West Coast Railways controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2023
Jacobite health and safety prohibition
An ORR inspection identified health and safety breaches on the Jacobite, leading to a temporary prohibition notice and service interruption.
2016
ORR prohibition on heritage main-line services
The ORR prohibited WCR from operating heritage services on the main line until the company strengthened governance, accountability, risk assessment and safety culture.
2015
Wootton Bassett Junction signal-passed-at-danger incident
A WCR charter train overran a stop signal by about 700 yards and blocked Wootton Bassett Junction. The investigation identified driver error involving isolated train-protection systems; the incident triggered Network Rail action and later criminal proceedings.
2015
Series of operational safety concerns
Reports during 2015 described incidents involving movement with doors open, inadequate route-change communication, a buffer impact, outdated steam risk assessments and unauthorized train-protection-system isolation. These events contributed to wider regulatory scrutiny.