35028 Clan Line to Canterbury Saturday 23rd May

In many ways it's beyond parody, you really couldn't make it up. It also reflects poorly on a system that enables powerful individuals, on a whim, to wreak havoc borne of vindictiveness.
As was said in recent times, the very attributes that have led the business to success could be the very traits which fatally undermine it.

 

WCRC, DBS and the MNLPS having things covered is all well and good. What about the ORR, did they have staff available to inspect this operation? Bank Holiday weekend and all that. Just a thought.

 

Nice try but no cigar. It was a DBS operated train. DBS are not in "special measures" and are allowed out on their own without an ORR grown up present.

 

That'll be that then .......

 

Thanks, I do appreciate that. However it did cross my mind that WCRC might be under a greater level of scrutiny than we had been given to believe was the case.

Back to waiting patiently.

 

WCR have already commented...by their silence. James Shuttleworth is reading this thread, as are some of his team, even if his Web-averse Chairman is waiting for the hardback edition to come out. James has given 21 years of his life, with slavish devotion, to David Smith. For his trouble he has been left in the most invidious professional and personal position imagine able.

James had approved the DBS/MNLPS job for Statesman Rail and had his arrangements been left alone, it would have run as booked, Statesman would have been happy and paid up gratefully, and this thread would not be happening. James had delivered a sensible solution, which David Smith demolished in one spectacular late notice hissy fit.

Under other circumstances, watching James defend his "daddy" would be hugely entertaining, as it has been in the past. But this time it is different. James is as much a victim of this insanity as the 300 poor saps on the train. His silence is actually quite dignified.