Jacobite trains cancelled after ORR inspection

[TRP]

The Fort William-Mallaig Jacobite steam specials are currently suspended until at least 26th July, after a visit from Office of Rail & Road (ORR) Inspectors found "issues of concern" with West Coast Railways' (WCRC) operation of hinged door carriages. Details are a bit sparse!

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/07...-from-orr.html

Tony

[Beeyar Wunby]

Thanks for that Tony.

There's an interesting comment below which states what I was thinking.

Originally Posted by Gordon Stears

Officially M1 rolling stock from WCRC is not supposed to be in use, because the exemption expired on June 26.

All the other Heritage Companies fitted central locking on every carriage door.

So is so Special about WCRC that they can’t or won’t fit central locking?

Why doesn’t ORR stick to their word and stop WCRC working?

[TRP]

Originally Posted by Beeyar Wunby

Thanks for that Tony.

There's an interesting comment below that which states what I was thinking.

The issue of Central Door Locking (CDL) (and exemptions for some operators) has been featured in recent issues of Steam Railway - one of the stories focussed on Locomotive Services Ltd (LSL)/Saphos Trains who have fitted (or are in the process of fitting) CDL, with the LSL staff member interviewed comparing themselves to West Coast (WCRC) who have not yet fitted CDL but are relying on exemptions from the Office of Rail & Road (ORR). LSL were more or less complaining about this - in effect: why have we had to do this at considerable expense (which is passed on to customers via higher ticket prices) when WCRC haven't bothered to do this.

The current issue of Steam Railway states that WCRC have been given a further exemption by the ORR, which now runs until 30th September 2023.
It also emerges in the DownMain section of Steam Railway that the ORR inspectors previously placed a prohibition notice of the WCRC Jacobite operation last month - the morning service on 15th June was cancelled as a result of the prohibition, but trains began running again that afternoon.

Steam Railway quotes that prohibition notice stated:
"You [WCRC] are failing to ensure the health and safety of your passengers and crew, thus putting them at risk of serious personal injury, as you are not implementing the controls identified in your risk assessment for rolling stock fitted with secondary door locks, in that
- Passengers are being told by train crew to operate the secondary door locks
- Stewards are not preventing passengers from operating the secondary door locks
- Stewards are not preventing passengers from leaning on train doors or leaning out of the open droplight windows in train doors of moving trains
- Secondary door locks are not in the 'locked' position or are being opened by train crew before the train is stationary."

This has also been reported on RailAdvent, who go on to state that it is the same breaches which have resulted in this current prohibition.
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2023/07...ellations.html

RailAdvent reports that this is only affecting the WCRCs' Jacobite services - no other WCRC-operated trains are so far affected.

Tony

[TRP]

Looks like the Jacobite trains are now cancelled up to & including Sunday 30th July as things stand.

https://www.railwayherald.com/railtours

Tony

[Beeyar Wunby]

Great info, cheers.

[TRP]

According to the railtour list on Railway Herald, the Jacobite is now cancelled up to & including Wednesday 2nd August.
Also, 45212, one of the three Black 5s rostered for the Jacobite services this summer, has left Fort William - it was moved to Carnforth on Tuesday 25th July.

https://www.railwayherald.com/railtours

Tony

[TRP]

...And now cancelled up to & including Tuesday 8th August.

https://www.railwayherald.com/railtours

Tony

[TRP]

I think West Coast will be in a spot of bother now...

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2024/01...exemption.html

Tony

[TRP]

WCRC have responded...

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2024/01...exemption.html

Nothing unexpected in the statement, but it will be interesing to see how this all pans out.

Tony

[TRP]

A further twist...
WCRC have "suspended" the start of the 2024 Jacobite season:

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2024/03...eam-train.html

And the ORR have responded...

https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2024/03...uspension.html

Tony