[Mike Ashworth]

A lot of it recently has been down to the steam ban imposed by Network Rail so the Steam Locomotive sets fire to the lineside vegetation that Network Rail has let grow ranplantly out of control along the network.

As you are running two engines (Steam and Diesel) then it is going to cost more in labour and fuel, but it is easier to move a steam locomotive by rail than to move it by road, in fact some celebrity engines are not allowed to be road transported for fear of damaging them, and as such can only go to places that are connected to the national rail network.

For all Network Rail certified steam locomotives there is no reason that they can’t run solo whilst traveling to and from work locations and depo’s, infact before the hotter weather all the light steam engine movements where observed with them pasting by solo except for there service coach.

An example of this is the Heritage Steam Locomotive BR 44871 Black 5 as it is seen running light engine as it passing through Accrington Station on a move from the East Lancashire Railway to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, on the 17th of March 2025

It was taking a roundabout route from Bury going via Rochdale, Todmorden, Copy Pit, Burnley, Accrington, at Blackburn it then reverses onto the Blackburn to Hellifield line, where it reverses again and heads down the Leeds to Carlisle line until it reaches the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

https://youtu.be/R46cUPn50r8