when was the last steam train used in uk
11 August 1968
title: Mainline steam trains in Great Britain text: Mainline steam trains in Great Britain Although steam locomotives were withdrawn from normal railway service in Great Britain in 1968, due to sustained public interest including a locomotive preservation movement, steam hauled passenger trains can still be seen on the mainline railway (i.e. Network Rail owned tracks as opposed to heritage railways) in the present day. Following the ramping up of dieselisation efforts in the 1960s, the last steam-hauled service trains on the standard gauge mainline of the British Railways network ran in August 1968, the last train itself being the "Fifteen Guinea Special" on 11th August. The day after title: Steam locomotive text: The last steam-hauled service trains on the British Railways network ran in 1968, but the use of steam locomotives in British industry continued into the 1980s. In June 1975, there were still 41 locations where steam was in regular use, and many more where engines were maintained in reserve in case of diesel failures. Gradually, the decline of the ironstone quarries, steel, coal mining and shipbuilding industries – and the plentiful supply of redundant British Rail diesel shunters as replacements – led to the end of steam power for commercial uses. Several hundred rebuilt and preserved steam locomotives are still title: History of rail transport in Great Britain 1948–1994 text: were believed to be worthy of continued large-scale investment. This did not recommend closures as such, but outlined a 3,000-mile "network for development". The fate of the remaining network was not discussed in the report. The late 1950s to the end of the 1960s saw first a reduction, then the final withdrawal of Britain's fleet of steam locomotives. Mass withdrawals of older classes started towards the end of the 1950s, with many of the pre-grouping companies' engines being scrapped. BR built its last steam engine, appropriately named "Evening Star" at Swindon Works in 1960, by early 1966 the Western Region title: Mainline steam trains in Great Britain text: locomotive's performance while operating, including punctuality and fuel efficiency. Most locomotives used are examples built during the steam era and later preserved, being suitably modified to run on the modern mainline. In 2009 the locomotive "Tornado" hauled its maiden mainline train, being the first brand new steam locomotive to be built in Britain for use on the main line since Evening Star, completed in 1960. The most famous steam locomotive operating on the British main line is the 1923 built "Flying Scotsman". After being taken into public ownership in 2004, following a decade long refit it returned to mainline service title: NCC Class WT text: wagons each were made up, with a Class WT locomotive at each end. Each train when filled carried of rock and in all, some 7,600 trains had carried of material by the time the contract ended in May 1970. The last of the Class WT locomotives were officially withdrawn in 1971 the last time one was in traffic being 22 October 1970. This made them the last steam locomotives in mainline operation in the British Isles; Córas Iompair Éireann steam in the Republic of Ireland having ended in 1962 and British Railways steam in Great Britain having finished in 1968.