VINTAGE TRAINS

Based at Tyseley Locomotive Works in Birmingham, Vintage Trains received its passenger operating licence in June 2018 to run steam and diesel locomotivehauled charters and railtours across the UK rail network.

It followed a successful share issue by the Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society, which was formed in 2017 following the end of an arrangement with West Coast Railways to provide crews to operate trains based at Tyseley.

It meant that VT became the first train operating company in the UK to be owned by the public and charitably controlled.

Dedicated to preserving and running heritage locomotives and coaching stock on the network, VT’s main line fleet includes three Great Western Railway Castle class locomotives (7029 Clun Castle, 5043 Earl of Edgcumbe and 5080 Defiant) and three ex-GWR pannier tank engines (7752, 7760 and 9600).

Meanwhile, its diesel fleet comprises 47773 The Queen Mother and (on hire) 50033 Glorious, 20142 Sir John Betjeman and 20189.

Railtours offered by VT include the regular summer Sunday series of ‘Shakespeare Express’ trips that run between Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Initially led by Adrian Shooter as chairman and Cath Bellamy as managing director, VT’s business plan originally targeted other revenue streams including the offer of non-passenger services to the rail industry. This included the testing, mileage accumulation and delivery of Class 230s on behalf of Vivarail.