The City of York. Wednesday 3rd April.

Ive been very wary of WCR for some years. I am aware of the poor reputation they have within the industry. I am very disappointed in the decline of DB for charter work in part due to WCR's ability to undercut DB for charter work based on their rapid expansion of other Ad-hoc traincrew provision (example, OTM piloting) assisted by their drivers working to terrible/non existent conditions.

Their contingency plan seems to have fallen well short of what was required. As in my earlier post....


What was WCRs contingency plan in the event of mechanical failure out on the mainline?

Given that...

The nearest available vacuum braked diesel loco was Carnforth.

 

The basics of professional diligence involve assessing the foreseeable risks and taking reasonable precautions to manage them accordingly. None of which requires hindsight.
We are all thankful to wcr in many respects but they should do better more often.

 

Cheers Shep, i believe you had a interesting day.

 

What I don't understand in this situation is the fact that 37516 tagged on ECS to York for the Wansbeck last Friday,seemingly played no real part in the main stock moves(?) and then apparently headed back to Carnforth light engine on Monday?

 

I am not suggesting hindsight.

When assessing the foreseeable risks I would have thought that the risk of running a vac braked train 130 miles from the nearest available vac braked locomotive would have flagged as potentially serious. The fact is they put nothing in place to guard against that risk.

Had the train continued on from York and failed mechanically between York and Leeds they really would have screwed the job up.

 

Its really not a case of 'old chestnut', its a serious consideration; and i certainly don't want to start a war of words which we have seen on here so many times. if I was delayed 4 hrs on the train, possibly with kids, what would I feel. I find it really sad that this has happened, we all on here look towards happy and successful steam charters, but on a railway system which is so packed on main lines, risks have to be minimal. Whats the answer, Buseng ( we live closeby , so keep it clean !!) lol. Incidentally, maybe someone has an idea; were they not intending to put spark arrestors on all main line steam ?? Really don't know the position there. Pete

 

Having been a passenger on yesterday's charter I would be most grateful if you could expand on your expression 'a load of normals' having their day spoilt.

 

Normal people looking for a day out, not cranks, who become used to this type of ever increasing farce.

Its the market that Compass look to tap into, from memory it seems a bit of a closed shop as to what motive power is available to them.

That said, think they deserve better service in this instance.

 

Thanks Shep , a bit of nifty packing away and speedy driving mind you the 8f stopped longer at Long Preston than I thought so that was a bonus. Hope you had a good day out even with the problems. Steve

 

I thought that Network Rail (or Railtrack/BR) has always insisted on spark arrestors in all steam locos passed for the mainline, despite the ‘drop’ in performance?

 

my shots are now on at:
Yorkshire Coast Express - a set on Flickr

Cheers,
Mark

 

hardly an Australian type firestorm, much ado about nothing I think!!!!!

 

Pano of the 8F passing the RSPB nature reserve, LINK.

(two shots merged in P/shop)

 

No Roast Duck on the menu then?.......

 

There has to be a case for saying if you want a vac braked train it needs to run in close proximity to vac braked rescue in the future even if that means shorter railtours or restricted routes. Russian Roulette on the mainline will have a finite life before it either gets shut down or too expensive in claims.

48151 seems to have several times history in raising fire outside the box, Eskmeals viaduct is but one memorable occasion.

Dumping everyone on the platform in York, with a somewhat unknown delay and no idea what to do whilst waiting must have been highly enjoyable all round, not least for East Coasts passengers who probably had to share the waiting room with the stranded hundreds.
Sending for the 37 may have been cost effective for the operator, but the correct thing to have done would have been to have tickets for people to make their own way home.

This all sounds like one of those scary charter holiday promoters that fly you to the sun, but their airline supplier goes belly up, everyone sits at the airport and as such put you on a boat home... of course Holiday makers have ABTA to fall back on. For once, I find myself agreeing with a certain someone who used to frequent these rooms and suggested such rescue nets.

There was an 18.40 from York that could have seen everyone back in Crewe by 21.00, not 01.00... all it needs would be an ABTA style agreement for passenger operators to aid each other out, maybe as a condition to raising the £5000 delay minutes penalty cap, this clause could be added to it.

 

Perhaps more relevant to other threads but the pictures from the fires in Fort William would have to be a risk for the GB6 and Jacobite unless the weather changes. Some growth is needed which probably means warmer temperatures and some rain. Could be a difficult time in April on the west side of the UK otherwise with this horrible cold winds from the east.

SG

 

18.40 York - Liverpool TPE, need a shoe horn to get every one on that! Joking apart, there are three York- Manchester services in quick succession, including the 18.40, so something could have been sorted.
Also, if I was stuck on York station then I would be in the York tap, not a waiting room.

 

Looking at forecasts the only areas to get 100% (average) and above rainfall for April are the Highlands in the North West,everywhere else is down to 60-80% of normall rainfall. May is looking like a washout though....everywhere.