UK: Network Rail’s Central Route has signed a memorandum of understanding with the heritage Severn Valley Railway for support, training and facilities to help its staff operate and maintain traditional technology such as mechanical signalling.
In return NR will provide professional skills, advice and redundant materials to support the preserved railway.
‘Access to their tracks and signalling to help train our staff on more traditional railway infrastructure, which is still in use on parts of our modern-day network, will help keep passengers and freight moving’, explained Central Route Director Denise Wetton on September 22.
‘Being able to do this when the SVR is closed to the public and trains aren’t running allows this learning to happen in a much safer environment and is something which is very difficult to do on the main network.’
Network Rail is also be looking to deploy its ultrasonic testing train on the Severn Valley Railway, which it says would be a ‘step-change for a heritage railway in monitoring its assets and identifying potential faults to be fixed’.
