HRA WORRIED BY INCIDENTS

Preservation’s trade and lobbying body, the Heritage Railway Association, has expressed concern over a “worrying increase in the number of incidents” on preserved railways.

HRA chairman Brian Simpson said that incidents were increasing “both in terms of numbers and severity. While total numbers are relatively small, the trend is in the wrong direction.” He added: “The ORR is increasing the manpower resource for the heritage sector, and while it wishes to be supportive, it is our regulator and has substantial powers to take enforcement action.”

Mr Simpson advised railways to ensure their Safety Management Systems were up to date, and they were known and respected by volunteers and staff. He also said that: “A feature of the current statistics is a number of failures of traction and rolling stock. Please check that build and maintenance standards are up-to-date and take into account the ‘beyond working life’ aspects of the vehicles you operate.”