An order prohibiting British Nuclear Fuels from using a type of rail wagon for transporting low-level waste from Sellafield to a storage centre was lifted yesterday, but investigations into a derailment earlier this month will continue.
The ban, served by the British Health and Safety Executive, followed the low-speed derailment of a wagon carrying waste on August 1st.
The notice prevented the use of the type of rail wagon involved in the accident on the line which operates between Sellafield and Drigg, a storage centre about four miles away. The order remained in place until certain work was carried out on wagons of that type. BNFL then had to apply to the Nuclear Inspectorate and show that the work had been completed.
BNFL, in a statement yesterday, said the ban had been lifted following the completion of a programme of work on the wagons. The work involved the examination of the suspension system on the three wagons and a review of the maintenance procedures.
The statement said the wagons involved had been maintained to a nationally agreed and independently verified maintenance schedule, but it had not been previously recognised that using the wagons for light loads over short distances could lead to their suspensions not always performing as they should.
"The work that has now been carried out will ensure that this situation will not happen again," BNFL stated.
Direct Rail Services was continuing to carry out an investigation with Railtrack into the cause of the derailment and will fully co-operate with the investigation being conducted by the inspectorate, the statement added.