Six DRS Class 57/3s returned to leasing company

Direct Rail Services will relinquish its six Class 57/3s leased from Porterbrook, with speculation that the locomotives involved – 57301/303/305/306/310/312 – could be heading to GB Railfreight to bolster its growing fleet in the near future.

DRS has been gradually phasing out its older locomotives over the past couple of years as it seeks to modernise its fleet, but it still retains a small fleet of Class 37s and Class 57s it owns. The six Class 57/3s being relinquished are all leased.

A DRS spokesperson said: “As we look towards our future and the Government’s net zero carbon target, we continue the process of assessing our fleet requirements. “We have already reduced the number of heritage locomotives in the fleet and we will continue to focus on our modern, efficient locomotive classes. The Class 57s, which are at the end of their hire agreements, will be returned to Porterbrook as we look to utilise our much more efficient and environmentally-friendly Class 88 and Class 68 locomotives, ensuring that rail freight is as green as it can be.” One of the locomotives – currently 57312 – has, in recent years, been hired to Great Western Railway as support for the Class 57/6 Night Riviera sleeper train fleet.

DRS still owns 57002 Rail Express, along with 57304/307-309, but the other Class 57 locomotives previously owned by the operator have all been disposed of over the last few years.

The remaining Class 57/3s are used as Thunderbird locomotives for the West Coast Main Line, while 57002 is the only remaining Class 57/0 in the DRS fleet, but it has been out of traffic now for a number of months.