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Management of Safety-Critical Work

Middleton Railway Trust Ltd. (MRT) Policy Directive

Reference: HS/3 (10/03)

Subject: Management of Safety-Critical Work

For the attention of: All Senior Engineers, All Council Members. This Directive forms part of the Safety Management System.

Revision History

Previous versions of this Directive were as follows. Reference 10/03/1 was the initial version.

This version implemented the revised numbering scheme for directives, but made no other changes to the content.

Content Summary

This Directive contains the following sections: Introduction

Operation of Trains Inspection of Permanent Way Inspection of Rolling Stock

Introduction

  1. This Directive defines those procedures for managing safety-critical work at the MRT that place specific obligations only on particular individuals, so that it would not be appropriate for them to be specified in the Company Rulebook or in the Train Operating Regulations.

Operation of Trains

  • As prescribed in regulation B12, the operation of normal passenger trains is authorised by the Operating Superintendent by the issuing of the appropriate rosters for them, and the operation of goods trains is authorised by any of the appointed engineers (as these engineers are defined in the Company Rulebook).
  • Special passenger trains may take one of two forms, as follows.
    • A single passenger train may be operated in sections of the line other than the normal token section, under the authority of a special traffic notice issued in accordance with regulation C3.
    • Multiple train operation may be invoked, in accordance with the regulations in section D.
  • Special passenger trains must be specifically authorised in accordance with the following procedures.
    • The dates on which they are to be operated must be approved by the Council. The Council must ensure that not more than six such dates are approved in any calendar year, and when any such dates are being considered the Operating Superintendent is responsible for advising the Council as to whether proposed dates would be consistent with this requirement.
    • For each date approved by the Council, the Operating Superintendent must issue a special traffic notice to authorise the operation, and to define the form that it must take.
  • If any special passenger train, of either form, is to be operated in any section of the line other than the normal token section, then the Civil Engineer or his appointed deputy must carry out an inspection of that section of the line not more than two weeks before the date of the proposed special train. They must then notify the Operating Superintendent as to:
    • whether it is safe to operate the train in that section, and
    • whether any special restrictions are required on the operation, such as the imposition of speed or axle load limits.
  • The Operating Superintendent must ensure that any special traffic notice, to authorise the operation of any passenger train in sections of the line other than the normal token section, specifies the following information:
    • the date or dates of the special operations;
    • which sections of the line the trains are authorised to operate in;
    • if the trains will be operated under section D of the regulations, then the form(s) of any written train order(s) that will control the operation of the trains in section(s) other than the normal token section, as defined in regulation D1(iii);
    • if the trains will be operated under section C of the regulations, then prohibitions on the operations of any other trains in the sections of line defined under (ii) on that day, at least until such time as the operation of the special passenger trains has been completed;
    • the timetable for the operation of the special trains;
    • any special restrictions on the operation that have been imposed by the Civil Engineer or his appointed deputy;
    • all requirements for the clamping of any turnouts over which the trains may pass in a facing direction, as prescribed by regulation I4;
    • any requirements additional to those in regulation D6 for the stabling of vehicles on adjacent sidings, to ensure that they will remain clear of fouling points.

Inspection of Permanent Way

  • As prescribed by regulation I4, a basic check of the passenger line must be carried out at the start of each day when passenger trains are to be operated, by the driver of the train, using a light locomotive. In addition to these basic checks, the Civil Engineer must ensure that at least three full inspections are made of the passenger line in each calendar year, as follows:
    • one during March, before the first passenger trains of the summer operating season are run;
    • one during July;
    • one during October.

A written record must be made of each inspection on the appropriate record sheet.

  • When any inspection of a section of the line other than the normal passenger line is made in accordance with clause 5 above, the Civil Engineer must ensure that a written record must be made of it on the appropriate record sheet.
  • Minor maintenance work on the track is defined as any or all of the following:
    • checking the security of keys, chair fastenings or fishplate bolts;
    • tightening or adjusting keys, chair fastenings or fishplate bolts; or
    • lubricating fishplates or point slide chairs.

The Civil Engineer must ensure that, when any member carries out minor maintenance work on any track, they make a written record of it on the appropriate record sheet.

  1. If any maintenance work other than minor maintenance is carried out on the track, then the Civil Engineer or his appointed deputy must inspect that section of track before any trains are run over it. They must then complete a written record of the inspection on the appropriate record sheet before any trains other than engineering trains are authorised to run over that section of track.

Inspection of Rolling Stock

  1. As prescribed by the following regulations, the following inspections must be carried out before any locomotive is used or any train is operated:
    1. the driver of any locomotive must inspect that locomotive before it is used (regulations F1 to F5 inclusive);
    1. the driver of a passenger train must check before operating the train that it is correctly formed (regulation I2), and that the tests on the vacuum brakes have been satisfactorily carried out (regulations H20 and H21);
    1. the guard of a goods train must examine every vehicle before operating the train, and check that it is properly loaded and that doors, sheets, chains and other appliances are secure (regulations J4 and J8).
  1. When any maintenance work has been carried out on an item of rolling stock, other than minor running repairs that are carried out by the driver of a train, then the Mechanical Engineer or his appointed deputy must inspect that item of rolling stock before it is returned to traffic, in order to ensure that it is in a fit condition to be operated. This inspection must pay particular attention to the following:
    1. the soundness and security of wheels, axles, bearings and springs;
    1. the soundness of couplings;
    1. the correct operation of brakes, and the security of all brake rigging;
    1. for any locomotive, the correct operation of all major controls and the security of all motionwork.

Drafted by A. J. Cowling, M. P. McPeake, M. I. Plumb and J. R. Wilkinson (the Rules & Disciplinary Sub- Committee), and approved on 21st October 2003.