DRS to sell heritage locomotives

[50002Superb]

Not seen this posted:

DRS to sell heritage locomotives - including Class 20s, 37s and 57s

Direct Rail Services has confirmed that it is auctioning off some of its fleet of heritage locomotives and Mark 2 Coaches as it aims to modernise its fleet

www.railadvent.co.uk

Direct Rail Services has confirmed that it is auctioning off some of its fleet of heritage locomotives and Mark 2 Coaches as it aims to modernise its fleet

All DRS Class 20 locomotives will be up for sale, which were the first locomotives to be owned by Direct Rail Services, whilst a selection of Class 37s, Class 57s and Mark 2 coaches will also be available to purchase.
“The assets up for sale are: 20301, 20302, 20303, 20304, 20304, 20308, 20309, 20312, 37606, 37703, 57302, 57311 and Mark 2s 5787, 5937, 5173, 6064”

 

[JonathanH]

Not seen this posted:

DRS to sell heritage locomotives - including Class 20s, 37s and 57s

Direct Rail Services has confirmed that it is auctioning off some of its fleet of heritage locomotives and Mark 2 Coaches as it aims to modernise its fleet

www.railadvent.co.uk

“The assets up for sale are: 20301, 20302, 20303, 20304, 20304, 20308, 20309, 20312, 37606, 37703, 57302, 57311 and Mark 2s 5787, 5937, 5173, 6064”

Some of those haven't been used for some time and it wouldn't be much surprise to see scrap merchants being the highest bidder.

 

[jaketaylor]

It would be nice to see more 20s about but imo I reckon they’ll be the first to see the scrap man!

 

[50002Superb]

Some of those haven't been used for some time and it wouldn't be much surprise to see scrap merchants being the highest bidder.

I don’t know anything about their internal condition.

I think one is parked up in the line at Burton and it looks in a right state.

 

[Class360/1]

I really hope some are preserved or the 37’s and 57’s go to ROG

 

[Doomotron]

I'll buy one.

Hopefully everything gets preserved and not scrapped.

 

[Class360/1]

I'll buy one.

Hopefully everything gets preserved and not scrapped.

Definitely, wonder if someone well buy 2 37’s and 3 mk2’s just so they can recreate the Yarmouth short sets

 

[SeaKing]

Buying them is the simple part, finding somewhere for them to go and getting them working again is the tricky bit.

 

[nat67]

37703 is already preserved as it’s 37067 at the Bo’ness railway. I also hope West Coast doesn’t think of buying the 57’s to replace 47’s.

 

[43096]

37703 is already preserved as it’s 37067 at the Bo’ness railway.

It may be being looked after by a preserved railway, but as it is DRS owned you can't say it is preserved. DRS can sell it to who they like.

I also hope West Coast doesn’t think of buying the 57’s to replace 47’s.

Hope they do. Less rancid spoons then!

It's also worth noting that almost all of the stuff for sale is air brake only, so is going to be less useful to preserved lines than many might think, given that many preserved lines seem to be stuck in the 1800s with vacuum brake only stock.

 

[FOCTOC]

37703 is already preserved as it’s 37067 at the Bo’ness railway. I also hope West Coast doesn’t think of buying the 57’s to replace 47’s.

703 is owned by DRS and not preserved, hence its on the tender list. Also doubt ROG will be in the market for anything as they are letting staff go.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

20s are basically chicken sheds. Good for parts, not for service.

57s are the ones that are in quite poor condition (I understand).

Other stuff probably off to the scrap man.

It’s important to remember the UK taxpayer is funding this outfit and therefore they need to make sure they get every penny back for us. Even if we have to watch it get scrapped.

 

[Sm5]

Only problem with preserving a DRS 20, is the only livery it would make sense in, preserved is DRS livery, which presumably they would want removed.

Retro fitting a DRS 20 back to BR days makes little point, unless its a pet project someone specifically wants, as there are loads preserved already.

i’d imagine class 20 spares would be useful.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

Only problem with preserving a DRS 20, is the only livery it would make sense in, preserved is DRS livery, which presumably they would want removed.

Retro fitting a DRS 20 back to BR days makes little point, unless its a pet project someone specifically wants, as there are loads preserved already.

i’d imagine class 20 spares would be useful.

The spares will be hugely desired. They’re not fit for turning into runners.

 

[fgwrich]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Rail Ops Group take on the 57/3s. Although they are receiving new locos in the next year or two, taking on tho more 57/3s would allow them to either replace some of the 37's hired in from UKRL, and / or allow them to return the hired 57/3s back to DRS.

What I will say though, 302 was missing a number of components when I last looked at it, including a chunk of it's additional coupling mechanism.

 

[Strathclyder]

Suspect the 20s will be only be fit to act as spares donors, something the owners of the numerous preserved examples across the country (mainline-registered or otherwise) would be all too happy to snap up. In the same vein, I do recall there being a DRS 20 residing at Bo'ness at the start of this year/at the end of last year (can't for the life of me recall the number though). The same may very well end up applying with the 2 37s & the 4 Mk2s.

The 2 57s will be the most likely candidates to find a new home on the mainline, am with @fgwrich in thinking that ROG will be at the front of the queue.

With all of that said, will be interesting to see how this pans out.

 

[JonathanH]

something the owners of the numerous preserved examples across the country (mainline-registered or otherwise) would be all too happy to snap up

In that instance, do they go to the scrap yard for the scrap merchants to take off what the preserved railway owners want? It would appear that the issue of cannibalising them at a preserved railway raises false hopes of preservation and isn't really a suitable location in any case?

 

[Sm5]

20s are basically chicken sheds. Good for parts, not for service.

The spares will be hugely desired. They’re not fit for turning into runners.

If I had a £1 for each time i hear someone says “it’ll never run again” about some loco or other, i’d have my own no hoper.. and the money to fix it.

Being fit to run has never been on the checklist of most preserved loco owners, until after theyve been bought and restored.

 

[Strathclyder]

In that instance, do they go to the scrap yard for the scrap merchants to take off what the preserved railway owners want? It would appear that the issue of cannibalising them at a preserved railway raises false hopes of preservation and isn't really a suitable location in any case?

I am anything but a expert on this subject*, but from the outside looking in, such a operation depends on many things, site suitabilty & pure practical concerns prime among them as you say. In the end, it may just be more practical to rob spares from a loco sat in a scrapyard.

And any such false hopes can be headed off - with varying degrees of success of course, the railway rumour mill takes on a life of it's own sometimes - by the owners making it explicitly clear that the loco is there purely to act as a spares donor. At any rate, none of the locos concerned have been sold to anyone as of yet, so this tangent is, for the time being at least, in the realm of hypothetical.

*: getting in with this myself before anyone points it out lol

 

[D1537]

I also hope West Coast doesn’t think of buying the 57’s to replace 47’s.

If they did (given the condition of 302 and 311) it would be more likely to be as parts donors for their existing ones. Many parts for 57s are difficult and time-consuming to get hold of.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

If I had a £1 for each time i hear someone says “it’ll never run again” about some loco or other, i’d have my own no hoper.. and the money to fix it.

Being fit to run has never been on the checklist of most preserved loco owners, until after theyve been bought and restored.

The problem with this logic is that whilst it may have applied before as people and groups ‘panic bought’ assets, now it’s obvious that there isn’t enough spares. Take the 50s, for example.

So, whilst you might think these 20s and such have a happy life ahead, they most certainly do not.

 

[Whistler40145]

20302 and 20305 are in fully working order, so very much far from a trip to the scrapman

 

[jaketaylor]

Does anyone know what condition 57311 is in? I don’t think that one has worked for a long time. I know it’s at Eastleigh but not sure what condition.

thanks

 

[DBS92042]

Does anyone know what condition 57311 is in? I don’t think that one has worked for a long time. I know it’s at Eastleigh but not sure what condition.

thanks

It last worked in March/April 2018 and since has seen storage at MoD Longtown, Kingmoor TMD, and Eastleigh Arlingtons. I believe its bogies went to 57303 (or another ROG 57) and I suspect some internal components have also been taken over the last few years.

 

[jaketaylor]

It last worked in March/April 2018 and since has seen storage at MoD Longtown, Kingmoor TMD, and Eastleigh Arlingtons. I believe its bogies went to 57303 (or another ROG 57) and I suspect some internal components have also been taken over the last few years.

Ah thank you! Thought it had been a while since I’d seen it about, so is this the first of the class to be withdrawn?

 

[fgwrich]

It last worked in March/April 2018 and since has seen storage at MoD Longtown, Kingmoor TMD, and Eastleigh Arlingtons. I believe its bogies went to 57303 (or another ROG 57) and I suspect some internal components have also been taken over the last few years.

When I last looked at 311 a few months ago, it was externally complete with nothing appearing to have been taken off of it. Of course it’s what’s inside that counts though.

On a side note, both 302 (Chad Varah) and 311 (Thunderbird) both retain their nameplates for now, and are both in the compass livery.

 

[Nym]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Rail Ops Group take on the 57/3s. Although they are receiving new locos in the next year or two, taking on tho more 57/3s would allow them to either replace some of the 37's hired in from UKRL, and / or allow them to return the hired 57/3s back to DRS.

What I will say though, 302 was missing a number of components when I last looked at it, including a chunk of it's additional coupling mechanism.

The ROG leased 57s are all the Ex. NR examples with brake interface units. There will be no interest in swapping these for those not fitted with brake interface units.

 

[DBS92042]

The ROG leased 57s are all the Ex. NR examples with brake interface units. There will be no interest in swapping these for those not fitted with brake interface units.

Just going off what I'd heard. Maybe they just used the wheelsets themselves instead of the whole bogie?

 

[Mollman]

Sale notice for Heritage assets:
https://sharedsystems.eu-supply.com...rnUrl=ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders&b=SELLAFIELD

Direct Rail Services (DRS) is undertaking a sale of surplus assets comprising of Class 20, 37, 57 locomotives and MK2 coaches, including a selection of parts and materials

At the same time they are engaging with the market for 8 locos to hire in for RHTT work, given the age requirements it will not class 37/47/57s:
https://sharedsystems.eu-supply.com...rnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=SELLAFIELD

Our Requirements

• DRS is seeking input from potential suppliers to support our contract with Network Rail for the in-season operation of Rail Head Treatment Trains) RHTT.

RHTT Services

The successful contractor will be required to provide eight fully maintained diesel locomotives available daily to support delivery of the RHTT services. Which will be operated by DRS personnel.

• Locomotives are required to be UK registered and constructed on or after 1st January 1997. Compliance with Railway Operations Group Standards, inclusive of up-to-date vehicle maintenance schedules will also be required.
• Locomotives must be fitted with an air brake system.
• Locomotives must be capable of operating at 60mph.
• Locomotives must be fitted with a screw coupling and draw hook.
• Locomotives must have a route availability of seven and cleared for operation over the following six routes.
• Refer to appendix 2 (defined route plan, attached).
• Locomotives must have the capability to operate in multiple through either an AAR or Blue Star Cable Connection.
  

Delivery and re-delivery location will be DRS Crewe, Gresty Bridge Depot

 

[Spamcan81]

Buying them is the simple part, finding somewhere for them to go and getting them working again is the tricky bit.

Something that many preservationists have found to their cost.