WCRC Licence Suspended

why send the letter dated 1st april 2015????

 

Possibly because they wrote and sent it on that date?

 

Section from the report, which seems to confirm that WCR management attitude has contributed to this.



Specifically:

 WCR’s senior management response to the recent SPAD at SN45. This ranked as the most

serious SPAD that has taken place this year when the industry risk ranking methodology was

applied;

 The response by the senior management of WCR to the issues raised in the meeting of 30

March 2015, where WCR demonstrated that its controls, communication and commitment

following the recent SPAD were inadequate;

Network Rail also has serious concerns about the fact that WCR unilaterally suspended the

response to Network Rail’s review of WCR’s Safety Management System undertaken in January

2015. The review raised some serious and significant issues and there was no communication with

Network Rail to explain that the response was being suspended

 

Perhaps because NR gave an ultimatum that said WCRC had until the end of the month to respond acceptably?

 

Yes, as I wrote 4 posts back!

 

Sorry - didn't see it. Still great minds think alike....

 

Didn't WCRC also have a 47 de-rail and catch fire?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn.../Heritage-train-derails-and-catches-fire.html

https://assets.digital.cabinet-offi...0159/140331_R072014_Ordsall_Lane_Junction.pdf

 

Crikey... This doesn't look great...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Think that was pretty much established as a problem with tyre profiling work done at Longsight plus track condition.

 

Yes, but due to issues with Network Rail's maintenance of the track, as the RAIB report makes clear. Not relevant here.

 

Until this gets sorted there will be some very unhappy tour operators, loco owners and ticket holders. It's not as though they can realistically take their business elsewhere.

 

To be fair to WCRC, from the summary of the RAIB report they were in no way to blame for this one.

 

Well quite, and no doubt many of those passengers effected may not want to book a steam special again. This could have a knock on effect on non WCR operated steam. I don't see any news about this on the mainstream media btw, despite the fact the SPAD itself was reported. I guess they're too busy wetting themselves over tonight's Leader Debates !

 

The Ordsall Lane derailment should really be a seperate incident and not kept being brought up when WCRC and Network Rail are in dispute.

What does not bode well is WCRC withdrawing from Network Rails safety management system in January which no doubt has been a bigger factor in the decision to suspend WCRC. Network Rail have the role to police and inforce safety and access to the network, even if that resposnsibility has evolved to see Network Rail and as the custodians of it. This is not a failure of steam in the future, put merely the need for it to be operated effectively and safety according to the policies and demands that the modern network has. In light of WCRCs defiance over issues surrounding the tour featuring Olton Hall last year and the subsequent ban in the NE area, Network Rail will be wanting to see measures put in place. If WCRC have withdrawn co-operation from this in January and have had further incidents which have been seen as being serious - then suspension is reasonable, to enforce safety standards. WCRC I hoped had learned lessons on such matters following things last year. What was needed was futurure co-operation and while I like to defend them over things like diesels on the back, or the way that most of their tours run very well over the network, this operation in the background is a serious cause for concern. That does mean WCRC are the ones that are needing to quickly develop systems and conform to the consitant views of Network Rail, before this develops and esscalates further.

 

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/statement-west-coast-railways-suspension-notice

Is this a follow on from the Tangmere incident?

 

The letter sent to WCR clearly states that the suspension is not because of just one incident, but as a result of a number of safety issues and incidents.
I think that WCR will have to work very hard to prove to NR that that they have put robust, reliable and auditable safety systems in place before the suspension is lifted.
Reading between the lines of the NR letter, WCR's response to the recent SPAD has not helped. They will have to change their management's attitude to these safety issues if they want to win over the 'hearts and minds' of NR.
A sad day for all mainline steam enthusiasts. Let's hope that WCR resolve this matter quickly and competently.

 

http://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/2015/04/02/west-coast-railways-operating-licence-suspended

Foxy

 

Already being discussed:

http://www.national-preservation.com/threads/wcrc-banned.465919/

 

It is relevant actually. WCR kept bitching and bringing this up when they were being slapped for the last procedures breech

 

What is there that's not operated by WCRC then? Presumably with DBS not running much steam any more there are going to be a bag full of cancellations. Really feeling for Steam Dreams and the other promoters...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk