SPECIAL ~ Direct Rail Services.

68 007 "Valiant" and a Class 37 sat in the sidings at Norwich.
Today's post brings a special on Direct Rail Services!
Direct Rail Services is obviously a freight operating company with it's headquarters up north in Carlisle, United Kingdom. DRS started operations in 1995 using five refurbished Class 20/3 locomotives. Obviously the company has expanded massively and has gained new locomotives, with the latest being Class 68's. 


The ownership of the company has been with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority since 2015 when the NDA was created under the Energy Act announced by the Government just over 10 years ago in 2004. DRS is unique in it's own ways, and to date is the only remaining publicly owned rail freight company in the UK.
Class 37's working the flask from Bridgwater to Crewe.
DRS OPERATES MANY SERVICES INCLUDING
  • Nuclear Flask trains from destinations such as Valley, Bridgwater, Berkeley, Dungeness and Sizewell. The type of Locomotives on these trains includes Class 20's, Class 37's, Class 57/0's, and 57/3's.
    37 605 on the Cumbrian Coast - Jordan M.

  • Intermodal freight trains such as the Tesco Express service to move containers since 2006 in partnership with Tesco to move containers from Daventry to Mossend and Inverness in Scotland. The locos used on this include Class 66's and Class 68's.


  • Passenger Services - DRS has utilized a partnership to run regular passenger services on the Cumbrian Coast Line on behalf of Northern Rail. DRS has also been hired by AGA for  the short set in East Anglia, with Class 47's regularly being used until the Class 37's top and tailing have taken over.


57 310 on a private Northern Belle Charter at KGX - © Andy.

  • Other workings include Northern Belle charters, engineer trains, unit stock moves, loco drag moves and working RHTT trains in the autumn.







RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND TO THE FUTURE FOR DRS.

68 010 passing West Ruislip at speed - © Andy.
  • Class 68 locomotives were ordered by Direct Rail Services in early 2012 for 15 locomotives from Vossloh for intermodal and passenger workings. 
  • Another 10 locomotives were ordered in September 2014.They are expected to arrive from October 2015. 68 002 was the first to arrive in England last January. 
    47 805 at Norwich - Lewis Brownlow.
  • DRS leases 6 Class 68's to Chiltern Railways which have fully replaced Class 67's on Chiltern Mainline services; they are in a silver livery and were delivered without names. 68 008 & 68 009 have also been fitted with push-pull equipment and are currently working services for Chiltern.

  • Class 37's have taken over from Class 47's on Norwich to Great Yarmouth services. At the moment the services are ran by 37 405 and 37 425 as no DBSO's are available.
  • Class 88's which are a development from Class 68's are to be delivered to DRS late this year or in to 2016. 
DRS convoy to the Capital - © Andy
  • Class 47's could be stored, with 47 841 being rumoured to be stored. On Saturday,  I caught the DRS move of 66 429, 47 841, 47 790 and 68 011 down from Crewe to Willesden Brent DRS where 68 011 worked alone to Wembley Lmd. 66 429, 47 841 and 47 790 worked down from Willesden Brent DRS to Eastleigh Arlington, where 47 790 is believed to be receiving a new turbo and wheelset or the wheelset of 47 841 - the future for 47 790 is looking bright, but stay tuned for me or Liam to confirm this.



I hope you enjoyed this Special on DRS, stay tuned for more! *Andy



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