Concerns over South East steam attractions running out of coal

Heritage steam attractions like the Kent and East Sussex Railway want the government to invest in the coal sector to save the future of steam

Steam attractions in the South East are facing a "crisis" due to a shortage of domestic coal, campaigners say.

Calls are being made for more coal investment to help steam railways, such as the Kent and East Sussex Railway in Tenterden, and the Bluebell Railway in Uckfield, East Sussex.

The last UK dry-steam mine near Merthyl Tydfil, Wales, is set to close in 2022.

The heritage railway sector says it may have to rely on poor-quality imports which will increase costs.

William Giles, a steam expert and organiser of the Weald of Kent Steam Rally event, said: "The planned closure of the last UK coal mines at the end of 2022 puts the heritage steam sector in crisis.

"Steam railways such as the Kent and East Sussex Railway and Bluebell Railway will be affected."

A variety of steam-powered vehicles based in Tenterden, Kent, rely on the kind of coal produced at a mine in Wales that is earmarked for closure

He said the industry needed the government to provide new and renewed licences for coal mining "in the same way that they're doing for the oil and gas sectors".

Matt Hyner, a trustee of the Kent and East Sussex Railway, said the closure of the UK's last mine would affect tourists too, with a predicted increase in ticket prices to help cover costs.

He said: "Fundamentally it will mean that we can't afford to run as many steam services as we'd like.

"That's already impacting some of the other railways in the UK that haven't been able to secure stocks of the remaining UK coal, so they're reducing their services and we'll have to do the same later this year."

'Lower quality coal'

Mr Giles also said a lack of Russian coal due to the sanctions imposed during the war in Ukraine also raised concerns about coal supply.

Heritage Watch, a public body which aims to prevent and detect crimes against UK heritage sites and organisations, said the steam sector may have to rely on imports.

The body described the imports as "lower quality house coal" from countries such as Kazakhstan and Colombia.

Samantha Williams, from Heritage Watch, said the issue could cause the loss of steam heritage in the UK altogether.

Ms Williams added: "Can you imagine that your grandchildren or great grandchildren don't know what a steam engine sounds like, what it smells like, and to see an engine run along the tracks as their ancestors would have done? That will just disappear completely and that just shouldn't happen."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].