Brunel (Isambear K)
@trackteddy.bsky.social
The fun and frolics of a track teddy, the alter-ego of Dan the rail man. All views my own and subject to change. Was @trackteddy on twitter.
It depends on where you live in the world. This explains more - www.timeanddate.com/calendar/day... Although there is more than a little controversy about the UK where I am.
September 24, 2025 at 3:48 PM
It depends on where you live in the world. This explains more - www.timeanddate.com/calendar/day... Although there is more than a little controversy about the UK where I am.
I see your scruffy scunthorpe locos and raise you a few more in a slightly warmer state
Get well soon.
Get well soon.
August 6, 2025 at 10:52 AM
I see your scruffy scunthorpe locos and raise you a few more in a slightly warmer state
Get well soon.
Get well soon.
It seems subscriptions have reached normality so much, that my 11 year old kid (just started school summer hols) is trying to renegotiate his pocket-money.
He genuinely offered me the 3 levels of subscription in the picture. (I did the graphics and product naming!).
Which one would you choose?
He genuinely offered me the 3 levels of subscription in the picture. (I did the graphics and product naming!).
Which one would you choose?
July 24, 2025 at 2:14 PM
It seems subscriptions have reached normality so much, that my 11 year old kid (just started school summer hols) is trying to renegotiate his pocket-money.
He genuinely offered me the 3 levels of subscription in the picture. (I did the graphics and product naming!).
Which one would you choose?
He genuinely offered me the 3 levels of subscription in the picture. (I did the graphics and product naming!).
Which one would you choose?
UK comes in at 2.4 by comparison and the map below is useful showing 2024 stats per million in Europe (rather than per 100k).
July 3, 2025 at 11:05 AM
UK comes in at 2.4 by comparison and the map below is useful showing 2024 stats per million in Europe (rather than per 100k).
Why is it that no one has the right amount of whelm?
Underwhelming performance?
Overwhelming sense of dread?
When are we just whelmed?
Underwhelming performance?
Overwhelming sense of dread?
When are we just whelmed?
June 19, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Why is it that no one has the right amount of whelm?
Underwhelming performance?
Overwhelming sense of dread?
When are we just whelmed?
Underwhelming performance?
Overwhelming sense of dread?
When are we just whelmed?
Sometimes you win
Sometimes you lose
Sometimes the wheels fall off.
Today has been one of those sorts of days.
Share a photo of how your day is going?
#humpday
Sometimes you lose
Sometimes the wheels fall off.
Today has been one of those sorts of days.
Share a photo of how your day is going?
#humpday
May 14, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Sometimes you win
Sometimes you lose
Sometimes the wheels fall off.
Today has been one of those sorts of days.
Share a photo of how your day is going?
#humpday
Sometimes you lose
Sometimes the wheels fall off.
Today has been one of those sorts of days.
Share a photo of how your day is going?
#humpday
The latest in my very niche series of #rail101 articles looking at how railway rails die and degrade. This one looks at the wobbly world of rail corrugation.
Satisfy your rail nerdism here > www.linkedin.com/pulse/rail10...
#railway #engineering #trains #trams #metro
Satisfy your rail nerdism here > www.linkedin.com/pulse/rail10...
#railway #engineering #trains #trams #metro
May 13, 2025 at 11:42 AM
The latest in my very niche series of #rail101 articles looking at how railway rails die and degrade. This one looks at the wobbly world of rail corrugation.
Satisfy your rail nerdism here > www.linkedin.com/pulse/rail10...
#railway #engineering #trains #trams #metro
Satisfy your rail nerdism here > www.linkedin.com/pulse/rail10...
#railway #engineering #trains #trams #metro
A photo snapped of my MG looking like I'm a GCCG member too, (I'm not).
May 12, 2025 at 10:08 AM
A photo snapped of my MG looking like I'm a GCCG member too, (I'm not).
We do elephant monitoring for railways - but I sure as hell ain't going to be volunteering to do the snake monitoring!
May 1, 2025 at 2:14 PM
We do elephant monitoring for railways - but I sure as hell ain't going to be volunteering to do the snake monitoring!
I hope that helps shine a light at what happens in the darkest corner of Scunthorpe where rails are created to keep people on the move.
April 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
I hope that helps shine a light at what happens in the darkest corner of Scunthorpe where rails are created to keep people on the move.
The last material I've not mentioned so far is limestone. Whilst much smaller quantities are used, this material used to be UK sourced and I assume still is.
Is it scandalous we have imported coke from Japan to keep a blast furnace running?
No, importing coke is a routine part of UK steelmaking.
Is it scandalous we have imported coke from Japan to keep a blast furnace running?
No, importing coke is a routine part of UK steelmaking.
April 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The last material I've not mentioned so far is limestone. Whilst much smaller quantities are used, this material used to be UK sourced and I assume still is.
Is it scandalous we have imported coke from Japan to keep a blast furnace running?
No, importing coke is a routine part of UK steelmaking.
Is it scandalous we have imported coke from Japan to keep a blast furnace running?
No, importing coke is a routine part of UK steelmaking.
We did use UK coal in the past but those saying we should be digging a new mine in Cumbria are also therefore asking British steel to make even bigger financial losses.
To those that question whether the Cumbria coal seam is high sulphur - well get your shovel out and prove the geologists wrong.
To those that question whether the Cumbria coal seam is high sulphur - well get your shovel out and prove the geologists wrong.
April 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
We did use UK coal in the past but those saying we should be digging a new mine in Cumbria are also therefore asking British steel to make even bigger financial losses.
To those that question whether the Cumbria coal seam is high sulphur - well get your shovel out and prove the geologists wrong.
To those that question whether the Cumbria coal seam is high sulphur - well get your shovel out and prove the geologists wrong.
The sulphur content of coal is important as it costs money to remove it making steel.
This means not every coal is suitable for steelmaking
And not every steelmaking coal is equal.
Lower sulphur coals allow steel to be produced at a lower cost.
To make cost efficient steel you don't use UK coal
This means not every coal is suitable for steelmaking
And not every steelmaking coal is equal.
Lower sulphur coals allow steel to be produced at a lower cost.
To make cost efficient steel you don't use UK coal
April 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The sulphur content of coal is important as it costs money to remove it making steel.
This means not every coal is suitable for steelmaking
And not every steelmaking coal is equal.
Lower sulphur coals allow steel to be produced at a lower cost.
To make cost efficient steel you don't use UK coal
This means not every coal is suitable for steelmaking
And not every steelmaking coal is equal.
Lower sulphur coals allow steel to be produced at a lower cost.
To make cost efficient steel you don't use UK coal
British Steel / Scunthorpe closed its last coke ovens in 2023.
The volatiles given off my coke making are toxic, but the gases collected are often used as a fuel source for furnaces which reduces reliance on natural gas.
The volatiles given off my coke making are toxic, but the gases collected are often used as a fuel source for furnaces which reduces reliance on natural gas.
April 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
British Steel / Scunthorpe closed its last coke ovens in 2023.
The volatiles given off my coke making are toxic, but the gases collected are often used as a fuel source for furnaces which reduces reliance on natural gas.
The volatiles given off my coke making are toxic, but the gases collected are often used as a fuel source for furnaces which reduces reliance on natural gas.
Scunthorpe is located where it is because it used to mine local iron ore for iron production. That ore is about 25% pure. Brazil sourced iron ore is about 60-65%.
That means you'd need nearly 3 times as much ore to create a ton of steel.
Imported ore therefore makes cheaper iron
That means you'd need nearly 3 times as much ore to create a ton of steel.
Imported ore therefore makes cheaper iron
April 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Scunthorpe is located where it is because it used to mine local iron ore for iron production. That ore is about 25% pure. Brazil sourced iron ore is about 60-65%.
That means you'd need nearly 3 times as much ore to create a ton of steel.
Imported ore therefore makes cheaper iron
That means you'd need nearly 3 times as much ore to create a ton of steel.
Imported ore therefore makes cheaper iron
A steelmaker looks to make steel as cheaply as possible. A loss making one even more so.
The biggest raw materials needed for a blast furnace are:
- Iron ore
- Coke
- Limestone
The quality of these raw materials can have a huge effect on the efficiency and cost of production.
The biggest raw materials needed for a blast furnace are:
- Iron ore
- Coke
- Limestone
The quality of these raw materials can have a huge effect on the efficiency and cost of production.
April 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
A steelmaker looks to make steel as cheaply as possible. A loss making one even more so.
The biggest raw materials needed for a blast furnace are:
- Iron ore
- Coke
- Limestone
The quality of these raw materials can have a huge effect on the efficiency and cost of production.
The biggest raw materials needed for a blast furnace are:
- Iron ore
- Coke
- Limestone
The quality of these raw materials can have a huge effect on the efficiency and cost of production.
Lots of noise around the raw materials that are "saving" British Steel.
Lets explore a few of them 🧵
#BritishSteel #Steel
Lets explore a few of them 🧵
#BritishSteel #Steel
April 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Lots of noise around the raw materials that are "saving" British Steel.
Lets explore a few of them 🧵
#BritishSteel #Steel
Lets explore a few of them 🧵
#BritishSteel #Steel
So what's the big deal? Why not let it close?
Locally it would be a disaster. the 2.7k job loss headline number just scratches the surface of the actual impact. Many other businesses are there to supply the steelworks or process it's waste and by-products.
Green=Town
Purple = Steelworks
7/9
Locally it would be a disaster. the 2.7k job loss headline number just scratches the surface of the actual impact. Many other businesses are there to supply the steelworks or process it's waste and by-products.
Green=Town
Purple = Steelworks
7/9
March 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
So what's the big deal? Why not let it close?
Locally it would be a disaster. the 2.7k job loss headline number just scratches the surface of the actual impact. Many other businesses are there to supply the steelworks or process it's waste and by-products.
Green=Town
Purple = Steelworks
7/9
Locally it would be a disaster. the 2.7k job loss headline number just scratches the surface of the actual impact. Many other businesses are there to supply the steelworks or process it's waste and by-products.
Green=Town
Purple = Steelworks
7/9
Now it would be unfair to say that Jingye haven't invested. They have. Primarily in service and stocking centers which co-incidentally help them supply markets from imported steel, just as much as domestic.
Some may say they have hedged their bets and improved their footprint in the market.
6/9
Some may say they have hedged their bets and improved their footprint in the market.
6/9
March 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Now it would be unfair to say that Jingye haven't invested. They have. Primarily in service and stocking centers which co-incidentally help them supply markets from imported steel, just as much as domestic.
Some may say they have hedged their bets and improved their footprint in the market.
6/9
Some may say they have hedged their bets and improved their footprint in the market.
6/9
However gov. may be reluctant to offer more / improved conditions as Jingye promised to build an EAF in Teesside when it bought British Steel, but has already renegued on that and indeed other promised investments.
5/9
5/9
March 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
However gov. may be reluctant to offer more / improved conditions as Jingye promised to build an EAF in Teesside when it bought British Steel, but has already renegued on that and indeed other promised investments.
5/9
5/9
If we transition to greener steel (Electric Arc Furnaces remelting scrap), there will be job losses.
There is no way to sugar coat it.
The number of people needed to remelt scrap, is less than needed to make new steel.
If that is the desired destination how we manage a transition is key.
3/9
There is no way to sugar coat it.
The number of people needed to remelt scrap, is less than needed to make new steel.
If that is the desired destination how we manage a transition is key.
3/9
March 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
If we transition to greener steel (Electric Arc Furnaces remelting scrap), there will be job losses.
There is no way to sugar coat it.
The number of people needed to remelt scrap, is less than needed to make new steel.
If that is the desired destination how we manage a transition is key.
3/9
There is no way to sugar coat it.
The number of people needed to remelt scrap, is less than needed to make new steel.
If that is the desired destination how we manage a transition is key.
3/9
It is no surprise to many that Jingye (Chinese owners), announce the potential closure just a day after they turned down the government funding deal.
They appear to want more funding +/or to give less job guarantees than gov will accept.
It appears that Tata Steel accepted a similar deal.
2/9
They appear to want more funding +/or to give less job guarantees than gov will accept.
It appears that Tata Steel accepted a similar deal.
2/9
March 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
It is no surprise to many that Jingye (Chinese owners), announce the potential closure just a day after they turned down the government funding deal.
They appear to want more funding +/or to give less job guarantees than gov will accept.
It appears that Tata Steel accepted a similar deal.
2/9
They appear to want more funding +/or to give less job guarantees than gov will accept.
It appears that Tata Steel accepted a similar deal.
2/9
Some thoughts on the British Steel threats of closure and loss of steelmaking capability within the UK.
As is common the nuance is more complicated than the polarised news headlines suggest.
1/9🧵
#BritishSteel #UK #Manufacturing
As is common the nuance is more complicated than the polarised news headlines suggest.
1/9🧵
#BritishSteel #UK #Manufacturing
March 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Some thoughts on the British Steel threats of closure and loss of steelmaking capability within the UK.
As is common the nuance is more complicated than the polarised news headlines suggest.
1/9🧵
#BritishSteel #UK #Manufacturing
As is common the nuance is more complicated than the polarised news headlines suggest.
1/9🧵
#BritishSteel #UK #Manufacturing