Direct Rail Services

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Direct Rail Services Class 66 locomotive 66412, in 'Compass' livery
Direct Rail Services Class 66 locomotive 66412, in 'Compass' livery
Class 37/0 no. 37038 at Crewe Works on 1 June 2003.
Class 37/0 no. 37038 at Crewe Works on 1 June 2003.

Direct Rail Services (DRS) is a freight operating company created by British Nuclear Fuels Limited. The company started rail operations in 1995 using heavily refurbished Class 20/3 diesel locomotives. Since then it has expanded greatly, and has acquired many more locomotives, most bought second-hand and subsequently refurbished. Ownership of DRS was transferred from BNFL to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority when the NDA was created on 1 April 2005, under the terms of the Energy Act 2004. DRS is the only remaining publicly owned rail freight company in the United Kingdom.

DRS now operates all nuclear-flask trains in the country, which were previously operated by EWS. The company has recently started running intermodal trains from Coatbridge to the Daventry International Railfreight Terminal using its own Class 66 locomotives for The Malcolm Group (the logistics company), carrying containers for both Malcolms and ASDA, and has now commenced with a new service on behalf of Eddie Stobart in partnership with Tesco (the UK's largest food retailer) to move containers from Daventry north to Scotland using a new dedicated low-emission Class 66 locomotive in Eddie Stobart livery. As of April 2008, DRS also operates the Stobart Pullman railtour trains.

DRS has also won traffic from other railfreight operators recently, taking over the Russell container trains previously run by EWS and also the right to operate some Network Rail sandite trains during the leaf fall season, mainly with Class 37's. Currently, Direct Rail Services also hire 2 Class 66 to Freightliner while they address a shortage in motive power after also winning contracts from EWS.

Its locomotive fleet is based at Kingmoor depot in Carlisle, which reopened during 2000. There are also facilities at Sellafield depot in Cumbria, and a new depot at Crewe, Gresty Bridge has recently been opened as a stabling point. Facilities in East Anglia are concentrated at Stowmarket, with a small stabling point known as Marsh Lane. This is mainly used during the Autumn Sandite season, although locomotives can sometimes be found there at other times of the year.

[edit] Fleet details

Key: Currently Operational Stored Under Repair & Overhaul Spares Donors
Number Class Name Livery Year Acquired Previous Owner Status
08834 08 DRS Blue 2006 ex-Wabtec Operational
08892 08 DRS Blue 2006 ex-Wabtec Operational
20301 20 Max Joule DRS Blue 1995 ex-British Rail Operational
20302 20 - DRS Blue 1995 ex-British Rail Operational
20303 20 - DRS Blue 1995 ex-British Rail Operational
20304 20 - DRS Blue 1995 ex-British Rail Operational
20305 20 - DRS Blue 1995 ex-British Rail Operational
20306 20 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail Operational
20307 20 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail Operational
20308 20 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail Operational
20309 20 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail At Brush, Loughborough.
20310 20 Gresty Bridge DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail Operational
20311 20 Class 20 "Fifty" DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail At Crewe Gresty Bridge
20312 20 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail Operational
20313 20 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail Operational
20314 20 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail At Brush, Loughborough.
20315 20 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-British Rail Operational
37029 37 - DRS Blue 2003 ex-Riviera Trains At Brush, Loughborough.
37038 37 - DRS Blue 2003 ex-Riley & Son Operational
37059 37 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-EWS Operational
37069 37 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-EWS Operational
37087 37 Keighley & Worth Valley Railway DRS Blue 2005 ex-HNRC At K&WVR
37194 37 - DRS Blue 2005 ex-HNRC At Carlisle Kingmoor
37197 37 - DRS Blue 2005 ex-WCRC At Carlisle Kingmoor
37218 37 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-EWS Operational
37229 37 Jonty Jarvis DRS Blue (Compass) 2002 ex-EWS Operational
37259 37 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-Cotswold Rail Operational
37261 37 - DRS Blue 2005 ex-WCRC At Carlisle Kingmoor
37423 37 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 ex-WCRC Operational
37510 37 - DRS Blue 2005 ex-HNRC At Carlisle Kingmoor
37515 37 - DRS Blue 2005 ex-HNRC At Carlisle Kingmoor pending repairs
37601 37 - EPS 2007 ex-Eurostar At Brush, Loughborough
37602 37 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-Nightstar At Crewe LNWR
37603 37 - EPS 2007 ex-Eurostar At Brush, Loughborough
37604 37 - EPS 2007 ex-Eurostar At Brush, Loughborough
37605 37 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-Nightstar Operational
37606 37 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-Nightstar Operational
37607 37 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-Nightstar Operational
37608 37 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-Nightstar Operational
37609 37 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-Nightstar Operational
37610 37 T.S. Cassady DRS Blue (Compass) 1997 ex-Nightstar Operational
37611 37 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-Nightstar Operational
37612 37 - DRS Blue 1997 ex-Nightstar Operational
37667 37 - DRS Blue 2007 ex-HNRC Operational
37688 37 Kingmoor TMD DRS Blue 2006 ex-EWS Operational
47145 47 Myrddin Emrys Tinsley Blue 2007 ex-FM Rail At Carlisle Kingmoor
47501 47 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2002 ex-EWS Operational
47703 47 Fragonset 2008 ex-HNRC At Wensleydale Railway
47709 47 DRS Blue (Unbranded) 2007 ex-FM Rail At Railway Technical Centre, Derby
47712 47 Pride of Carlisle DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 ex-FM Rail Operational
47714 47 Anglia Railways 2008 ex-Cotswold Rail At Wensleydale Railway
47790 47 DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 ex-EWS At Carlisle Kingmoor
47802 47 Pride of Cumbria DRS Blue (Compass) 2002 ex-EWS Operational
47832 47 - DRS Blue (Stobart) 2007 ex-Victa Westlink Rail Operational
57004 57 - Freightliner 2008 ex-Freightliner At Crewe Gresty Bridge
57007 57 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 ex-Freightliner At Carlisle Kingmoor
57008 57 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 ex-Freightliner At Crewe Gresty Bridge
57009 57 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 ex-Freightliner Operational
57010 57 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 ex-Freightliner Operational
57011 57 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 ex-Freightliner Operational
57012 57 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 ex-Freightliner Operational
66401 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - Operational
66402 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - At Glasgow Springburn
66403 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - Operational
66404 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - At Glasgow Springburn
66405 66 - Malcolm Group 2003 - Operational
66406 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - Operational
66407 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - Operational
66408 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - Operational
66409 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - Operational
66410 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2003 - Operational
66411 66 Eddie the Engine Stobart Rail 2006 - Operational
66412 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66413 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66414 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66415 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66416 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66417 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66418 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66419 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66420 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2006 - Operational
66421 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66422 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66423 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66424 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66425 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66426 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66427 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66428 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66429 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational
66430 66 - DRS Blue (Compass) 2007 - Operational

66401-66410 are to be transferred to other Train Operating Companies when the lease of them by DRS expires. DRS have confirmed that they have ordered replacements in the form of 66431-66434, which are further low-emissions locomotives, like 66411-66430, in order to standardise their fleet.

[edit] Past Fleet

Key: Sold for further use Scrapped
Number Class Name Livery Year Acquired Previous Owner Status
20066 20 - BR Blue ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2004
20088 20 - RFS Grey ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20105 20 - RFS Grey ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20121 20 - BR Blue ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20132 20 - BR Green ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20215 20 - Railfreight Grey/Red Solebar ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20901 20 - DRS Blue 1998 ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20902 20 - DRS Blue 1998 ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2004
20903 20 - DRS Blue 1998 ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20904 20 - DRS Blue 1998 ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20905 20 - DRS Blue 1998 ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
20906 20 - DRS Blue 1998 ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
33002 33 - Civil Engineers ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2004
33008 33 - BR Green ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2004
33025 33 Glen Falloch WCRC Maroon (Revised) ex-British Rail Sold to West Coast Railway Company in 2005
33029 33 Glen Loy WCRC Maroon (Revised) ex-British Rail Sold to West Coast Railway Company in 2005
33030 33 - DRS Blue ex-British Rail Sold to West Coast Railway Company in 2005
33053 33 - Trainload Aggregates ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2004
33057 33 - Civil Engineers ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2004
33207 33 Jim Martin WCRC Maroon (Revised) ex-British Rail Sold to West Coast Railway Company in 2005
37023 37 - - ex-British Rail Sold to Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway in 2008
37051 37 - EWS Maroon 2005 ex-EWS Scrapped in 2008
37068 37 - Railfreight Distribution ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
37334 37 - Railfreight Distribution ex-Ian Riley Engineering Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
37344 37 - Railfreight Distribution ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
37902 37 - Trainload Metals ex-British Rail Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2005
47237 47 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-British Rail Sold to Cotswold Rail in 2007
47298 47 - DRS Blue 2002 ex-British Rail Scrapped in 2007 at Barrow Hill
47484 47 - BR Green. 2002 ex-British Rail Sold to a Private Buyer
47829 47 Police 2007 ex-Riviera Trains Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2008

[edit] External links

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Freight Operating Companies of the United Kingdom

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