National Vehicle Register
 

Preserved locomotives in main line use will, under new regulation it appears, now be required to be under the control of a registered maintainer in order to qualify for continued mainline service.
Is this another move to try and get locomotives in preservation out of main line running?
There will I'm sure be additional costs assocated with registration which when added to all of the exta documentation, be a major obstruction for many preserved locomtive groups.
Does this mean that only the few well funded locos will be able to afford main line running?

Does registration not imply adhering to some sort of standard ?

Given the total cost of delays due to breakdowns and stoppages on the main line perhaps something like this was inevitable ?

Master Cutler in a word YES

Yet some Preserved Steam is actually more reliable than the Electrics and Diesels in service now
Recently one Special ran WITHOUT it's attendant diesel because it had failed before the tour and it seems that there are quite a few tours getting cancelled due to loco failure and 90% are diesel hauled

Interesting....

Welcome to the wonderful world of Network Rail. They are answerable to no one, and have authority over everyone.

However this may change, and there are strong signs that with the new round of longer franchises in the offing that the new TOCs may be responsible for infrastructure as well as running the service - so that NR ceases to exist in its current form, if at all. If that happens we may find a different attitude to Heritage tours. I have no doubt that if there's money to be made the TOCs will be very happy to get involved !

Getting back on topic, it should be remembered that all Mainline rolling stock has to undergo a series of mileage-based exams. Surely it's not unreasonable to require any heritage traction which is to venture onto NR metals and run at mainline speeds to undergo such an exam also....or alternatively be under the control of a registered maintainer ? Rolling stock can damage the running lines, which in turn can damage other rolling stock.

Yes I think so. Bad PR has happened, and now it's up to the Heritage owners/operators to prove that they're good enough to deliver.

FP