Achi news desk-
That has allowed West Coast Railway (WCR) to run the Jacobite – which runs from Fort William to Malaig – and other heritage trains without upgrading doors.
Instead of a central locking system, WCR vehicles have a “secondary” mechanism where doors are pulled into a locked position and a bolt is used on the inside of the coach and stewards are employed to monitor security.
The company took legal action against the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) last year after it refused to issue a further exemption.
The company complained that the multi-million pound cost of having to retrofit central locking could “destroy” its business and argued that its door systems were just as secure.
WCR, whose trains run at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, argued in court that its door procedures were as safe as a central locking mechanism, operated by train stewards and warning signs for passengers.
But in a ruling in December a judge dismissed the operator’s case and concluded that the ORR had taken a “justifiable” approach.
Mrs Justice Thornton said in her written judgment that WCRCL is the largest operator of “heritage train journeys” in the UK.
The company also operates the Flying Scotsman “considered one of the most recognizable locomotives in the world”.
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The operator’s current temporary exemption expired on February 29 2024, after a whistleblower report triggered an ORR inspection that led to safety changes by WCRCL earlier this year.
WCR claim that the cost of installing CDLs for all their coaches would be £7million.
The regular rail service estimates the cost to be around £350,000 per train and said operators are only allowed to run a maximum of four per day, meaning a potential cost of around £1,393,960.
He said other operators had covered the cost with “modest” fare increases.
The Jacobite contributes £19.3 million a year to the Scottish economy on top of £4.72 million in ticket revenue from 101,429 passenger journeys.
WCR is awaiting a decision from the ORR on a further exemption and says the regularity has allowed other heritage companies to continue operating with hinged doors.
