WCRC Licence Suspended

I made comment in post 145 about drivers taking unauthorised action in the event of them not acknowledging an AWS indication in time and how it can be quite easy for one to be missed on a steam loco, especially one you're not prepared for . Faced with the prospect of the train being brought to an untimely and quite severe halt (and with the possibility of people being thrown to the floor - it happened when I was similarly caught out - AWS doesn't stop on a rising vacuum!) it was common practice to screw down the isolation valve for the AWS to keep the train running and then re-open it again. The alternative of letting the train come to an abrupt stand, contacting the signaller, completing a form and getting permission to proceed will soon play havoc with any timetable. Old habits die hard and some would argue it is good practical enginemanship and turn a blind eye but, for reasons that have become all-too obvious in this instance, it isn't allowed.

 

Perhaps more like eternity if you are sitting in a train that has suddenly come to a stand and fouling a high speed junction.

 

Thinking about the incident with 34067 driving rod falling off is pretty scary as well. Hope that I'm not mistaken.

 

Sorry but that incident was the last straw and debate about it is relevant surely. I think my early view about the confusion caused by the aws for the tsr will prove to be a key factor in this.

Don

 

Having read some of the nonsensical theories put forward today by people who think they know a lot more than they do (and I speak as someone who has somehow managed to earn a living for thirty years as an operational railwayman) I think you're right to herd the respondents away from the dafter speculation. Those of us with practical railway experience probably know what happened. Personally I'm more interested in working out how WCRC will deliver their promise of running their charters in the short term. They seemed to have delivered today and I'm sure the passengers will be delighted that they have had the unexpected privilege of being dragged around by the royal train locomotives.

 

Sorry but the two are inextricably linked, It is pretty impossible to discuss one issue and not stray into the other, true it might be helpful if posters refrain from throwing blame on the crew prior to the RAIB report (which based on timescales from previous reports will be a considerable number of months away), but its likely the moderators will either have to ban both subjects or be prepared to do some rest day working to keep this one on an even keel.

 

Absolutely right

Don

 

Is 5305 dual braked?

 

That's a great point and one which my brother and I were both pondering over. A SPAD means the driver is removed at the next station which in this case was Swindon. Clearly there was some doubt as to the circumstances of the SPAD and those in authority were happy for the crew to continue. This really is most extraordinary the more one delves into this crisis, for CRISIS it is.

 

Yes, sorry to bore you, but as a former signal man at Taunton and Stonehouse Bristol Road, after a train has passed, in this case the Swansea to Paddington, I would have set the road for the steamer up from Bath in readiness for the Swansea to clear the section. On receiving 2-1 (train out of section), I would immediately offer the steamer and pull off my signals. In the case under question, although the road was set, the signalman could not give the steamer the road for this reason. NO 2-1 was received i.e. the train had not clerared the section. It is 150 year old logic, but it remains to this day.

 

In other news, a full and frank conversation this afternoon revealed that the K1 is now stranded at Tyseley as it is not through-piped for a DBS LE move. Apparently it is also cheaper to road it than to send it to wherever it is due to go by rail, as this will require connecting rods off. Although work has been offered, NELPG will probably have to fork out at least £4K for road haulage, as they will also need to transport their support coach. Apparently, 61994 is still stranded at York until someone does something with it. As such, the group associated with it wasted money, time and effort lighting it up on Thursday. However, it might have been too soon for them to know what was happening. Once again, what a mess, and one I can't see being cleared overnight.

I have a feeling someone might be waiting in the wings to see the outcome of this prior to making a move, but the operational practices surrounding mainline steam are quite rightly in the spotlight at the moment.

 

Just as a thought, when Mallard was first moved to Shildon by Tornado, ISTR that a temporary 'through pipe' was rigged up using flexible hose. Could something like that not be done with the K1, & move her + support coach in 'light steam' behind a diesel to avoid having to drop the rods?

 

Strange comment there re 62005 - when seen at Tyseley on Good Friday it had cocks for single pipe air through piping - the full & frank conversation was perhaps "pub talk"?

 

A quick search on Google this morning shows there are now 64 reports of this story in the media. A lot of them are using the headline of "Hogwarts Express train operator" so the reports are going to be read by a hell of a lot of people. It's not going to be good for the Rail tour market if loads of potential passengers are put off.

 

On the other hand, it might actually increase awareness that there are (or were) steam railtours out there. No such thing as bad publicity, perhaps?

 

Could the K1/K4 be moved by DCR?

 

Numbers of passengers did not drop after Clapham Junction, Hatfield, Grey Rig, Southall, Ladbrook Grove, etc etc