LNER and Network Rail’s East Coast Route have launched a new emergency training facility, based at NR’s York campus. The facility, which was first used by NR last autumn, is now being advertised to the wider industry and is available to be booked for training activities.
The companies, which work jointly together under the banner of the East Coast Partnership, identified a gap in training rig facilities on the East Coast main line at the time much of the InterCity 225 fleet was being retired (although LNER retains eight sets of Mk 4 coaches and 12 Class 91 locomotives). Two Mk 4 vehicles were therefore earmarked for use at the new facility, with unused sidings at the York campus identified as an ideal location, providing a safe environment at which real life railway scenarios can be replicated.