Steam train firm rapped after safety equipment ‘turned off’ in Doncaster

"A Train operator was rapped by Government officials for turning off safety equipment on one of its steam trains near Doncaster, it has emerged.

The Office of Rail and Road temporarily prohibited West Coast Railway Company Limited from operating steam trains on the mainline rail network last month because of the move, it has revealed"

via Steam train firm rapped after safety equipment ‘turned off’ in Doncaster

That's quite the story isn't it?

Safety on our railways is surely an absolute priority for all rail operators and it's quite right that the firm is brought to task over this.

In this case it seems a train driver was to blame:

"...locomotive 45231 had turned off its Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) isolation equipment, designed to apply an emergency brake if the driver makes an error.

The Doncaster incident emerged as the OFF announced it was prosecuting WCRC and a train driver over a signal incident in March."

Let's hope lessons are learned and this is never allowed to happen again.