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last actual Steam used by BR (standard gauge)

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delt1c

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Much has been written about the end of steam on BR, but this got me thinking, many locomotives have been used after withdrawn for a number of uses be they static or mobile. What was the actual last steam loco (standard gauge) used by BR, either shunting or heating or other uses
 
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Harbornite

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Locos aside, steam died on BR with the withdrawal of the last steam crane in 1994 or thereabouts.
 

billio

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Locos aside, steam died on BR with the withdrawal of the last steam crane in 1994 or thereabouts.
I seem to have this recollection of seeing steam cranes at work in a yard on the south side of Doncaster station well after the demise of steam locomotives.
 

Spamcan81

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Much has been written about the end of steam on BR, but this got me thinking, many locomotives have been used after withdrawn for a number of uses be they static or mobile. What was the actual last steam loco (standard gauge) used by BR, either shunting or heating or other uses
I’m unaware of any of the ones kept back for carriage heating outlasting those in actual traffic. IIRC 73050 ran from Patricroft to Peterborough after the official end in August ‘68.
 

neilmc

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Depends what those words "used by BR" means. If you mean "ran on BR lines", there were quite a few preserved engines ran after the end of steam - 73050 has already been mentioned, 45025, 45110, 45212 and 70013 all ran in steam from Lancashire depots to preservation, 45110 apparently going all the way to Ashford. 65984 and 63395 both worked to/from/at Thornaby depot in steam in 1969. W24 was allowed to run under its own steam on the Isle Of Wight to the preservation site in 1970. Technically 47564 at Red Hall carriage sidings MAY have been the last steam loco to "work for BR" as a stationary boiler, but nobody seems to know the final time it was steamed (it moved away in 1972!)
 

scarby

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Interesting subject, as others have noted, it depends how one defines this, especially as the OP's "other uses" covers a wide area.

After the last scheduled passenger service, the 21.25 Preston to Liverpool on 3 August hauled by 45318, at some time on August 4, Black 5 45212 shunted/heated? sleeper carriages in the bay platform at Preston (there's a photo of this on Flickr, but it clearly appears to be in the day time - was it early evening on August 4?). There is also photographic evidence that 48519 worked, shunting engineer's wagons at Rose Grove goods yard on the same day:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/90397953@N02/albums/72157632127202598

Then if you go down the road of "other uses", etc., British Rail ran a steam railtour on 11 August 1968, that is to mean, I think, that it was with their own motive power, rather than as later, privately owned steam running on BR metals with BR stock.

Obviously the very interesting info provided upthread extends "BR use" to much later dates.
 

Journeyman

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Then if you go down the road of "other uses", etc., British Rail ran a steam railtour on 11 August 1968, that is to mean, I think, that it was with their own motive power, rather than as later, privately owned steam running on BR metals with BR stock.

Obviously the very interesting info provided upthread extends "BR use" to much later dates.

Am I right in thinking that no steam locos did any work on 5th to 10th August 1968?
 

scarby

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Am I right in thinking that no steam locos did any work on 5th to 10th August 1968?

Who knows? Looking at those small shunting movements on 4th August, something could have happened (?). Maybe there's more info out on the web or in a book, it must have been discussed in a lot of detail somewhere.
 

52290

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Am I right in thinking that no steam locos did any work on 5th to 10th August 1968?

It was strongly rumoured during the weekend of 4-5 August 1968 that there weren't enough diesels available to maintain the service the following week and that steam working would have to be reinstated.
However this proved not to be the case and everything remained dead at Lostock Hall until it came to life again for the £15-15s-0d special.
 

neilmc

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Technically, a couple of locos worked into Monday August 5th, on late-running railtour specials. Possibly 70013 and certainly 45156 which ended its life on Lostock Hall at around 4 a.m. on the Monday. If you'd been up with the sun you could have just about seen it in steam still , though I don't know whether anyone did.
 

Muzer

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BR operated standard gauge steam trains until privatisation. Or have you all forgotten about the Lochaber (now the Jacobite)?
 

delt1c

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BR operated standard gauge steam trains until privatisation. Or have you all forgotten about the Lochaber (now the Jacobite)?
Not BR owned locomotive, operated under a contract
 

Journeyman

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BR operated standard gauge steam trains until privatisation. Or have you all forgotten about the Lochaber (now the Jacobite)?

Oh, come on - it's obvious what the poster meant. Day-in, day-out, year-round, timetabled, publicly-available, useful as a transport service, not VoR, not railtours, not privately owned locos. Splitting hairs and being pedantic like that is a bit ridiculous.
 

delt1c

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What I am trying to find out is the actual last use by BR of owned steam loco (excluding VR), I am pretty sure it was after the last official mainline date, but looking for conformation of this. So please no smart Alex posts about later steam specials, these locos were no longer owned by BR. If evidence can be uncovered would show steam existed beyond the BR deadline, this would have an effect on history.
 

scarby

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What I am trying to find out is the actual last use by BR of owned steam loco (excluding VR), I am pretty sure it was after the last official mainline date, but looking for conformation of this. So please no smart Alex posts about later steam specials, these locos were no longer owned by BR. If evidence can be uncovered would show steam existed beyond the BR deadline, this would have an effect on history.

The B1 No. 30 at Rotherham, which I mentioned in the other thread cited here, is at least worth investigating.

According to a similar thread on another forum there is talk of it moving under its own power winter 68/69, but this may of course be wrong:

http://uk.railway.narkive.com/OeDsRHeN/final-br-steam-locomotive-movement

There is a photo of it here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/5994567491/
 

delt1c

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Very interesting then B1 61050 may well have been the BR owned standard gauge steam loco used. Well after the official end of steam.
Have seen official records showing cut dates when the loco still exsisted
 
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scarby

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Very interesting then B1 61050 may well have been the BR owned standard gauge steam loco used. Well after the official end of steam

A bit more digging suggests the loco was broken up in October 1968.

The poster, “roger”, in the other forum, seemed certain it was 1968-69 that it was still used, but obviously if one changes that to 1967-68, and the Flickr photo taken “c 1969” was in 1968, it makes more sober sense.
 

delt1c

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Still opens a can of worms regarding when the last Steam was used, Not the dates or loco everyone thinks about. Would be great to confirm what the actual last steam was.
 

scarby

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Yes. It is a little curious that two seemingly independent sources date that B1 as surviving longer.
 

etr221

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One thing I am surprised has not been raised is that - AIUI - some BR ships were steam ships and were in service for some time after 1968. ISTR that the Humber ferries were actually the last.
 

Journeyman

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What I am trying to find out is the actual last use by BR of owned steam loco (excluding VR), I am pretty sure it was after the last official mainline date, but looking for conformation of this. So please no smart Alex posts about later steam specials, these locos were no longer owned by BR. If evidence can be uncovered would show steam existed beyond the BR deadline, this would have an effect on history.

I think, as far as we can tell, that the last use of steam that was *continuous*, right from the start, was the loco in steam at Lostock Hall in the early hours of the 5th August, and then finally the light loco run of Oliver Cromwell to Diss after the Fifteen Guinea Special. I think anything else is wishful thinking.
 

delt1c

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I think, as far as we can tell, that the last use of steam that was *continuous*, right from the start, was the loco in steam at Lostock Hall in the early hours of the 5th August, and then finally the light loco run of Oliver Cromwell to Diss after the Fifteen Guinea Special. I think anything else is wishful thinking.
Not if the reports about the B1 60150 are correct. There are many examples of locos used after the official withdrawl date.
 

Taunton

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One thing I am surprised has not been raised is that - AIUI - some BR ships were steam ships and were in service for some time after 1968. ISTR that the Humber ferries were actually the last.
You can find plenty of BR steam things after 1968. Apart from the SR and the electric part of the WCML, all hauled stock was still steam heated, just like in steam loco days, and main line diesels all had steam heat boilers. Stations could be just as wreathed in steam from carriage connections as before. Even the Woodhead electrics had steam heat boilers.

http://nnrailway.co.uk/graphics/locos/diesels/25057_steamheat_10.JPG
 

unlevel42

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OT but I need to know.
On Sunday 30th of September 1973 I travelled from Bangor to Sheffield changing at Manchester Victoria and London Road(yes my Dads helpful 1930s street map). On arrival, the station was obscured by steam. The station lights were off and we were ushered, out of the station to waiting buses and taken to Sheffield Midland.
Would the diverted service to Victoria have hauled steam heated coaches if the locomotive was a diesel?
[QUOTE...Even the Woodhead electrics had steam heat boilers.[/QUOTE]
 

scarby

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There is another "survivor" here, 4MT 80002, at Cowlairs in April 1969:

http://www.eastbank.org.uk/images/Glasgow/UK0538.jpg

Although it looks okay externally, one assumes it had long ceased to be capable of independent movement, and did not do so after BR steam had finished. It was moved to the KWVR for preservation the following month.
 

70014IronDuke

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OT but I need to know.
On Sunday 30th of September 1973 I travelled from Bangor to Sheffield changing at Manchester Victoria and London Road(yes my Dads helpful 1930s street map). On arrival, the station was obscured by steam. The station lights were off and we were ushered, out of the station to waiting buses and taken to Sheffield Midland.
...

OMG!
You almost certainly stumbled into a restricted-access trials of the St*t#g!c St#*m R^s^rv^.

If you are resident in the UK, my suggestion is you switch off your mobile phone, grab your passport, and leave tonight. Since they will expect you to head for the continent, I suggest going to the Irish Republic. Then head to a non-Nato country. Try Cambodia or North Korea. Good luck!
 

krus_aragon

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Many diesel locomotives were fitted with steam heating equipment, because (in many places) all the existing coaching stock used steam heating. Some Deltics were even equipped with water scoops to refill their water tanks on the move like express steam trains did!

As new coaching stock was built, supporting electric train heating, old diesels had their steam heating equipment removed, and newer ones were built with just ETH instead.
 
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