[HN Gopher] LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado
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       LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado
        
       Author : camtarn
       Score  : 37 points
       Date   : 2023-03-13 21:25 UTC (1 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (en.wikipedia.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (en.wikipedia.org)
        
       | mocko wrote:
       | Britain has a huge rail preservation community and a lot of their
       | restored trains, many steam, make it out onto the main line.
       | 
       | If you'd like to catch a glimpse of one or even book a seat on
       | it, check out the calendar at
       | http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/tours.html.
        
         | a_c wrote:
         | This is perfect. Hopefully I can find some seats in April. My
         | son is going to love it :)
         | 
         | Edit: I wonder how to book a ticket, e.g. the 22nd April London
         | to Winchester one?
        
           | Symbiote wrote:
           | https://www.steamdreams.co.uk/tours.php?tourid=72721
           | 
           | Found by searching the company name in the final column.
        
         | chanakya wrote:
         | Yes, they actually run at near main-line speeds in the UK
         | (60-80mph). Riding one of those at that speed (particularly at
         | night) must be an awesome experience.
        
           | Symbiote wrote:
           | I have done this as a child with my grandparents, but I'm not
           | sure there's that much difference from an old/worn (less
           | smooth) commuter train at a similar speed.
        
           | mocko wrote:
           | It's very atmospheric, an absolute joy. But the best part has
           | to be turning up at Victoria in the middle of the evening
           | rush in an 80 year old steam train. The looks on people's
           | faces alone are worth the price :)
        
       | blahburn wrote:
       | Arthur Peppercorn is the most British name I've ever heard.
       | Incredible.
        
       | dxbednarczyk wrote:
       | Feels like industrial revolution whiplash.
        
       | WalterBright wrote:
       | Of course the engineer's name is Peppercorn! Just what you'd
       | expect from a Jules Verne novel about steam locomotives.
        
       | hnthrowaway0315 wrote:
       | We also need policies about steam engines!
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | glinscott wrote:
       | Steam engines are fascinating pieces of technology. The page for
       | the trust itself is full of interesting engineering details:
       | https://www.a1steam.com/.
       | 
       | Their next project is to build Britain's most powerful steam
       | locomotive, things are making good progress! Some high level
       | details here: https://www.a1steam.com/prince-of-wales/about-
       | prince-of-wale..., with a bunch more detailed updates on the
       | build here: https://www.a1steam.com/prince-of-wales/about-prince-
       | of-wale.... Started in 2014!
        
       | dhosek wrote:
       | It's not alone:
       | 
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_locomotives_of_the_21st_...
        
       | justinator wrote:
       | Kinda cool. Here in Colorado, a narrow gauge steam engine threw
       | sparks and caused one of the largest forest fires in the State's
       | history a few years back. Steam engine aren't (always) allowed on
       | the line anymore.
        
       | MisterTea wrote:
       | what is interesting to me is they are building machinery designed
       | before modern manufacturing methods and material science. Looking
       | through another steam engine revival project they are using
       | modern design methods and likely materials:
       | https://www.a1steam.com/p2monobloc#/
        
       | ggm wrote:
       | Completed in 2008. It's 15 years old and already undergoing
       | refurbishment.
        
         | thaeli wrote:
         | That's the nature of steam. 15 year boiler recertification,
         | which is effectively a refurb. Hours in service don't matter
         | for those.
        
           | mocko wrote:
           | That's absolutely right, but boilers aren't the only thing to
           | wear out. With so many moving metal parts, despite an
           | automated lubrication system delivering oil to most of the
           | surfaces even the best designs of steam loco will shake
           | themselves to bits before long. The regular
           | expansion/contraction cycles as it's warmed up for work and
           | cools down after also put a lot of stress on the metal.
           | 
           | Sixty years ago refurbs would be much of the work going on at
           | any large railway works - taking engines apart, stripping
           | them down to the chassis and reassembling almost a new one in
           | their place. The ingenuity today's preservationists
           | demonstrate in doing this without any of the facilities of a
           | plant is truly a thing to behold.
           | 
           | (Source: some of my family restore steam engines. I once
           | tried to drive one and I was terrible.)
        
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       (page generated 2023-03-13 23:00 UTC)