Victa/Cotswold/FM Rail Fleet News

[Humberside]

Taken from the latest Railway Herald and Railways Illustrated Magazines

Rail Vehicle Engineering

Own 56303
Own 31459
31459 and privately owned 31106/128/190 will also be in the RVE fleet for use on Serco and Network Rail contracts - these are the ex. FM Rail contracts

Cotswold Rail

Railways Illustrated says the Class 31's and 33 are on trial with CR. If they aren't a success they will be sold on.

Railway Herald however gives an impression the Class 31's and 33 are set to stay with CR and aren't on trial. It says CR may use some privately owned Clas 31's and 33's. All CR 47's will be in corporate livery and other types in BR Blue

45112 will be fitted with OTMR are used by CR for all types of traffic. So I guess the 45 on a FGW Class 43 move would be possible!!!

Has purchased a rake of Polybulk wagons

Victa Westlink

Will use a newly formed Mk3 charter rake in BR blue and grey. Cargo-D at Long Marston appear to be involved in this operation
May use some former FM locos
Interested in ordering Class 66's

WCRC

33103 is now with WCRC. They have also taken over the 'Green Train' used on Steam Dreams tours. WCRC wont confirm or deny they have bought it but it is at Carnforth

 

[1VWC]

Will use a newly formed Mk3 charter rake in BR blue and grey. Cargo-D at Long Marston appear to be involved in this operation

Cargo-D are the owners of the rake which can include a DVT (also planned to go Blue and Grey). It looks pretty damn good though and for the first time in a good while with any company the interiors of a charter rake have been given a good going over.

NENTA, Compass and a few others are seriously interested/confirmed users of the rake.

 

[Techniquest]

mmm, MK3s on a railtour...Decent quality riding, sweet!

 

[87015]

mmm, MK3s on a railtour...Decent quality riding, sweet!

Bit suspect about MkIIIs as charter stock myself.
Airline seats all day, especially if stuck 'inside' someone you don't know sounds worse than being around a bay where at least its more of an open environment.
Not many bays, and a lot of railtour punters seem to be groups of around 3/4 if not more. Just might have an impact on the soicable railtour atmosphere which normally generates unless there is a right farce!

blue/grey DVT should be "interesting" to say the least....! Hopefully if you say the interior is good it will be maintained to a high standard with air-con, EH etc.

 

[Coxster]

blue/grey DVT should be "interesting" to say the least....!

http://fictitiousliveries.fotopic.net/p37902635.html
http://fictitiousliveries.fotopic.net/p37902632.html

 

[1VWC]

Bit suspect about MkIIIs as charter stock myself.
Airline seats all day, especially if stuck 'inside' someone you don't know sounds worse than being around a bay where at least its more of an open environment.
Not many bays, and a lot of railtour punters seem to be groups of around 3/4 if not more. Just might have an impact on the soicable railtour atmosphere which normally generates unless there is a right farce!

blue/grey DVT should be "interesting" to say the least....! Hopefully if you say the interior is good it will be maintained to a high standard with air-con, EH etc.

Don't expect anything too great from the interior such as a new moquette, emphasis is being placed on providing a quality, robust product rather than spending the cash on unnecessary things like that. The current seat covers are being washed and where needed, replaced. Carpets in the saloons being replaced if needed and totally replaced in the vestibules. If you experienced the West Coast Mark 3 rake last year it will be that kind of facelift. Speaking of WB64, part of it will have a new home soon...

Don't quote me on this but I spoke to someone recently who said that interior changes could be made if the current layout proves to be a problem...relatively simple to do on Mk3 stock.

Formation can be changed, but as standard there will be more FOs than TSOs.

Attention is being paid to detail as this is the one thing that Cargo-D realise is a problem with a lot of charter rakes...pretty much everything internally is getting some kind of attention. I've lost count of the number of times I heard people complaining about the lack of aircon when on Cotswolds Mark 3 rake last year. The only problem is that through lack of use, the aircon on a Mark 3does tend to get pretty tempremental.

 

[Humberside]

From wnxx.com

47826 (MBDL) has been despatched from Carnforth to East Ham. Reports indicate that it is to collect 47709 from East Ham then 47145 and 47712 from Clapham Junction, these have all been embargoed since the FM Rail collapse some weeks ago, and transfer them to Carnforth. As far as can be ascertained at this point, whilst things are vague with regards to 47145 and 47709, it appears that WCRC have acquired 47712. 47832 meanwhile, has reportedly been acquired by Victa Westlink outright.