RAIB Investigation: South Devon Railway

Still available on their railtour stock! The missus wasn't impressed last year...

 

I remember toilets like this on a school trip by intercity XPT from Brisbane to Canberra in the late 80's. When you opened the toilet lid, a wall of train noise would spring forth and a clear view of sleepers and ballast flashing by could be had. It was a source of great amusement for us kids! I also remember that there was a notice in the cubicle requesting passengers not to use the lavatory whilst the train was in a station! The suburban trains that I used quite regularly didn't have toilets....

 

Y

You should have a ride in the SVR's Great Western set...

 

I have vague memories of being able to see the sleepers running below in a GWR pattern lavatory during a school railway club trip to Bristol.

PH

 

I have a similar vague recolection of SR stock having no more than a trap door on to the track

 

"Um, well, what we are talking about in privy terms is the latest in front wall fresh air orifices combined with a wide capacity gutter installation below." - Blackadder

Patrick

 

I spent last week in the Czech republic and most of the regional expresses were composed of spotlessly clean compartment stock. The toilets were all 'flap type' complete with pedal flush - quite nostalgic really!
Ray.

 

The lavatories in the 2BIL are certainly of that design.

 

On the sleeper train from Ndola to Lusaka and Livingstone, in Zambia in about 2001, I vividly recall poising myself delicately between the missing bits of floor, with a huge void beneath the seat itself, and a goat looking at me through a hole in the door. The window was wide open, and the train proceeded slowly past villages in the early morning, while a group of children outside tried to keep up, pointing at me and shouting "Muzungu!!!"...
The carriages were Metro Cammell, I seem to remember.

 

Fankly, I'm quite surprised by the moderate tone of the report. The comment concerning keeping safety measures under review is something all heritage and tourist attractions need to take to heart .... and act on. The alternative can only be for activities to be increaingly circumscribed by ever more stringent legislation. Short version: Safety is the responsiblility of all of us.

 

That is only the first part, the next report as mentioned in the comment from the SDR to the BBC might be seen in another light.
SDR bosses said that they would not be commenting until a separate investigation by the Office of Rail and Road safety regulator had finished

 

ITV coverage of that report.

http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry...still-in-use-missing-for-months-report-finds/

 

Regarding tone, RAIB reports are purely factual and do not apportion blame

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ile/479856/151125_Leaflet_01_Introduction.pdf

Regards

Matt

 

Some interesting information in there about the long term corrosion issues that Mk1s can suffer from.

 

Sensible for the RAIB report to be published before HMRI’s.

It’s more important to establish facts and recommend sound actions to be taken, than to apportion blame and even dish out penalties.

 

Fair point. I was getting ahead of myself. Really should leave that to the experts - the press!

 

Paragraph 64 of the RAIB report has this sentence.

This standard was produced to define the standards required for vehicles operating on special charter services on the national network at speeds of up to 90 mph (144 km/h).

I have always though that BR Mk1's were "plated" for 100 MPH, and I have been on railtours in excess of 90MPH recently. Is this an RAIB error or is every coach incorrectly plated?

 

In original service, I thought this depended on which bogie type a coach was running on.

 

Ithink you are correct. The coaches with the originnal bogies were limited to 90mph those with commonwealth or BR4 were plated for 100mph