devon_metro
Established Member
FM don't use EWS though.
And i can't see them planning to.
And i can't see them planning to.
Victa RF drive a hard bargain
Will they keep the heritage diesels? We'll see how it goes
If they can up the profit margin
Then we can continue to tint our specs with rose
I'm more worried about the staff than the bloody locos.
Typical spotter attitude right there ^
Staff should be safe under the Transfer of Undertakings 2006,
All is not doom and gloom,
If they find themselves transferring these co.s betwixt,
A positive future for them will loom
Besides, just because I mentioned the trains,
Doesn't mean I don't care a hang for the staff,
I'm sure that those who take the reins,
Will not cause a negative aftermath
I wish all the staff all the best,
For some of them are friends,
Though bad times may appear abreast,
It doesn't necessarily mean its the end
Hello all,
Wishing everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Confirming the press release in 22/12/06 Railway Herald article (visit
www.railwayherald.co.uk and click on article number 67 - 22nd December)
As part of the celebrations by International rail firm Victa, in acquiring
the FM Rail operating license and forthcoming provision of new charter train
rolling stock a special "press train" is operating from Carlisle to Holyhead
on Saturday 24th March 2007.
Compass Tours has been assigned the task of handling bookings for the part
of the train which will be 'open to the general public'.
Motive Power is booked as follows:
Carlisle to Crewe (and return Crewe to Carlisle in the evening):
2x class 86 electric locomotives (the TOC advise me that 86101 and 86401 are
to be hired from the AC group assuming nothing further goes wrong with their
mainline ticketing process).
Crewe to Holyhead (and return):
2x class 47s in mutiple (this will be an unspecified eth 47 with multi + a
probable farewell mainline passenger run for Freightliner's last 'in
service' 47/0, 47150, which will be booked on front of the eth 47 in both
directions).
All motive power, is as ever subject to final on the day availabilty and as
ever efforts would be made to substitute any locomotives (if problems arose
prior to the train) unavailable with the most suitable alternatives
available, however every atempt will be made to ensure rostered traction can
perform the legs it is booked to.
The carriages are planned to be freshly repainted especially for this
railtour.
Special subsidised fares will apply for the places which are available to
the public:
Standard class = £29 (all ages and regardless of joining pick up)
First class = £49 (all ages and regardless of joining pick up)
(no dining option available, just normal buffet car services)
Passengers are able to join at any of the following stations:
CARLISLE, PENRITH, OXENHOLME, LANCASTER & PRESTON (with the option of Crewe
being also available for anybody only wishing to do the diesel portion, but
owing to the operating costs of the train the TOC are unable to offer a
discount for joining at Crewe).
The option is also available for passengers to alight at Llandudno Junction
and Bangor to spend the afternoon in either of these areas, if you would
prefer an afternoon at either as opposed to Holyhead.
PLEASE NOTE:
Passenger places on the train are strictly limited and on a 'first come,
first served' basis therefore once the allocation of seats is gone there is
little that can be done for anybody attempting to turn up on the day without
having booked in advance. I have been advised to notify everybody that seats
cannot be 'held open' for persons wishing to pay on the last minute or on
the day, and whilst if any happened to be available still they would be
available that is far from gauranteed as the allocation of seating on train
will be open to everybody, not just rail enthusiasts, so seats are likely to
be at a premium.
The Compass Tours phone enquiry line is closed now until the end of January
to allow some staff holiday time and preparations to be made for the 2007
trains. No trains will be added to the website until after this has
re-opened, and information on the 24th March and other newly announced tours
has been mailed out to those currently on the Mailing List, therefore if
anybody wants to beat the 'February Rush' to get places on the 24th March
they should email compasstours@... to be forwarded full details and
a booking form. Reservations and bookings can be made via email and postal
methods only until February, but those wishing to guarantee seats are
stronlgly recommended to be in touch before then.
Thanks,
Kevin
Compass Tours
FM Rail fleet...
It may or may not infer anything, the rumour mill grinds along remorselessly, but today none of the FM Rail 'operational' fleet were showing as available for use. Fleet survey taken early afternoon...
31106 SDPP A exam / Derby
31128 SDPP A exam / Derby
31190 SDPP A exam / Great Central Railway
31452 SDPP N SPT / Derby
31454 SDPP N 185 / Mid Hants Railway
31459 SDPP N 185 / East Ham
31468 SDPP N SPT / Derby
31601 SDPP N WTR / Derby
31602 SDPP N SPT / Derby
33103 SDFR A exam / Derby
33202 SDFR N 500 / Derby
45112 SDMS N SPT / Long Marston
47145 SDFL N SPT / Clapham Junction
47355 SDFL N 410 / Derby
47703 SDFR N 655 / Derby
47709 SDFR N 655 / East Ham
47712 SDFR N SPT / Clapham Junction
47832 SDFR N LOP / Derby
56303 SDFL N SPT / Hexthorpe
73107 SDED A exam / Mid Hants Railway
FM own 56303!?
RailNews said:"Victa Westlink looks to ultimate takeover"
'Independant train operator FM Rail is set to be taken over after it went in voluntary administration.
Victa westlink Rail has been appointed interim manager of the business and said it hopes to ultimately acquire the company.
FM Rail went into administration in December after it failed to cut costs enough to balance the books despite scrapping 20 jobs in the summer.
The Derby based company, which hires out passenger trains and runs a freight operation, is now under the control of joint administrators John Kelly and Mark Fry, partners in the corporate recovery team of Begbies Traynor. It plans to honour all bookings including rail tours, and the administrators have appointed Victa Westlink to carry that out.
Mr Kelly said: "Victa westlink Rail Ltd will honour the deposits paid and in due course seek to acquire the whole of the business".
Any inquiries for future excursions operated under its name FM Rail Ltd or Hertfordshire Rail Tours should contact Victa Westlink Rail Ltd on 01332 374517'.
FM Fleet developments...
BR Green 31190 (SDPP) currently located on the GCR/N and 31422 (SDXL), two of the privately owned locomotives that had been in use with FM Rail, are reverting to private ownership, the latter set to see use by Vintage Trains at Tyseley.
Other locomotives being removed from the storage lists as they are also privately owned and at a secure location, therefore now being regarded as preserved / private owner, are 37255 (SDXL) on the GCR, 47488 (SDFR) at Barrow Hill and 47701 (SDFR) at Ludgershall which leaves several locomotives either in storage at unsecured locations or for which there is some doubt (at this end) over the current ownership arrangements. Developments are awaited for service locomotives 31106 (SDPP), 31128 (SDPP), 33103 (SDFR) and 45112 (SDMS) along with 31423 (SDXL) at Meldon, 33019 (SDXL) at Shackerstone, 33021 (SDFR) at Derby and 47550 (SDXL) at Immingham Railfreight Terminal.
FM Update...
47815 and 47853 (both RTLO) have been despatched to Derby and, presumably on hire to Victa Westlink (nee FM) Rail, look set to be working freight trials, the first of which is scheduled to run tomorrow; 4Z47 Derby to Purfleet then 4Z48 Purfleet to Grangemouth. 31459 (SDPP) has been released from East Ham and joins the 'locomotives that can be used' fleet.
Further to the advertising for sale of 47375 and 47715 a few days ago by SHM Smith Hodgkinson a further list, issued by GVA Grimley ( http://www.gvagrimley.co.uk/ ), has 38 FM locomotives up for sale, including the aforementioned 47375 and 47715, and some coaches.
Listed as available for sale by GVA Grimley are...
Class 31: 31452 31454 31461 31468 31601 & 31602
Class 33: 33046 & 33202
Class 47: 47053 47145 47186 47201 47219 47226 47228 47280 47293 47307 47313 47314 47335 47355 47360 47375 47488 47703 47709 47710 47712 47715 47717 47780 & 47832
Class 56: 56011 56021 & 56022
Class 73: 73104 & 73139
Stock: 3359 3360 3362 3408 5226 17144 17170 977193 977335 975460 & 975490
Consequently Barrow Hill resident 47488 finds itself back on the storage lists and the report mid December, before FM Rail entered administration, regarding the possible movement of 33046 and 47710 to Thomson's has obviously been overtaken by events. Many other former FM Rail locomotives are not listed but some of these are privately owned, one of which, 31190 has returned to Derby being off-loaded at the RTC following movement from the GCR-N by road a couple of days ago and has today returned to mainline use.
Private ownership...
Class 08: 08631
Class 31: 31106 31128 31190 31289 31422 31423 & 31459
Class 33: 33103
Class 37: 37255
Class 45: 45112
Class 47: 47550 & 47701
33109 is not included in the above as although reported as sold to FM Rail some time ago it transpires that the sale was either never completed or the locomotive was claimed due to finances owed and, by all accounts, is now the property of LNWR. This leaves quite a few unaccounted for and although a number of these may be subject to being embargoed where they stand if monies are deemed to be outstanding with regards to, for example, storage charges or are subject to a special arrangement which is understood to be the case with 56303...