DRS to retain Class 37s for ‘the time being’

Ten Type 3s earmarked for sale, and lease back among heritage locos to be retained, but leased Class 66/3s returned to Beacon Rail.

DIRECT Rail Services (DRS) has decided to suspend the ‘sale and lease back’ arrangement which it had planned to proceed with for 10 of its

Class 37s.

Nos. 37218, 37401/402/407/4 19/422/423/424/425 and

37716 were offered to potential buyers in July subject to an undertaking to release them back to DRS on short-term loan for duties such as Rail Head Treatment Train workings, but it will hang onto the locomotives “for the time being”.

“After reviewing our current tender process and business needs, we took the decision to suspend the recent sale and lease back scheme of our Class 37 locomotives,” a DRS spokesman told The RM.

Other locomotives

He added that of three other locomotives (Nos. 37069, 37602 and Class 57 No. 57002) listed for sale as part of its final round of disposals of heritage traction, it had only proceeded with the sale of No. 37602 (reportedly to the Harry Needle Railroad Company).

The spokesman said that everyone who had expressed an interest in the tender had been informed of the outcome. Five Class 66/3s leased by DRS are however, to be returned to owner Beacon Rail. It is expected that Nos. 66301-5 will be handed back in early October.

The locomotives have reached the end of their fiveyear lease and DRS has decided not to extend the arrangement.

It is understood that they could be included in a deal between Beacon Rail and GB Railfreight for the supply of further Class 66s.

CHRIS MILNER ‘TURBOSTAR’ TRANSFER: Reclassified from Class 171 to Class 170 and reformed into three-car units, former Southern ‘Turbostar’ diesel multiple units Nos. 170424/423/422 (regaining their original ScotRail numbers) are seen passing Narborough on September 7, en route from Selhurst to Derby Etches Park depot. By mid-September, work was underway on reconfiguring wi-fi and passenger information systems on No. 170422. The other units were temporarily stabled at Barrow Hill. Their entry into service with EMR will allow Class 156s to go off-lease.

SAM DIXON No. 37218 at Crewe Heritage Centre on July 15 following its repaint into original Direct Rail Services livery for the company’s Crewe depot open day.

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