WCRC Licence Suspended

Key there, clearly in NRs thinking (and to meet any ORR objections head on), is the new management and director/leadership structure. I don't need to say where I am coming from.

As an aside, this issue was always a failure in communication. WCRC to Staff, Staff to RAIB, WCRC to RAIB, and mostly WCRC to NR.

 

Thanks **** for that I think is the overriding thought, and WCRC had better be whiter than white for some time now, as any further issue could be terminal.

 

WCRC have clearly done the right, indeed only, thing they could - change their structure to become a stronger organisation with a focus on process/procedures and safety culture that perhaps was not as strong as it could be because of the way the organisation had developed.

A focus on the Jacobite allows them to get the new look organisation working correctly, iron out any problems and allow ORR and NR to scrutinise them in order to regain confidence. We have to be pragmatic a bit longer for the many other day tours - clearly that will be a phased return.

A WCRC chastened, but better and stronger for it would be my hope.

Regards,

Dan

 

Official announcement from the "Horses Mouth" so to speak.
http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...-revoke-west-coast-railways-suspension-notice

 

Another activation, but no movement yet
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O95075/2015/05/08/advanced
I suspect that the activations are to let NR know that a movement will take place if possible on the day.
Nice to get some good news today....

 

This is excellent news, and obviously much effort has been made to put in place a much stronger management structure, and effective corporate governance. It has probably turned out to be good for everyone that this has happened, though disappointing that it needed to for things to change, and the basics got right.

 

Indeed, two lots of good news.....

 

Yes, England are actually doing quite well in the cricket but that's for another thread. Back to WCRC ...

 

We have another one, this morning's cancelled.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/O95106/2015/05/08/advanced
Is it the 5's, or 61994, or all three?

 

Not 61994...that's supposedly staying at NYMR.

 

LR has just sold its rail business so perhaps this is a good move for the gentleman concerned.

 

I agree Al. The Jacobite is a simple, regular, repeat, self-contained operation that doesn't take much effort to operate, compared a one-off tour from one side of the country to the other with various crews, empty stock moves, light engine moves, water stops, etc. Sensible to concentrate on that for the time being, so they can prove everything works as planned.

 

They said it was going to be a hung parliament and look what happened. It's not over until the fat lady sings. Fat lady, where are you?

 

Suspension Notice 2/4/15

"Urgent: Attention The Company Secretary

cc: The Managing Director"


Revocation of suspension notice 7/5/15

"Dear David"


Cautious optimism justified?

 

So much for the conspiracy to get rid of mainline steam and victimise West Coast then? This is a pretty remarkable result in the circumstances, it really wasn't hard to imagine it being curtains for Carnforth.

Clearly it shouldn't have taken a near catastrophe but hopefully this new structure and new faces will herald a much more positive, professional attitude than the one we saw last year.

 

It does seem a sensible approach, but possibly not much of a test compared with the type of tour you describe ?

 

It is probably just me but why has NR made public a letter to WCRC? If I was Mr. Smith I would be unhappy about it. Apart from the body of the letter, there is no punctuation apart from a comma after "Director". Is this how modern day people write letters and I'm living in the past?