West Coast Railways Suspended (now reinstated)

[CosherB]

Really ? Who was responsible for the "recent breach
in safety regulations." ? Are WCRC on a different planet to the rest of us ?

Precisely. It's that type of 'head in the sand' attitude (and likely industrial cultural deficiencies) of WCRC that has got them into this mess, will continue to keep them in this mess in the short term, and may eventually finish them off altogether if they don't reform and remediate.

Their return to the mainline is by no means a certainty.

 

[DaleCooper]

Something about this affair has been bothering me. All the talk is about WCRC's failings but a company doesn't fail it's the people in charge who make bad decisions who fail and so often as in the case of bankrupty they walk away and start again. My question is, do the authorities have the power to prevent individuals who are deemed unfit from running a company like WCRC?

 

[Jonny]

Something about this affair has been bothering me. All the talk is about WCRC's failings but a company doesn't fail it's the people in charge who make bad decisions who fail and so often as in the case of bankrupty they walk away and start again. My question is, do the authorities have the power to prevent individuals who are deemed unfit from running a company like WCRC?

The problem is proving it. Welcome to one of the oldest conundrums, not only in law enforcement but the world at large.
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Well I didn't bother reading the article beyond the second sentence:


Clearly the piece is not necessarily factually accurate or to be trusted in what it says. That is shockingly bad journalism!

According to their website, the ORR is also responsible for monitoring the trunk road network.

 

[Darandio]

Really ? Who was responsible for the "recent breach
in safety regulations." ? Are WCRC on a different planet to the rest of us ?

Their whole attitude is seriously worrying.

From the head in the sand attitude to the lineside fire to the head in the sand attitude with the SPAD. Then followed their own press release in which they wanted people to believe that they had effectively suspended themselves. Then this.

I firmly believe that certain people within the company believe they are untouchable.

 

[Robert Taggart]

WCR - something about this outfit has always left us feeling queasy...
Dirty Carriages - inside AND outside.
Eyesore Premises - an absolute blot on the Carnforth landscape.
Mulish Management - less than helpful - to put it politely.
Time it was confined to the history books - along with the depot and 'cenotaph' :-x !

 

[IanXC]

Something about this affair has been bothering me. All the talk is about WCRC's failings but a company doesn't fail it's the people in charge who make bad decisions who fail and so often as in the case of bankrupty they walk away and start again. My question is, do the authorities have the power to prevent individuals who are deemed unfit from running a company like WCRC?

Potentially.

The ORR operates a 'fit and proper' test for prospective operators, equally there is the opportunity to disqualify directors of limited companies, however in this situation I'm not sure that would be possible.

 

[30909]

The problem is proving it. Welcome to one of the oldest conundrums, not only in law enforcement but the world at large.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


According to their website, the ORR is also responsible for monitoring the trunk road network.

But it is "The Office of Rail and Road is the independent safety and economic regulator for Britain's railways and monitor of Highways England."
http://orr.gov.uk/about-orr

 

[RichmondCommu]

WCR - something about this outfit has always left us feeling queasy...
Dirty Carriages - inside AND outside.
Eyesore Premises - an absolute blot on the Carnforth landscape.
Mulish Management - less than helpful - to put it politely.
Time it was confined to the history books - along with the depot and 'cenotaph' :-x !

Just curious to know who exactly is "us"? And what experience do you have of the management being "less than helpful"?

 

[CosherB]

Just curious to know who exactly is "us"? And what experience do you have of the management being "less than helpful"?

Are you a big supporter of WCR?

 

[gswindale]

They're valid questions though.

We've traveled on a few toys operated by the Railway touring co using WCRC stock. The carriages have always been well presented and there haven't been any issues with the attitudes of anybody involved in running the train/tours.
My only issue was that the windows suffered with condensation inside on the 2 December tours we've been on; but we didn't have that problem when we did the Jacobite last June so I put that down to the weather rather than the stock.

 

[Jonny]

It seems that GB Railfreight are operating the Royal Scotsman charter instead of WCRC.

According to GBRf's facebook feed:

GB Railfreight
We're currently operating the Royal Scotsman private charter trains and in another first, 66735 today became the first of it's class to visit Mallaig, pictured here on Glenfinnan Viaduct.

What is unclear is whether it is sub-contracted or whether WCRC has lost the work altogether.

PS GBRf have uploaded a photo onto Facebook, courtesy of Alasdair Mulhern - https://scontent-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/h...=7029236b1b9304f361a1d5fa19b9dea1&oe=55DED645

 

[sidmouth]

With RSG on the back....

 

[Chrisgr31]

Precisely. It's that type of 'head in the sand' attitude (and likely industrial cultural deficiencies) of WCRC that has got them into this mess, will continue to keep them in this mess in the short term, and may eventually finish them off altogether if they don't reform and remediate.

Their return to the mainline is by no means a certainty.

It is possible that their insurance will require that they don't admit any liability, at least until they are proven liable by any investigation.

It is of course not satisfactory that that is a position we get in to.

 

[gazthomas]

It seems that GB Railfreight are operating the Royal Scotsman charter instead of WCRC.

According to GBRf's facebook feed:


What is unclear is whether it is sub-contracted or whether WCRC has lost the work altogether.

PS GBRf have uploaded a photo onto Facebook, courtesy of Alasdair Mulhern - https://scontent-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/h...=7029236b1b9304f361a1d5fa19b9dea1&oe=55DED645

Good photo, so how did the 66 get clearance to go to Mallaig? I guess GBRf don't feel so confident to use their "new" 73/9's!

 

[najaB]

Good photo, so how did the 66 get clearance to go to Mallaig?

According to the sectional appendix Class 66's are cleared to Mallaig with speed restrictions across some structures.

 

[gazthomas]

According to the sectional appendix Class 66's are cleared to Mallaig with speed restrictions across some structures.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Coolzac]

Forgive my ignorance, but I don't know much about steam operators on the national network. Will regular steam trains on NR track like the Jacobite still run or will they all be suspended if they are run by WCR?

 

[gazthomas]

Forgive my ignorance, but I don't know much about steam operators on the national network. Will regular steam trains on NR track like the Jacobite still run or will they all be suspended if they are run by WCR?

They will be suspended. To my knowledge the only other operator is DBS and they will only run steam trains with air brakes.

 

[edwin_m]

Isn't the Royal Scotsman a lot longer than the Fort William sleeper, therefore maybe too much for a 73/9? Also are the 73/9s ready for service yet?

 

[Chris125]

Isn't the Royal Scotsman a lot longer than the Fort William sleeper, therefore maybe too much for a 73/9? Also are the 73/9s ready for service yet?

None of the ones for use in Scotland are, and I doubt one on it's own would be sufficient.

 

[gazthomas]

None of the ones for use in Scotland are, and I doubt one on it's own would be sufficient.

I think for the "steep" bits with long trains (i.e. Inverness) 2 x 73's are prescribed

 

[D1009]

According to the sectional appendix Class 66's are cleared to Mallaig with speed restrictions across some structures.

Unlike Deltics with their low axle load, which means they can go almost anywhere.

 

[najaB]

Unlike Deltics with their low axle load, which means they can go almost anywhere.

Not, it would seem, to Fort William/Mallaig though - they aren't listed in the Scottish sectional appendix, I guess because they don't venture up this part of the world. Wikipedia lists them as RA5 so they definitely aren't heavy on the rails.

 

[Emblematic]

Not really much new information, but confirmation that things are panning out as we thought it would:
Harry Potter line steam train service hits buffers

THE operator of the Jacobite steam train on the Fort William-Mallaig line admitted today it was unlikely to launch services next week as planned after being banned from the rail network.
West Coast Railways (WCR), which carries 85,000 tourists a year on the route, was barred by Network Rail last month from operating across Britain after causing the worst case of running through a red light this year.
WCR had planned 225 trips for the service, made famous by the Harry Potter films, until October. It has run the Jacobite for 20 years.
However, the company’s operating permit was suspended after another of its steam trains ran past a red signal and stopped across the Great Western main line near Swindon in March, less than one minute after an express train.
Network Rail said: “The operations of WCR are a threat to the safe operation of the railway”.
WCR has been given until Friday, 15 May to make a series of improvements.
WCR spokesman David Pitts said: “We have only until Monday, the start of the Jacobite season, to regain our track access.
“Failure to do so will be a bitter blow to all passengers and people relying on the service locally for an income.
“At this stage, it’s looking unlikely. We expect to decide tomorrow whether services will start on Monday.
“Everything that can be done is been done to keep this historic service alive.
“In the event of us having to cancel a Jacobite service, all passengers will be given at least 48 hours’ notice and full refund, but we sincerely hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Mr Pitts said DB Schenker, the only firm which could run the Jacobite on its behalf, had shown no interest.
ScotRail had also planned to use WCR to run a series of steam specials across Scotland from 20 June but it is now seeking another operator.
A Network Rail spokesman said: “Network Rail has not taken the decision to suspend WCR lightly, but our number one priority is safety.
“We are in discussions with WCR and will continue to work with them to address the safety concerns that we have raised.”

 

[me123]

Very sad news for the region, who rely on tourism as a key part of the economy. 85000 tourists equates to millions for the local economy.

However, as NR say, safety is the number one priority. And I'd have to agree with some previous posters that the attitude that seems to be emanating from WCRC is cause for concern.

 

[ilkestonian]

They will be suspended. To my knowledge the only other operator is DBS and they will only run steam trains with air brakes.

And they are nowhere near as flexible as WCRC because their drivers are full time and are employed doing the day job most of the time. They also have three on the footplate (driver, fireman & inspector) and class travel time as part of their duty time so often need multiple crews for some steam jobs. So if there is no WCRC there is virtually no steam, and IMHO precious little prospect of it in the future.

I just hope I'm wrong...

 

[alexl92]

There are rumours (so far strenuously denied) that Jeremy Hoskins' LNWR/Icons of Steam companies may look into setting up a TOC to operate mainline steam - particularly following their purchase of around 16 MK1 coaches for restoration for use on the mainline.

I hope they do it. Hoskins seems to have his house in order and be a decent enough guy and I imagine it'd be a well-presented, well-run outfit.

 

[TDK]

There are rumours (so far strenuously denied) that Jeremy Hoskins' LNWR/Icons of Steam companies may look into setting up a TOC to operate mainline steam - particularly following their purchase of around 16 MK1 coaches for restoration for use on the mainline.

I hope they do it. Hoskins seems to have his house in order and be a decent enough guy and I imagine it'd be a well-presented, well-run outfit.

I doubt very much it will be a TOC but open access, they are totally different., Jeremy Hoskins will have exactly the same problems as WCR by the fact of where will he get his drivers with the required qualifications from and ensure their competence is maintained?

 

[najaB]

I doubt very much it will be a TOC but open access, they are totally different., Jeremy Hoskins will have exactly the same problems as WCR by the fact of where will he get his drivers with the required qualifications from and ensure their competence is maintained?

If there's enough demand for steam charters, they might be full-time in house staff, rather than WCR's model of using external drivers on zero-hours contracts.

 

[edwin_m]

If there's enough demand for steam charters, they might be full-time in house staff, rather than WCR's model of using external drivers on zero-hours contracts.

That would be very difficult to resource economically because the charter market is so peaky. Employ enough crews to cope with a summer weekend and on a winter weekday most of them will be earning money for doing nothing. The WCR model of zero-hours contracts and the DBS one of full-time staff who spend most of their time doing other things both get round this problem (but the WCR one creates other problems instead).