Direct Rail Services reallocates Class 37s

Direct Rail Services has revised the allocation of its Class 37 fleet into three TOPS pools, to better reflect the status of each locomotive and to create two new pool designations for locomotives that are not available for immediate use.

Previously, all the operator’s four-character pool codes commenced with ‘XH’, but searching against this parameter on TOPS (the live national railway operations system) generated results that included stored or withdrawn motive power.

Now, locomotives in warm store which might only be required for seasonal railhead treatment work are in the XWSS pool, which stands for ‘DRS locomotives in warm storage’.

Meanwhile, the XSDP pool is for ‘Direct Rail Services locomotives for disposal’.

Allocations to the XHSO pool are available for work, subject to maintenance requirements.

37716 is part of the XHSO pool and is usually assigned to duties at Peak Forest. On November 1 2017, it was under repair at Gresty Bridge.