East Lancs Railway

Slight tangent, are the two feasibility studies viewable online anywhere?
TIA

 

Summerseat crossing today with one of the Santa's whilst we were walking some friends around the area. That dead branch is going to have to go!

 

Thinking of visiting again next year as with corona it's been far too long since I've been up there.

But from earlier this year got told that the TTI staff or guards weren't allowing heads out on the stock now??? I get with covid you've usually got to stay in your booked seat now, just takes the appeal away for bashers a bit.

But hoping that might change depending how things pan out....

 

Cheers for that.

It used to be allowed a few years back, guidance must've changed or some pres lines didn't enforce that.

 

Guidance has toughened up, as has enforcement; it's been discussed here and elsewhere.

 

Yeah ORR are coming down on it. Especially after the lad and lass did themselves in by accident a few years ago. Me, my missus and a mate here went to the ELR back in October and I was able to enjoy part of the trip from the vestibule. If the only thing your enjoyment hinges on is hanging out the window, no ones stopping you from headbutting traffic lights.

 

People doing the whole journey with head hung out can be a pain to other passengers, some have no concern that others want to take photos without their head or see the scenery. Doesn't set a very good example to others who might not be aware of the pitfalls, bridges, hedges, flying ash etc.

 

As a way of commemorating 100 years since the LYR and LNWR merged it is intended that the steam service on the 1st January 2022 will be hauled by 52322 and 51456 temporarily appearing in their LYR guise as 1300 and 752 espectively

 

Will this just be on New Year's day, or the 2nd and 3rd too ?? Thanks

 

a quick Google only brought up this document from 2019 re:Windows. It makes no mention of a ban on a 25 mph line, only rreview the risk assessment.


https://www.orr.gov.uk/search-news/safety-first-droplight-windows-heritage-and-charter-trains

has the guidance been tightened since?

 

On a heritage railway, restricting window opening is impracticable if you need to reach an external door handle, and providing a steward in every vestibule (or even every compartment) is obviously impossible. But it shouldn't be too difficult to check a few miles of line for any lineside structures, trees, etc that might be close enough to trains to present a risk. Of the conceivable risk reduction measures, that is therefore the obvious one to apply. If one of the offending structures is a bridge, that could be a problem.

 

Those bars always added so much ambience of the grotty EPBs on the old North London Line, as well as being jolly useful for letting you know where the windows were, beneath the all-enveloping patina of grime. It all contributed magnificently to the "derelict chic" look of services between North Woolwich and Richmond.

 

Due to a clerical error in high ELR management only the 1300 departure from Bury to Rawtenstall and back will be hauled by 1300 and 752 on the 1st January. 34092 is scheduled to haul all other steam services.

On the plus side for those of us crewing the LYR locos we get a later start and a much earlier trip to the pub than anticipated...

 

Every cloud…

 

I thought the ORR guidance for heritage lines included ensuring sufficient clearance with lineside structures. Not been there often enough to know but I assume there must be some restricted clearance areas then?

 

I thought that was going to be a joke for a minute, until I got to the last bit.

Thought it may have ended, any passenger wishing to catch 752, will need to get to Bury early as she will be hauling a 07:52 service.

 

My understanding is slightly different: the ORR are concerned that you understand your risks and mitigate appropriately.

In the case of "heads out of windows", that first means understanding the risk areas (which could be fixed structures, or things like line side vegetation). Then mitigate - which for vegetation would mean having a programme to cut back line side vegetation. For structures, it might mean slewing the line away from e.g. a bridge, but that isn't always possible (for example, on a single track line; easier on a line built for two tracks but which is now running as one). If none of that is possible, then window bars might be the only feasible mitigation.

In other words, the ORR don't mandate any specific solution, but do require that you properly understand your own risks, and then take appropriate action.

I may have that completely wrong, but that is my understanding.

Tom

 

The East Lancashire Railway on New Year's Day featuring 34092 'City Of Wells', 51456 and 52322.

Video Available Here