Household coal ban ‘will not affect steam trains’
THE Government’s forthcoming ban on sales of coal and wet wood for domestic heating, in a bid to cut air pollution, will not include fuel used for steam locomotives, according to Heritage Railway Association chairman Brian Simpson.
However, concerns are growing about the future of supplies of coal for steam engines and how much they will cost, as the three existing British pits are expected to close within the next three years.
On February 21, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed that the ban, which had been announced in 2018, will see the sales phased out in England from February 2021.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “Cosy open fires and wood-burning stoves are
