Do trains need an MOT/tax/insurance?

[Gathursty]

It's that time of year for my car but as a pacer passed me by in the Wigan area, I wondered if trains have to have these three things or something similar in order to be able to get on the tracks?

I assume that they just need an annual (or more regular) inspection only but you can enlighten me.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

The ROSCOs have insurance. Not sure if they are forced to have it though.

 

[Domh245]

Rolling stock has to undergo exams of varying degrees of thoroughness (C4 and C6) at certain intervals, a bit like an MOT I suppose. I'm sure someone will come along shortly and give some more detail

 

[1018509]

I think the modern trend is hours run. A clock will run in all cabs when any one cab is opened up. Maintenance carried out a pre-determined number of hours intervals.

 

[Class 170101]

TOCs would have insurance. Probably something like public liability or similar.

 

[WarrenTManager]

I think the modern trend is hours run. A clock will run in all cabs when any one cab is opened up. Maintenance carried out a pre-determined number of hours intervals.

Still miles on a lot of cases. Well units.

 

[Bald Rick]

Passenger trains get something equivalent to an MOT roughly every 2-3 days, and something equivalent to a full service every few weeks.

 

[pablo]

Not unless they are going to run on the roads.....

 

[D365]

Not unless they are going to run on the roads.....

Brings to mind a little nursery rhyme: "The wheels on the Pacer go round and round..."

 

[yorkie]

It's that time of year for my car but as a pacer passed me by in the Wigan area, I wondered if trains have to have these three things or something similar in order to be able to get on the tracks?

Not similar, no.

Trains are not subject to vehicle excise duty (if that's what you mean by 'tax'?). Of course, there are many other costs that need to be met.

I assume that they just need an annual (or more regular) inspection only but you can enlighten me.

Just an annual inspection? No; the railway has vastly more stringent safety standards!

Comparisons with MOTs are rare, but here's one made in the excellent documentary Running to Time. Equinoxe. Channel 4. (1988)

Many HSTs entering the depot have travelled more than 1000 miles during the day. Servicing them is a world of mind-boggling proportions...

....each train has an inspection more thorough than an MOT...

The impression given is that an inspection more thorough than an MOT occurs each night, on such trains with very high daily mileages. Perhaps someone can inform us of the details of how many miles it will be before various inspections are required.

There is a bit more info here:

• Diesel Loco "Exams"
• Train Servicing

 

[tsr]

Obviously some trains simply can't be inspected each night if they berth away from a depot (eg. Southern 171s at Oxted on Mondays-Thursdays). But the inspections/exams will nonetheless be very regular - as above, often every couple of days - and any other outstanding issues may be dealt with by means of stock swaps (which, speaking of Southern, seem to be more common for that TOC now) or travelling fitters/fleet service engineers.