Fuel
Jack's Appendix 2 (pp 289-90) describes how the London & Birmingham Railway coped with the use of coke. This was originally produced at Camden from coal brought from Newcastle, the last stage being completed by canal. This plant closed in 1851. Coke was also produced at Birmingham from Staffordshire coal, but this was of inferior quality. Coke was produced at Peterborough from 1846.
Most coke came from County Durham from Marley Hill, Pease's West and Brancepeth collieries. South Wales anthracite was tried at Oxford by McConnell in April 1853. As late as as June 1859 Ramsbottom was banned from using coal into cities and the problem of luggage on roofs. Ramsbottom used fire bricks in the firebox.
1945: Hawksworth: modifications for oil firing (28XX type).
G.W.R. oil burning locomotives. Loco. Rly Carr. Wagon Rev., 1945,
51, 178-9. 2 illus.
G.W.R. oil-burning locomotives. Rly Mag., 1946, 92, 91-2. 2
illus.
Southern Railway
Blakey, George. Footplate fraternity at Fratton. Steam Wld, 2004,
(207) 17-20.
Problems with oil burning on Southern Railway from 1946. Tells how
fuel on a T9 failed to ignite leading to a pool forming in the pit below
the engine. When a torch was thrown into the firebox, an unofficial method
of applying a light, the fuel exploded and the fire in the pit damaged the
motion on the T9. The totally sealed firehole door made the cabs bitterly
cold in winter, with the exception of the West Country where the swirling
action burner made the firedoor red hot (and the cab very hot).