Rail Riders gets second ‘twinned’ locomotive
DIRECT RAIL Services Class 66, 66303, was named Rail Riders 2020 in a ceremony at York station on July 7, by Rail Riders director Simon Buxton.
Since relaunching the iconic Rail Riders club in 2020, the group has grown to over 600 members, despite the obvious restrictions on activities brought about by the coronavirus restrictions that have been in place at various times. It had originally been planned that 66303 would have been named at the annual DRS Open Day last year, but the 2020 event had to be scrapped because of the pandemic and the naming was deferred until restrictions were eased.
66303 was specially chosen as a ‘go anywhere’ locomotive that can travel over most of the national rail network and in addition to the nameplates, there is a Rail Riders emblem carried both above the nameplates and on the cab fronts.
This is the second locomotive to be named after the rejuvenated railway enthusiasts' club, with DB Cargo’s 66175 already named Rail Riders Express and both locomotives were present at the York event. Mr Buxton praised both DRS and DBC for their efforts to ensure that both locomotives were made available.
The original locomotive named Rail Riders was 47488, which was named by BR in May 1988. 47488 still survives and is now owned by Nemesis Rail at Burton, where it is in store.