Mainline steam trains in Great Britain

[2] With the locomotives often away from their home base, or even any kind of operating base, support crews numbering around half a dozen people usually travel with the train, their role being to prepare the locomotive, tend to it on water stops and repair any fixable issues arising, and clear the ashpan as part of a disposal routine at the end of the day.

On the move, the remaining crew in the support coach will also record the locomotive's performance while operating, including punctuality and fuel efficiency.

[2] Most locomotives used are examples built during the steam era and later preserved, being suitably modified to run on the modern mainline.

The Jacobite is summer season daily service along the West Highland Line in Scotland, voted the most scenic in the world in 2009.

The Scarborough Spa Express is another regular summer season service, which was originally run in the BR era of the 1980s, before being revived again in the 2000s by various private operators.

Selected services run by the luxury train operator Belmond (formerly Orient-Express) are steam hauled - the UK leg of the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, plus the British Pullman and Northern Belle.

[10] The franchise also provided 3 days a week steam specials on the newly opened Borders Railway between Edinburgh and Tweedbank.

[13][14] On three consecutive days in February 2017, Northern Rail replaced two return journeys between Appleby and Skipton, normally operated by a diesel multiple-unit, with steam-hauled services worked by No.

[19] Network Rail also pre-emptively bans steam operation in any area affected by industrial action by a Fire Brigade.

Although no collision resulted, it led to the major steam train charter operator, West Coast Railways, having their network access license suspended, and then revoked in February 2015 after further issues came to light.

[22] Due to the popularity of steam trains with the public, trespassing on the railway is seen as a major issue by Network Rail and the British Transport Police.

The final last resort would be banning Flying Scotsman from the mainline if excessive trespassing and disobeying railway safety was repeated.