Virgin sign deal with DRS for class 90 usage

[northwichcat]

Looks like the loco-hauled mk3 set could be returning to passenger service, which I'm sure will please some people.

Virgin Trains has signed a deal with Direct Rail Services Limited (DRSL) for the provision of a Class 90 locomotive for sole use on their MK III set.

The locomotive, which will be sourced from DB Schenker, will be attached to the MK III set at all times with planned work on Thursday and Fridays. It will be on standby at all other times and also available for Virgin Trains growing charter business.

The deal runs for an initial two years, with a 12 month review, the locomotive swapping over every 30 days for maintenance.

The plan is to have a dedicated locomotive – 90034. This is currently under test and is due to visit Toton for a repaint into DRS livery. All being well it will be available from February 4.

WB64 works a planned diagram of 1G40 1903 Euston Birmingham and 1B94 2050 Birmingham – Euston every Thursday and Friday.

http://www.globalrailnews.com/2014/01/09/virgin-trains-signs-loco-deal-with-drs/

 

[Geezertronic]

Looks like the loco-hauled mk3 set could be returning to passenger service, which I'm sure will please some people.

According to your quote, it is in passenger service already on the Thursday and Friday only diagram? So this is only for a dedicated loco to haul the set?

 

[jopsuk]

buh? So Virgin are hiring the loco from DRS (who'll presumably have to get drivers trained up? Unless Virgin are providing the drivers or even DBS) who then hire it from DBS?

Corporate outscourcing confuses me.

 

[northwichcat]

According to your quote, it is in passenger service already on the Thursday and Friday only diagram? So this is only for a dedicated loco to haul the set?

?

It says planned work on Thursday and Friday and mentions a start date for the deal in 4th February.

 

[Beveridges]

Does the M-ThO Diagram bring it north of Birmingham?

Good to see DRS gain even more work. This FOC is just getting bigger and bigger.

 

[tnxrail]

It runs with 90028 on 1G40 fridays already so will it be the second loco now and thursday as an extra day.

 

[Geezertronic]

?

It says planned work on Thursday and Friday and mentions a start date for the deal in 4th February.

Maybe I misread the article, but I thought WB64 was already doing the Thu/Fri only 1903 service?

 

[87015]

Does the M-ThO Diagram bring it north of Birmingham?

Good to see DRS gain even more work. This FOC is just getting bigger and bigger.

I'd hardly say its gaining work - for whatever reason they will hire a single loco and them immediately hire it on to VT who will crew and operate it as currently with the only difference being the paintjob. The "work" for DRS is next to nothing surely.

I suppose they got as far as "we get something painted" and decided that was good enough to throw money at it which is their usual mode of operation! Or perhaps they realised it was a new class of loco for them to have a brief play with, can't be far off the full set now...

PS. 90020 is down for it tonight

 

[swt_passenger]

Maybe I misread the article, but I thought WB64 was already doing the Thu/Fri only 1903 service?

It is according to the sticky:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=1478941&postcount=14

Apart form people interested in liveries, this should have no impact whatsoever on passengers...

 

[captainbigun]

I'd hardly say its gaining work - for whatever reason they will hire a single loco and them immediately hire it on to VT who will crew and operate it as currently with the only difference being the paintjob. The "work" for DRS is next to nothing surely.

I suppose they got as far as "we get something painted" and decided that was good enough to throw money at it which is their usual mode of operation! Or perhaps they realised it was a new class of loco for them to have a brief play with, can't be far off the full set now...

PS. 90020 is down for it tonight

Indeed, bald headed innit.

 

[tadhatter]

I'd hardly say its gaining work - for whatever reason they will hire a single loco and them immediately hire it on to VT who will crew and operate it as currently with the only difference being the paintjob. The "work" for DRS is next to nothing surely.

I suppose they got as far as "we get something painted" and decided that was good enough to throw money at it which is their usual mode of operation! Or perhaps they realised it was a new class of loco for them to have a brief play with, can't be far off the full set now...

PS. 90020 is down for it tonight

Surely it would be cheager yo hire the loco directly from dbs rather than dbs to hire it time drs and then on to virgin or am I missing something here?

 

[Eagle]

Maybe the drivers are DRS drivers.

 

[dk1]

Maybe the drivers are DRS drivers.

Using another company's drivers to operate services already operated by Virgins own crews will probably not be permitted by the unions. You cannot allow that sort of thing to happen as where would it end?

 

[Beveridges]

Maybe DRS are providing the coaching stock so they might as well provide the locomotive as well. That they have hired the 90 from DB does not distract from the fact that this is more work for DRS.

 

[Eagle]

Why would DRS provide coaches when Virgin already have a rake of coaches?

Go back to the first line of the article in the OP:

Virgin Trains has signed a deal with Direct Rail Services Limited (DRSL) for the provision of a Class 90 locomotive for sole use on their MK III set.

 

[cj_1985]

Maybe DRS are providing the coaching stock so they might as well provide the locomotive as well. That they have hired the 90 from DB does not distract from the fact that this is more work for DRS.

Porterbrook (last I checked) own the mk3 stock used for the "Pretendolino"... and as has already been said all that seems to be happening here is that DRS are hiring the loco from DBS so they can sub lease it to Virgin.

AIUI no matter who has provided the class 90 for use with the mk3 set, Virgin still provide the drivers and guard... there is no reason to expect this to have changed.

So its not really "more work for DRS"... by all means be enthusiastic if you wish but don't act like a 12 year old fan boy:roll:

 

[Beveridges]

Still DRS are the main company involved in the working of that train, the loco is hired to Virgin from them and the loco is carrying the DRS livery rather than Virgin.

 

[starrymarkb]

Maybe it'll go over to an 88 when they arrive?

 

[cj_1985]

Still DRS are the main company involved in the working of that train, the loco is hired to Virgin from them and the loco is carrying the DRS livery rather than Virgin.

I would think that Virgin would be the main company involved in the OPERATION of that "set" since they provide the driver, guard and buffet staff...

If you want to get really picky about the companies involved in the operation of that "Set"...
Virgin Trains - the operator, and provider of driver, guard etc
ALSTOM Traincare - maintainer of the Mk3 set
DBS - owners of the loco that will be provided
Porterbrook - owner of the Mk3 carriages and DVT
Network Rail - owners and operators of the infrastructure and (some of the) stations used by the "set"
and no doubt others that I can't recall the names of... oh, and obviously DRS for hiring a loco for Virgin to use


As for the issue of who is providing the loco to virgin.... in the past, both Freightliner and DBS have provided class 90s for use with the mk3 set... does that mean that, by your logic, they would have been (during each of their individual periods of involvement) "the main company involved in the working of that train"...?

 

[Eagle]

the loco is hired to Virgin from them and the loco is carrying the DRS livery rather than Virgin.

There aren't any 90s in DRS livery, being as they don't operate any of their own, just lease them from other operators.

Would it not be in DBS (or EWS) livery, being as that's whose loco it'll actually be?

 

[Darandio]

There aren't any 90s in DRS livery, being as they don't operate any of their own, just lease them from other operators.

Would it not be in DBS (or EWS) livery, being as that's whose loco it'll actually be?

In the early posts, it suggests they are repainting one of them. Beats me as to why though.

 

[Eagle]

If so, then I bet that after a couple of months it'll have been swapped around and we'll see the DRS one on a DBS freight service and something else on the Pretendolino. Perhaps even a Scotrail one (that has happened before).

 

[Darandio]

If so, then I bet that after a couple of months it'll have been swapped around and we'll see the DRS one on a DBS freight service and something else on the Pretendolino. Perhaps even a Scotrail one (that has happened before).

The opening quote also says they will be swapped out every 30 days, so it will be sooner!

 

[captainbigun]

Maybe it'll go over to an 88 when they arrive?

Nope, 100 max and no TDM.

 

[33056]

If so, then I bet that after a couple of months it'll have been swapped around and we'll see the DRS one on a DBS freight service

More than likely, bearing in mind is is not uncommon for the class 90s to be swapped round using the Garston to Dagenham Dock car trains

 

[MK Tom]

Not to be a pendant, but the picture on that article is of mark 2s

 

[Monty]

Maybe it'll go over to an 88 when they arrive?

Unless they will be able to run them at 110mph I doubt it.

 

[cj_1985]

In the early posts, it suggests they are repainting one of them. Beats me as to why though.

I know what you mean... if they were so desperate for a dedicated loco and had to repaint it, and not have it in DBS livery, you would think that painting it to match the mk3 stock would have made more sense much like EWS did with its partial GNER repaint of 90024 in the 90s

 

[scotsman]

Perhaps it was a clause in the contract dating from when the VT 57s were transferred to DRS?

That all locos provided to VT for the next X years be from DRS? Just a thought.

 

[8J]

I think you are right Scotsman now you say it.

It makes more sense using one class 90 than 2 57's under the wires