>> Slight drift but I heard today that one steam line in Wales is now having
>> to import their coal from Kurdistan as UK mined coal is no longer available due
>> to mine closures... I wonder how that will affect other vintage steam railways?
Its been an issue for a large number of years now. Steam locos (in the UK*) run best on Welsh coal, the quality of the fire in its belly is vital to raising steam, its damn hot in that firebox.
so hot that foreign muck coal turns to clinkers, chokes the fire and the head of steam disappears. There have been numerous occasions where locos on main line tours have had to stop, the fireman give the fire a good raking* (there is between 42 and 60 sq feet of fire in a firebox)
the firemans poker is about 12 feet long, and comes out glowing at the end.
*you design the loco for your available fuel.
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