Preserved railways and gas lighting usage

[infobleep]

Rothley Station on the Grand Central Railway is lit by gas. As the below web page mentions:
http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/station-facilities/rothley/

Are there any other preserved railway stations lit this way? Also is there any rolling stock lit by gas, in use?

 

[SECR263]

Rothley Station on the Grand Central Railway is lit by gas. As the below web page mentions:
http://www.gcrailway.co.uk/station-facilities/rothley/

Are there any other preserved railway stations lit this way? Also is there any rolling stock lit by gas, in use?

Sheffield Park Station has Gas lighting

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Does one of the Stations of the Kent & East Sussex also have gas lights? I think the little one on the KWVR and Levisham on the NYMR may have some gas lights too?

 

[John Webb]

I recall both Damems Halt ("the little one") and Oakworth on the K&WVR have gas lighting.

At the preserved St Albans South box we have three former Midland Railway gas lamps, but these have been converted to electrical operation as we have no gas supply on site.

 

[ac6000cw]

Also is there any rolling stock lit by gas, in use?

I don't know for sure, but I very much doubt it - gas carriage lighting was condemned as a safety hazard over a century ago by the Railway Inspectorate. Escaping gas from storage cylinders under the wooden bodied carriages was a major contributor to the fire that raged in the 1915 Quintinshill disaster following the initial collisions - our worst ever railway accident.

 

[paul1609]

Does one of the Stations of the Kent & East Sussex also have gas lights? I think the little one on the KWVR and Levisham on the NYMR may have some gas lights too?

No all the K&ESR stations are lit by electric.

 

[kje7812]

Kidderminster Town is gaslit on the platform and the two docks. They are a bit temperamental despite (relatively) recent refurb.

 

[AndrewE]

I think the GWSR has some refurbished or replica lamps lit by LEDs which mimic gas lamps. Seems a good idea in the light of the comment above!

 

[Journeyman]

I think even tungsten lighting is going to get pretty rare in preservation before long. I've seen quite a few LEDs on heritage railways recently, both on trains and stations.

 

[unslet]

Haworth on the Worth Valley.

 

[infobleep]

I don't know for sure, but I very much doubt it - gas carriage lighting was condemned as a safety hazard over a century ago by the Railway Inspectorate. Escaping gas from storage cylinders under the wooden bodied carriages was a major contributor to the fire that raged in the 1915 Quintinshill disaster following the initial collisions - our worst ever railway accident.

I thought that might be the case.

It's understandable even if I'd like to travel in a gas lit train once in my life.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Sugg Lighting, the company who manufactured these gas lanterns (who sold them as heritage lighting) sadly closed a year or too back.

Getting spare mantles for them will be a ball ache unless the local council has some old ones going spare and even then there's no guarrentee since most lighting are done by contractors who simply throw and smash up something that a heritage railway could use.

I'm sure Ropley on the Mid Hants uses gas lighting.

 

[infobleep]

There are still some gas lamps in central London.

Whilst taking safety into account, we should preserve some of our heritage like this.

I've been to Sheffield Park numerous times over the years but not at night. I must do that some day.

I once stayed in a hostel in Wales lit by gas.

 

[Foxhunter]

I'm sure Ropley on the Mid Hants uses gas lighting.

Close. Ropley lighting is electric, but Alresford platform lights are gas. (The staff in the companies offices at Alresford have electric lighting ).

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I think the WSR has restored (a few years ago) , an ex GWR Fishguard sleeping car - with operable gas lighting. Not sure if they can carry passengers on it in service with the gas on.

If you want to see "proper" gas lighting - get down to the Temple area in London - where the legal "ghetto" is still almost 100% gas lit , and very atmospheric it is too on a Winter's evening - that or Nottingham (The Park) and further away Berlin ..(if you can get there now !)

 

[duffield]

I think the WSR has restored (a few years ago) , an ex GWR Fishguard sleeping car - with operable gas lighting. Not sure if they can carry passengers on it in service with the gas on.

If you want to see "proper" gas lighting - get down to the Temple area in London - where the legal "ghetto" is still almost 100% gas lit , and very atmospheric it is too on a Winter's evening - that or Nottingham (The Park) and further away Berlin ..(if you can get there now !)

<Looks Up and left> In my (also Nottingham) living room I can still see, just above the fireplace, the two bulges in the wall (of my 1912ish house) where the gas mantles were. I wish they'd been left there as period features even if converted to electric.

Anyhow, drifting offtopic *again*, sorry mods.

 

[paul1609]

Sugg Lighting, the company who manufactured these gas lanterns (who sold them as heritage lighting) sadly closed a year or too back.

Getting spare mantles for them will be a ball ache unless the local council has some old ones going spare and even then there's no guarrentee since most lighting are done by contractors who simply throw and smash up something that a heritage railway could use.

I think that William Sugg was actually saved after going in to administration a couple of years ago. Some of the staff set up a new company Westminster Heritage Lighting until the William Sugg & Co Ltd brand could be used.

 

[AndyY1951]

Camping gas and Tilley mantles are readily available, are they suitable?

 

[AndrewE]

Camping gas and Tilley mantles are readily available, are they suitable?

In principle: probably. Actually: you need to check that you are looking at the exact size needed for your lamp, plus the fixing method. I have some that come "flatpack," another (Aladdin) which has to be in a metal frame. I guess I could tie in one of another brand into a frame (if I could find one the right size.)
They all have to be arranged exactly in place and then set fire to, after which they are incredibly fragile.

 

[kje7812]

In principle: probably. Actually: you need to check that you are looking at the exact size needed for your lamp, plus the fixing method. I have some that come "flatpack," another (Aladdin) which has to be in a metal frame. I guess I could tie in one of another brand into a frame (if I could find one the right size.)
They all have to be arranged exactly in place and then set fire to, after which they are incredibly fragile.

My impression from discussions about gas mantles at Kidderminster is that they are different sizes and, in some ways, shape as well. They shrink once first used so what looks alright often isn't.
And yes, very fragile once used. Just what you need for an open and exposed platform which is often much wetter and windier than the other stations on the SVR

 

[Spagnoletti]

There are a number of companies offering convincing-looking pretend gas lamp fittings based on LEDs. I would have thought they would be a more sensible long term investment, and generally indistinuishable from the real thing.

 

[30907]

Haworth on the Worth Valley.

The KWVR claims to have the largest gas lighting system in the UK or some such.

 

[AndyY1951]

There are a number of companies offering convincing-looking pretend gas lamp fittings based on LEDs. I would have thought they would be a more sensible long term investment, and generally indistinuishable from the real thing.

But is that preservation? It sounds like another step on the way to a theme park to me. (Yes, I'm fully aware of all the arguments about cost and finding people to do the work etc...……….)

 

[AndrewE]

But is that preservation? It sounds like another step on the way to a theme park to me. (Yes, I'm fully aware of all the arguments about cost and finding people to do the work etc...……….)

That's a bit extreme: thinking of the Knotty coaches being restored, I would rather go on a preserved coach which has been rebuilt onto a steel underframe than one on a wooden underframe (if such are still allowed to run carrying passengers at all!)
Re lighting, a good imitation of what was always a very difficult technology to manage seems like having the best of both worlds to me.

 

[Macwomble]

and Levisham on the NYMR may have some gas lights too?

Nope, all lights on Levisham Station are leccy.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Nope, all lights on Levisham Station are leccy.

oh, ok.