MINIATURE, NARROW GAUGE RAILWAY SAFETY STANDARDS

BGLR Miniature , Narrow Gauge Railway Safety Policy & Standards

The safety of our passengers, visitors and staff is paramount. We provide a variety of help and guidance to our members, share best practice and information. Member Railways have access to lots of information, sample forms, risk assessments, rule books, policies, reports, checklists and advice.

Member  miniature and narrow gauge railways have available to them information such as assessing and recording staff competencies and a system of railway inspections. This information is available to members only via the members login part of the web site.

We have a link with the Office of the Rail Regulator which now controls Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) through our membership of the Heritage Railway Association (HRA) which enables us to ensure that we are involved in proposed legislation at the formation stage with an opportunity for improvement. The HRA takes the leading role for all railways which come within the scope of HMRI. But for railways with track gauges below 350mm it is BGLR that takes the the lead advising the HRA whenever industry wide negotiating powers are needed.

Standards

Following the publication by the HSE of the document entitled “Passenger - carrying miniature railways - Guidance on safe practice (HSG216 ISBN 0 - 7176 - 2035 - 2 £5.95)” we  noted the comment that federations/associations involved in the management of such activities should issue detailed standards for the various items such as infrastructure, wheel/track and general operations matters which would benefit from one set of rules. Much work has been done on this document which its hoped to publish in due course.