Main Line Steam - Possible ramifications of the WCRC suspension

More like Black Humour methinks ! The serious point is that WCRC services are valued and many have an economic impact in the areas where they operate; whilst the current procedures are under way the simple question is do you sacrifice the services and increase the level of loss ? It is noticeable that many of WCRC services are being taken up by other operators because - at the end of the day - the cost to the rail industry irrespective of operator is a loss to all operators. It will be for time to tell whether the replacement operators retain their ex-WCRC services or return them to WCRC once the current situations are resolved.

 

Why is that unlikely? the 15th was a cut off date for improvement, if WCRC can satisfy NR of improvement before that date, there is no reason why they can't start on that date?

 

Fred it is working. There have been a few issues but it is working.

 

I started to type something similar but you've put it far more succinctly than me!
It's a simple fact that we are in uncharted waters with all this. NR's suspension of WCRC was a first. If the ORR withdraw WCRC's right to operate trains, this will also be a first and I'm sure would be subject to appeal and enquiry. The more usual practice is to issue an Improvement Notice over less serious breaches of the SMS and Enforcement Notices over the more serious ones. Without the knowledge of what the ORR have found, it is impossible to say factually but, as the SMS is that of WCRC, it is likely to be either shortcomings with it or lack of compliance with it. This is all procedural stuff and can be relatively easily sorted if the determination is there.
I might be wrong but my gut feeling is that WCRC will be up and running again before too long with little change on the outside, There might well be a prosecution and fine at the end of the day but that is my speculation.

 

So GBRf are going to get all the paperwork sorted and employ drivers who can drive steam before the Jacobite starts on 11th May - seems a little ambitious to me?

 

Less hilarious(*) I suspect to all those WCRC staff who depend on the charters for their livelihood and are no doubt beavering away behind the scenes trying to address these issues, whilst all and sundry speculate on the internet that their employer will be going out of business shortly leaving then unemployed.

When posting completely hypothetical stuff, please remember this is peoples lives you are speculating about. For whatever reason many have a problem with the hierarchy at WCRC, however there are many more like you and me with mortgages to pay who I suspect are having a pretty uncomfortable time of it at the moment!

(*) I am not picking up on twr12 as I think he is saying much the same thing, just seemed to be the best post to quote off.

 

Forgive my ignorance - who is Chris Milner? Is he a ScotRail employee? A journalist?

Lineside rumours are sometimes reliable, but often get confused in the re-telling. I know from personal experience that questions I have "thought out loud" have later come back to me as "Steam Age said it was certain that..." I've heard all sorts of rumours in the past fortnight from "WCRC are going down the tube" to "WCRC will be back in 2 weeks and all their tours will be worked by DBS in the mean time". We know the second is wide of the mark, so let's hope the first is too.

In the short term, what I really want to know is how much, if any, of GB8 is going to run with steam? Selfish, am I not?

 

Why is it unlikely, are you party to the discussions that are ongoing between WCRC, NR and others?

 

Indeed, there is inevitably a lot of doom mongering and thinking about worst case scenarios, but it's also worthwhile remembering that WCRC have been operating for many years and will have passed various safety audits, etc., during that time. While there are obvious concerns surrounding recent events, if WCRC cooperate and show a willingness to modify their practices and procedures in line with what is expected, then there's no reason why they can't be back operating again fairly soon. If their current procedures are that far wide of the mark, then surely they would have been flagged long before the recent incidents? My personal impression (which could be wide of the mark) is that it has been WCRC Senior Managements apparent unwillingness to cooperate that has tipped this whole thing over the edge; if they swallow their pride and show willingness to change, then there doesn't appear to be any evidence to suggest that Network Rail won't be receptive.

Assuming WCRC do survive the hit to their finances, possible future action from ORR, and damage to their reputation, then longer term the steam movement needs to think carefully about making sure this situation does not arise again, whether that is by rallying around WCRC and making it a stronger and better organisation, or if it is to spread the load across more TOCs/FOCs.

 

There's a lot of wailing and knashing of teeth about this WC business but we should spare a thought for ALL the people in the support industries. A lot of folk are paying the mortgage and the bills from employment in the rail tour support industry and they are facing a bleak and VERY uncertain future. Companies can't carry on funding (amongst other things), a payroll if they have no income coming in.
I hope WC and the authorities can come to "an arrangement" VERY quickly.

 

I'm not sure if this is the correct thread to post this but hey-ho here we go.

Statesman Rail. "CORNISH RIVIERA STATESMAN" this weekend. Leeds to Penzance.

Now a DB operation rather than West Coast. <BJ>

 

Thanks for the confirmation; the last news I read was that it could / would not be used and as a visitor to the area I was monitoring this for future visits.

 

Is that not a diesel tour anyway? Have DBS covered any WCRC steam business as yet?

 

That's encouraging. Does anyone know how many of West Coast's diesel tours have actually been successfully contracted out so far? I'm only aware of 2, I think.

 

But perhaps on a temporary basis until WCRC can resume operations.

As others have noted on this thread there is a lot of advance bookings that have been made and it is better for other operators to provide assistance in the form of traction until WCRC is able to return to normal rather than cancel trains. Whilst many on here are aware of the different companies that provide the various tour programmes, many customers don't, hence the problems of one effectively becomes the problems of all in terms of customer confidence. The major difficulty is the running of steam-hauled tours as only WCRC have a licence for vacumn-braked locomotives as other operators have air-braked locos only and some of the WCRC services - particularly the Jacobean - may have to run with diesel traction in the short term.

The important point is that any assistance in the short term by other operators to cover WCRC services should not be taken as a permanent takeover unless specified otherwise in the official press release(s) by the companies involved. Speculation is interesting but fact is reality and the present situation is one where discretion and diplomacy is called for.

 

I recall that the Railway Magazine have (or at least had) a pretty decent relationship with WCRC (didn't they actually sponsor the Carnforth Open Day a few years back), however I would be a little cautious with taking what many journalists say as unbiased fact, considering the fractious relationship WCRC have had previously had with various media outlets.