WCRC Licence Suspended

On 29th April NR issued a statement to the effect that the suspension 'would not be lifted this week'. It was also reported elsewhere at a similar time that there would be no early lifting of the suspension, i.e. before 15th May.......I definitely read that somewhere, the problem is I can't remember where - sorry! Perhaps someone can help me out with that particular quote, it could have been in RAIL magazine, possibly.

 

While there have been genuine concerns with WCRC, it seems to be increasingly to me, with his repeated pieces on the subject that Nigel Harris is on something of a personal vendetta here and increasingly appears to be going from someone reporting a worrying story, to someone with an axe to grind and unleashing his full wrath with this opportunity, think I'll have to make a note never to buy Rail Magazine while he's there if we can expect this sort of thing in future, certainly it's beggars belief he feels justified in throwing the toys out because WCRC gave him the cold shoulder, what did you expect after some of the things you wrote Nige ?

 

I'm with you on that.

 

Sounds like Pip Dunn's article in Railways Illustrated, I think he also has an axe to grind with WCRC too...

 

You could very well be right. As a general rule, Harris is very defensive of the "railway", and it's actions. I can still remember how in the aftermath of Ladbroke Grove, his editorials worked to extract every possible crumb that could point towards Railtrack and the TOCs involved not being wholly responsible, e.g. reminding everyone that the track layout and line speeds approaching PAD had been approved by the HSC. He was also very critical, (on cost grounds), of Prescot's decision that TPWS should be installed across the network, yet there's never been a peep out of him over all these years that said system has probably prevented potentially fatal accidents.

I was surprised therefore how critical he's been of WCR, and without knowing anything of any "previous" between him and the "other man", the remark about him having commented to another magazine did seem extremely childish, especially given the magazine concerned was RAIL's own sister mag, Steam Railway!

 

And who did he serve his apprenticeship under....
I remember being put through to him at RAIL when I tried to get them interested in the state of the track on my local mainline. Couldn't give a damn.
At the end of the day, Modern Railways is the only serious 'industry' mag.

 

You're absolutely right about that. I know a number of people who work in the "industry", and they all share the same view. One thing I will say in RAIL's favour though is the news section is very good, as is Wolmar's column and Barry Doe's contribution. Some of the special feature writers have been very good as well. They also publish letters which go against the editorial view. If you ignore the "Comment" pieces, and some of the other editorial guff, it's not a bad mag!

 

ORR statement c/o Railway herald
A spokesperson for the Office of Rail and Road said that following its initial investigation, West Coast Railway Company (WCR) has established improved safety procedures and that ORR inspectors will be on site examining safety arrangements ahead of WCR running passenger services. These checks will ensure the company has introduced the necessary changes, such as improved safety procedures, enhanced management systems, and appropriate staff competence regimes. The ORR says it will continue to monitor WCR services for assurance that they are operating safely.

 

Presumably the ECS wouldn't have shot north if the ORR examining things would take more than a day or two ?.

 

Maybe the ORR are examining things as the ECS shoots north, and while the tour is being assembled. Nothing better than looking at procedures during the heat of battle.

 

and presumably a daily ORR-monitored examination at Fort William prior to the ecs being shunted not the platform. Given the complex nature of train running I presume that ORR will monitor extensively at points where it thinks the greatest risks exist.

 

That would be a nice cushy number for someone!

 

Not with the recent weather some parts of Scotland have been experiencing.