Mark I rolling stock
The term ‘Mark I rolling stock’ is used to describe a series of vehicle types, including both electric and diesel multiple units and locomotive-hauled vehicles, built mainly in the 1960s and 1970s, which share certain characteristics. The term ‘slam-door trains’ is also commonly used. ‘Mark I’ carriages have a poor safety record in collisions because while they have a robust chassis, they also have a relatively weak body shell.
Mark I rolling stock is less safe than more modern rolling stock because it is not as crashworthy and likely to suffer far more damage in a collision, with correspondingly harmful consequences for passengers. Over the years there have also been many fatalities and injuries connected with the slam doors, due mainly to the lack of central door locking and some related to drop-light windows in doors.
With the installation of the train protection and warning system (TPWS), the risks associated with crashwortiness have been reduced.
The risks from windows have been reduced because of the fitment of bars across windows. Generally, risks have decreased as the numbers of these trains have reduced in operation because of the withdrawal programme.
The RSR required the staged withdrawal of Mark I rolling stock and of rolling stock with hinged doors. After specified dates, the Regulations prohibited train operators from operating, and infrastructure controllers from allowing the operation of Mark I rolling stock and rolling stock with hinged doors used by passengers without central locking. The provisions of the Regulations came into force at different times and required that:
- Mark I rolling stock had to be withdrawn, rebodied or modified to improve its crashworthiness before 1 January 2003;
- any modified Mark I rolling stock had to be withdrawn or rebodied before 1 January 2005; and
- passenger rolling stock which has hinged doors without central locking had to be withdrawn or have central locking fitted before 1 January 2005.
Detailed background information can be found in the right-hand navigation.
Mainline network
Most of the Mark I rolling stock was withdrawn from the network on 30 November 2005.
The only exception is the continued operation of two 3-car units on the (functionally isolated from the mainline rail network) Lymington Branch line between Brockenhurst and Lymington for which an exemption has been granted to South West Trains Ltd until 2013.
Non-mainline network
Heritage/charter train companies, and other operators of Mark I rolling stock, have applied for exemptions to allow them to continue to run stock without central door locking, subject to conditions. Most of these exemptions have been granted until 2013.
Although the provisions of the Railway Safety Regulations 1999 relating to Mark I have achieved the desired outcome, they have an ongoing effect while the exemptions made under the regulations are still in force.
