Cotswold Rail

Cotswold Rail was a spot-hire company of shunting and mainline locomotives, based in Gloucester, England. It was based at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. It owned a fleet of Class 08 shunting locomotives, which were hired to both industry and main-line railway companies. It also had a small fleet of Class 47 locomotives, which were hired to National Express Group plc, following on from its predecessor 'one'. They were also been hired for passenger charter trains. Cotswold Rail's livery is silver, with red and blue bands. It named its locomotives after geographical features, such as Cam Peak and the Fosse Way, or after music industry personalities, namely John Peel, Joe Strummer and Captain Sensible.

In April 2005, Cotswold Rail acquired its first Class 87 electric locomotives. A fleet of ten locomotives was planned for spot-hire work, charter operations and a new intermodal freight flow. However, all locomotives were returned to the leasing company (Porterbrook) in 2006.

Cotswold Rail acquired a High Speed Train set in September 2005, including two Class 43 power cars. The trains were previously in use with Virgin Trains on summer holidays services from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Newquay. They were later returned to Porterbrook leasing company.

In 2006, Cotswold Rail leased the previously closed depot at Gloucester. The facility, next to Gloucester Station, was also the location of the company offices and usually played host to stabled company owned locomotives.

Cotswold Rail's operational freight arm, Advenza Freight, was wound up in the High Court on 7 October 2009, following a petition from HM Revenue & Customs.[1]

Contents

Blue Pullman

In 2007 Cotswold Rail acquired rights to the Blue Pullman service, setting up the The Blue Pullman Train Co Ltd.[2] using the Blue Pullman liveried coaches purchased following the receivership of its previous operator FM Rail, which ran it through its Hertfordshire Rail Tours business. Cotswold re-launched the Blue Pullman service on February 2007 using its silver Class 47s.[3]

Fleet

Key: Preserved Sold for further use Scrapped
Number Class Name Livery Year
Acquired		 Previous operator Status
08847 08 - CR Silver 2001 ex-Alstom Now operated by National Express East Anglia
08871 08 - CR Silver 2001 ex-Alstom Now operated by National Express East Anglia
33202 33 - BR Blue 2007 ex-FM Rail Preserved at Mangapps Railway Museum
43070 43 - CR Silver 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Transferred for further use with First Great Western
43087 43 - Hornby Red 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Transferred for further use with First Great Western
47200 47 Fosse Way CR Silver 2002 ex-EWS Sold for scrap in 2008
47237 47 - Advenza Freight Blue 2007 ex-Direct Rail Services Sold to WCRC
47309 47 - Freightliner Grey 2007 ex-Freightliner (UK) Sold for scrap in 2008
47316 47 Cam Peak CR Silver 2002 ex-EWS Sold for scrap in 2008
47375 47 - Advenza Freight Blue 2007 ex-FM Rail Sold to WCRC
47703 47 - Fragonset Black 2007 ex-FM Rail Sold to HNRC
47714 47 - Anglia Railways Green 2001 ex-EWS Sold to HNRC
47715 47 Poseidon Fragonset Black 2007 ex-FM Rail Preserved at Wensleydale Railway
47810 47 Captain Sensible CR Silver 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Sold to DRS
47813 47 John Peel CR Silver 2004 ex-First Great Western Sold to DRS
47818 47 Emily 'one' Railway Purple 2009 ex-Virgin Trains Sold to DRS
47828 47 Joe Strummer CR Silver 2004 ex-Virgin Trains Sold to DRS
57005 57 - Advenza Freight Blue 2008 ex-Freightliner Sold to WCRC
57006 57 - Advenza Freight Blue 2008 ex-Freightliner Sold to WCRC
66841 66 - Advenza Freight Blue 2009 ex-Direct Rail Services Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2009
66842 66 - Advenza Freight Blue 2009 ex-Direct Rail Services Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2009
66843 66 - Advenza Freight Blue 2009 ex-Direct Rail Services Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2009
66844 66 - Advenza Freight Blue 2009 ex-Direct Rail Services Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2009
87003 87 - Virgin Red/Black 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2006. Exported Bulgaria.
87007 87 - CR Silver 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2006. Exported Bulgaria.
87008 87 - CR Silver 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2006. Exported Bulgaria.
87021 87 - Virgin Red/Black 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2006.
87023 87 - Virgin Red/Black 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2006.
87025 87 - Virgin Red/Black 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2006.
87033 87 - Virgin Red/Black 2005 ex-Virgin Trains Returned to Porterbrook Leasing in 2006. Exported Bulgaria.

References

  1. ^ "The Final Chapter for Advenza Freight". Railway Herald. http://www.railwayherald.com/issues/RHUK/Issue197.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10.15. 
  2. ^ "Blue Pullman". The Blue Pullman Train Co. Ltd. http://www.cotswoldrail.co.uk/bluepullman/. Retrieved ~~~~~. 
  3. ^ Cotswold Rail website Blue Pullman launch announcement, retrieved April 2008

External links