steam hauled?

It is

 

[Flying Phil]

Apparently (I cannot fully confirm this) but GCR Loughborough may have the steam ban now, apparently was put in place following the Tulyar event last weekend where they did run some steamers them.

There were steam services on the GCR on Wednesday, hauled by the BR Std 5.

 

[spyinthesky]

I am booked on Churnet Valley on Saturday and they appear to be still running steam

 

[Richard Scott]

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway not run steam for around 2 weeks now.

Steam ban extended until at least next Friday now.

 

[Mike Machin]

Steam ban extended until at least next Friday now.

Not surprised. it’s a return to heatwave conditions in the south next week, with still no real sign of any meaningful rainfall in the next ten days or so at least.

 

[A S Leib]

I am booked on Churnet Valley on Saturday and they appear to be still running steam

They were on Wednesday, to Leek (future station site) rather than Ipstones.

 

[Forty29]

Paignton and Dartmouth were using 37703 yesterday in lieu of steam after 4110 worked the first service. Believe 2162 also had a run out yesterday, 03371 was on shunting duties at Paignton
37275 out today on two returns trips.

 

[D1062]

But with no diesel roster (none that I could find anyway) on their website. I’d go if there’s something of interest.

Gwsr locomotive roster is on the drop down menu from ABOUT at the top of the GWSR web page,24081 and 26043 out tomorrow Sunday 9th August.

 

[Martin66]

Tanfield Railway are running steam this weekend.

 

[Richard Scott]

Gwsr locomotive roster is on the drop down menu from ABOUT at the top of the GWSR web page,24081 and 26043 out tomorrow Sunday 9th August.

I did post a link so hopefully it worked?

 

[Harpo]

I did post a link so hopefully it worked?

Yes. Much appreciated. I’ve reposted the link to the GWSR loco roster here to save folks scrolling back.

GWSR daily loco roster

 

[SpineOnABap]

For about a month I've been really looking forward to seeing the Welsh Marches Express passing through Alsager (between Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe). It's very rare to get steam action here. Sadly it's not looking good (runs 26th August).

 

[Falcon1200]

37275 out today on two returns trips.

I would definitely go to Paignton to travel behind 37275! But I can find no information on the railway's website or Facebook page about the lack of steam or replacement motive power!

 

[HHH19373]

No Steam ban on the Spa Valley Railway at the moment. Seems to be the only one in the south, though that depends on your definition of South.

 

[Ashley Hill]

No steam ban on the SDR although there was a minor lineside fire this afternoon. Luckily they have a fire train that swiftly dealt with it.

 

[bramling]

I do agree with you. As I said in an earlier post, there‘s no criticism of people working under pressure to keep their railway running. However, they could attract quite a few diesel cranks with an indication of their motive power plans during the steam ban.

I wonder if some of the more touristy railways necessarily want to do that, especially in summer holidays.

They probably don’t have too much difficulty filling the trains, and could do without tripadviser reviews along the lines of “what an awful experience we went for what was supposed to be an enjoyable train ride and it was ruined by beer-fuelled freaks running up and down”. Unfortunately that’s what’s likely to happen if they try and make too much of it.

 

[david l]

ELR to diesel from Wed 12/8 (next service day) following lineside fire on Sat (even after a fair bit of rain!)

 

[BayPaul]

Dartmouth Steam Railway switched to diesels yesterday in the middle of the day, possibly as a result of a fire near Broadsands. Will be interesting to see if they are back to steam today

 

[TastyMaltesers]

Dartmouth Steam Railway switched to diesels yesterday in the middle of the day, possibly as a result of a fire near Broadsands. Will be interesting to see if they are back to steam today

I could be wrong, but I am led to believe that the mid-day swap was pre-planned.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Aug 2026 ==

I am booked on Churnet Valley on Saturday and they appear to be still running steam

CVR regularly have diesel assisted steam so for them it's mostly business as usual. The recent running to Leek via Ipstones though is sensible so as not to overwork the diesel whilst having minimal effort from the steam.

 

[Class73Electro]

I think the RHDR is back to a steam service, which is good as when they went diesel only it was just one train (they only have one diesel that can haul services) so a return trip every three hours.

 

[Ted633]

Spa Valley Railway due to run diesels on Wednesday this week due to high temperatures. Would expect Thursday to be the same.
Bluebell Railway have extended their steam ban until after the diesel gala (4/5/6 September)

 

[Meole]

Peak Rail running steam at weekends and mid week.

 

[BayPaul]

Dartmouth Steam Railway switched to diesels yesterday in the middle of the day, possibly as a result of a fire near Broadsands. Will be interesting to see if they are back to steam today

Running today with a steam engine on one end and diesel on the other.

 

[spyinthesky]

I could be wrong, but I am led to believe that the mid-day swap was pre-planned.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Aug 2026 ==


CVR regularly have diesel assisted steam so for them it's mostly business as usual. The recent running to Leek via Ipstones though is sensible so as not to overwork the diesel whilst having minimal effort from the steam.

That is correct, I travelled Saturday and they ran through to Leek instead

 

[Belperpete]

No Steam ban on the Spa Valley Railway at the moment. Seems to be the only one in the south, though that depends on your definition of South.

Still steam on the Isle of Wight, and that must surely count as South.

 

[Taunton]

There were steam services on the GCR on Wednesday, hauled by the BR Std 5.

Do any heritage line BR Standard locos still have working "Self Cleaning" smokeboxes, a euphemism if ever there was one, which worked by ejecting ash that accumulates in a normal smokebox out of the chimney when running. Locos with them were specifically banned from the Minehead branch in latter steam days as they had caused lineside fires in fields on the climb beyond Bishops Lydeard, with the increased amount of small hot ash ejected.

 

[Merle Haggard]

Do any heritage line BR Standard locos still have working "Self Cleaning" smokeboxes, a euphemism if ever there was one, which worked by ejecting ash that accumulates in a normal smokebox out of the chimney when running. Locos with them were specifically banned from the Minehead branch in latter steam days as they had caused lineside fires in fields on the climb beyond Bishops Lydeard, with the increased amount of small hot ash ejected.

Don't know the answer but I think I'm right in saying that the Severn Valley has fitted spark arresters in the smokeboxes of their locos including ones that were 'SC'. By spark arrester, it's an engineered version of chicken wire over the blastpipe.
The LMS not only pioneered self cleaning smokeboxes but also continues blowdown. This arrangement permanently vented from the boiler at approximately water level so that the floating scum was drawn out. It was then dumped in the 4 foot; after a while, I think that the Civil Engineers realised that it had its drawbacks.

 

[geoffk]

Running today with a steam engine on one end and diesel on the other.

I had a text saying two class 37s out today, so are these topped-and-tailed with steam?

 

[SECR 65]

Are the Bala Lake, Talyllyn, and Llangollen Railways all still steam?

Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland definitely is steam at present.