A single fire crew is tackling a lineside fire in Ashey this afternoon (Friday).
At around 12:50 a single pumping appliance from Ryde was mobilised to the scene off Deacons Lane.
Smoke was seen billowing into the air as the fire took hold of the grass at the side of the railway line.
Firefighters have used a hose reel jet to extinguish the blaze which is now just smouldering.
It is believed the fire occurred as the Newport locomotive sped past.
“…. as the Newport locomotive sped past.” Sped? Hardly sped – more like “trundled past”
I wasn’t aware a locomotive went to Newport???
The locomotive is a London, Brighton and South Coast Railways (LB&SCR) A1 Class 0-6-0 Tank engine, with the number and name W11 Newport (originally No. 40 Brighton) and is currently the only A1 class locomotive in working order at the steam railway.
Thank you, however, train spoting has never been one of my interests…
What about the A1X, ‘Fishbourne’; is that loco currently not in working order?
W8 Freshwater has been dismantled as part of it’s 10 year overhaul, with it’s boiler ticket expiring in November 2018 after a £35,000 boiler replacement.
Sped past? They only potter along…
Steam trains causing lineside fires is really common. There were two fires near Bath last week alone caused by hot ashes from steam locos.
The loco engine carries lots of water ,y couldnt they put out the fire they caused it ?? !!
What a waste of money calling firefighters, it always was dealt with by the train driver and footplate
They used a hose and not a bucket of water….
I myself outed a fire on a crossing between Ashey and Combley woods.
I believe they used to deliberately have controlled burning and vulnerable points but since global warming farce such is frowned upon I guess.
Sooner waste our taxes on huge diesel using , expensive fire crews now as the rich will make a killing watching the fools buy battery cars and tools which have short useage so rinse repeat , all in the guise of ‘saving the planet’ whilst others waste, burn and destroy like never before.