The LNER Encyclopedia

At Enfield I always assumed we used straight paraffin in our lamps. It tasted like paraffin when the guage glass lamp dripped into the teacan. Does anyone know if straight paraffin was used or a mixture of paraffin and something else.

kerosene ?

mr B

For gauge glass lamps, the fuel was colza oil. Reddish coloured, it had a higher combustion temperature than paraffin. As the lamp was hung on the boiler face, it reached high temperatures and paraffin was not considered safe at that heat as it could vaporise and the whole thing go go up in flames.

Paraffin was used in headlamps, no overheating there.

I think Rape oil was used during the war as a substitute.