Passing on a warning about problems.

In the Heritage world, is there any system set up to pass on information about faults that may be applicable to other railways?

For example if Railway A has a problem with a design of wagon.
Checking VCT or Preserved Railway Stocklist it shows 10 of that lot number of wagon are in use at various railways.
The problem is of a nature that may be repeated elsewhere.

Is there a formal system to pass this detail on without going through channels such as RAIB. etc.

 

The HRA ran a system for a while, but it fizzled out. The matter was raised at a recent ORR/HRA/railways pre-season briefing; the HRA rep said that this was being looked at again.

One of the issues was ensuring that the data was anonymised sufficiently - I think that it was killed the first incarnation; railways can be rather coy about washing dirty linen in public - rightly or wrongly.

On the national network, there is an obligation to report defects which could affect other duty holder's vehicles. The obligation is mostly followed....

 

Seeing that there is no formal system then.
We have found a fault with one of our LOWMACS a 1958 Swindon build WV type.
It looks like the Hornguides have been fabricated with all corners square and not radiused.
This means that Stress Cracking is a risk.
Difficult to see due to the springs getting in the way.
Please check your vehicles to make sure yours is not affected.
I believe that there are 9 of these wagons in use around the UK from the Preserved Rail stocklist.


Location Works No. Year Category Type Design Status Number Photo
Crewe Heritage Centre /1954 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends Operational
Dart Valley Railway Plc. /1959 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends std ADB 905117
Weardale Railway /1956 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends Unknown ADB 905086
Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway /1958 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends Unknown KDB 905102
East Kent Railway /1954 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends std
Great Eastern Traction /1958 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends std
Keith & Dufftown Railway /1958 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends Unknown DB 905112
Swindon & Cricklade Railway /1958 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends Unknown
North North Yorkshire Moors Railway /1958 9c - BR Wagons 15t 4w Low Machinery Flat Lowmac WV Plank Decking Raised Ends Operational B 905100

 

Further photo of cracking.
Behind the spring running up from the frame corner.

 

This is really good of you Bryan - and a good use of this website to help others.
Although I'm surprised at this design fault in a relatively young wagon design. Sharp corners and stress cracking is not exactly a new problem!

 

We checked our 5 other LOWMACS, of varying designs and found nothing.
It seems to be just this variant WV built at Swindon in 1958.