‘Cracked’ trains safe to operate say engineers
TRAINS with cracks are to re-enter service on GWR’s Penzance to Paddington route after the rail industry assessed that the fault does not pose a safety risk.
Services on large parts of the network – including the South West’s main link to London – have been disrupted since Saturday after cracks were discovered in part of the chassis of several trains.
Manufacturer Hitachi, train operators and the Government have agreed a plan to reintroduce more Class 800 and 385 trains.
Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said engineers and independent experts have “completed rigorous tests and research” to get a “clearer understanding of the cracking issue”.
An industry source told the Press Association the investigation concluded that the cracks on lifting points – which allow carriages to be raised during maintenance work – do not stop trains from operating safely.
But the RDG said trains will only re-enter service following “thorough inspections by specialist teams”.
TRAIN operators Hitachi Rail and the Government have agreed a plan to safely reintroduce some of the firm’s highspeed trains back to the network.
The fleet of 800 series trains was removed from service as a precaution at the weekend, when cracks were found on some of them.
Many were subjected to precautionary checks, leading to the cancellation of services across many parts of the country, including the Westcountry. Great Western Railway (GWR) was one of the operators worst affected by the incident.
Following extensive safety checks on their trains, Transpennine Express, Hull Trains and ScotRail have been able to operate services across all of their routes since last weekend.
After further rigorous safety checks involving the Office of Rail and Road’s HM Railway Inspectorate, GWR and LNER will now begin reintroducing trains with a more regular service for passengers.
Trains on some routes may be less frequent than usual and train availability could vary, for a number of reasons, so passengers should continue to check with operators before they travel.
Passengers are being advised to check the latest travel advice from their train operator. Eligible passengers are also being encouraged to claim refunds.
Mark Hopwood, GWR managing director, said: “Our customers have shown great patience over the past couple of days, and I am grateful for their understanding as we have worked with Hitachi to allow trains to return safely.
“This news will allow us to run some additional services today and reintroduce more consistent, robust timetables for customers after the weekend.
“The industry has come together to help support those travelling – with other operators allowing each other’s tickets to be used on their networks; adding in extra shuttle services to help move people; and in sharing rolling stock to provide it to those who need it most.”
The service recovery plan follows joint work between Hitachi Rail, train operators and the regulator around the safe return to service of some trains. Since discovering the faults, Hitachi Rail engineers and independent experts have completed rigorous tests and research to gain a clearer understanding of the cracking issue.
Based on the work undertaken to understand the issue, and after extensive engagement, Hitachi Rail and train operators, working with the rail regulator, have put in place suitable criteria for the trains to meet before they can reenter service.
The service recovery plan includes thorough inspections by specialist teams before trains leave the depot. Trains will only re-enter service if they meet agreed safety criteria. Working with Hitachi Rail, the rail regulator will continue to carry out rigorous oversight to ensure robust processes are being followed.
Over time, trains will be subject to a forward repair plan, which will ensure the long-term continued safe running of the fleet.
Andrew Barr, Group CEO of Hitachi Rail, said: “Safety remains our number one priority, and we and our partners have worked round the clock to agree an approach that allows the return of trains to service where they have been deemed safe.”