RBC has, through Cargo-D, benefitted from an increase in vehicles to strengthen it's position as a carriage spot-hire company.
Cargo-D has recently acquired 10 MkII vehicles, namely 1 MkIIf FO, 1 MkIIf RFO and 8 MkIIf TSO vehicles. There are more to follow, with an extra 9 MkIIe/f TSOs arriving into Long Marston in the next few weeks. Added to this will be an extra 1 MkIIf FO vehicle, another RFO and another BSO.
Cargo-D has also purchased RFM 10242 and MkIII(b) 11079. The latter is still in traffic with Virgin West Coast and will be released to Cargo-D in December. This will counter-balance the impending disposal of RFM 10233, MkIII(a) FO 11031 and MkIII(b) FO 11097. 10233 was always a spares donor, 11031 is a First Class 'a' variant which did not fit into the MkIII first class 'b' variant standardisation we aspire to. It's replacement is soon to be introduced-to-traffic MkIII(b) 11064. Finally 11097 required much work and an offer to sell it was therefore taken in lieu of it's replacement, 11079. This will give Cargo-D 8 MkIII(b) First Class vehicles.
10242 has also been out-shopped in BR Blue and Grey and will head to Crewe for re-commissioning.
The MkII vehicles at Long Marston are being gutted internally, being re-commissioned and put through an 'E+' exam. They will also have a re-paint into BR Blue and Grey before heading to LNWR Crewe.
Current re-commissioning is being carried out on TSOs 6001/46/6117/22/73, RFM 1254 and FO 3374. Work then should start on an extra 3 TSOs recently purchased from Arriva Trains Wales, 5971, 6008 and 6064. After this, work will then turn to the next batch of TSOs coming in. For those of you interested, these are 5787, 5810, 5815, 5876, 5901, 5919, 5941, 5995 and 6154. This will be supplemented by FO 3366, RFO 1254 and BSO 9506.
The 10 initial MkIIs should be heading to LNWR Crewe in early September for further re-commissioning work.
This move will allow Cargo-D to concentrate on both TOC and, under the banner of Rail-Blue Charters, more charter work. It is currently the intention that the MkIII TSOs will not return to charter use and the MkII TSOs should replace them on charter work. The idea then is that the sets are mixed, providing 1 all-first class MkIII set, one mixed-class train and an all-standard class train for sporting/venue events etc.
It won't stop there - Cargo-D will continue to look for suitable stock for the RBC fleet. We still have a shopping list!
Back to news
© Rail-Blue Charters 2008