New ‘88s’ set to displace older DRS locomotives

DIRECT Rail Services has confirmed it will “seek to deploy our newest assets onto as many services as possible”, which could spell the end for some of its older locomotives.

The freight operator was responding to questions by RAIL related to Class 57s, which have been stored by DRS at MoD Longtown.

No other classes were mentioned, but the Cumbrian-based company is about to start taking delivery of the first of ten dual-mode Class 88s that are being built by Stadler in Valencia, Spain.

DRS spokesman Kyle Palmer did not give a date for the delivery, but said: “The Class 88 locomotives are in the final stages of homologation and acceptance - following completion of this DRS and Stadler will agree a programme for delivery.”

The ‘88s’ will be used as mixed traffic locomotives able to work both freight and passenger trains. Initially it is expected that intermodal work will dominate their duties, and they are likely to haul not only trains between Daventry and Mossend, but also other routes including Purfleet to Daventry.

Palmer told RAIL that the ‘88s’ would be available for the “entire portfolio of services” operated by DRS, which suggests that passenger duties are also possible for the locomotives. They will be based at Carlisle Kingmoor depot, while the ‘68s’ that are also built by Stadler will be based at Crewe.

So far, Stadler has sent 88001 to the Czech Republic for testing at Velim ( RAIL 808), and DRS said it was “delighted with its performance”.

The first locomotive destined for the UK is 88002, which has not been to Velim. The ten ‘88s’ will be delivered to DRS before the final batch of seven Class 68s are delivered, also from Stadler (6802668032).

Both the ‘68s’ and ‘88s’ are leased by DRS from Beacon Rail.