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UK Rail Leasing
Overview of UK Rail Leasing's Leicester depot in April 2016
Overview
Dates of operationSeptember 2013[1]–
Other
Websitehttp://www.ukrl.co.uk/

UK Rail Leasing (UKRL) is a railway company offering locomotive leasing and rolling stock engineering services to various train operating companies. It is based in Leicester.

UKRL was founded in September 2013; within two months, it had secured the lease of a rail depot in Leicester, which it promptly modernised, while 16 Class 56 and two Class 37/9 diesel locomotives were also acquired. During 2014, UKRL secured a rolling stock maintenance arrangement with the train operator East Midlands Railway; similar work would also come from CrossCountry and other regional operators. In November 2014, UKRL's first Class 56 locomotive was certified for main line use and hired out to the British freight operator Freightliner; further locomotives would be returned to service and leased out throughout the following three years.

In addition to overhauling its own fleet, UKRL has performed locomotive overhauls for Electric Traction Limited, Europhoenix and Rail Operations Group. The company also investigated major upgrades for the Class 56, which included reengining and new electronics. During June 2018, it was announced that all 16 of UKRL's Class 56s had been purchased by the freight operator GB Railfreight (GBRf); the company was also contracted to work on GBRf's fleet of Class 92 electric locomotives. That same year, UKRL bought the Leicester depot, where it was making additional investments to expand the firm's maintenance, engineering, and overhaul capabilities.

History

The origins of UK Rail Leasing (UKRL) can be traced back to its founders, Edward Stevenson and Mark Winter, who established the company in September 2013 and promptly took out a three-year lease on a disused rail depot in Leicester then-owned by the freight operator DB Schenker.[2] By November of that year, it had purchased a fleet of 16 Class 56 and two Class 37/9 diesel locomotives, many of which having been formerly operated by DB Schenker.[3] By January 2014, the Leicester depot had been refurbished and extensively rebuilt with a raised roof, with new equipment such as lifting jacks installed. UKRL was in the process of overhauling up to 13 of its Class 56s with a view to reactivating them for spot-leasing to various operators; these endeavours had reportedly been accelerated in response to customer demand for the type.[4][5]

In 2014, UKRL came to an arrangement with the train operator East Midlands Railway to provide overnight maintenance and servicing activities to the latter.[2] To accommodate this, it invested in an up-to-date Traincare and CET facility; this has since been used by other train operating companies, such as CrossCountry. Throughout the 2010s, additional investment was made at the Leicester depot to expand the firm's maintenance, engineering, and overhaul capabilities.[2][6]

During November 2014, UKRL's first locomotive (56081) was certified for main line use and was promptly hired out to the British freight operator Freightliner; the company was reportedly keen to hire further locomotives from the company.[3][7][8] In comparison to acquiring new-build locomotives, overhauled Class 56s could be supplied at roughly half the price and within a third of the time.[3] By November 2015, a further two of UKRS's Class 56s (56098 and 56104) had been certified for main line use.[9][10][11] Further locomotives were returned to service as restoration work was completed.[3]

In mid-2014, UKRL were reportedly considering a series of extensive upgrades for the Class 56; this package of works included the installation of a new engines along with various electronics; the proposed arrangement involved two 1,900 hp engines for a combined output of 3,800 hp. However, this was emphasised to be "blue sky thinking" and not likely to happen soon.[12] During early 2016, Alan Lee, UKRL's Head of Engineering, spoke further on this initiative, which was presented as a cost-efficient solution to freight operators' need for heavy haul locomotives, and that seven prospective customers, both domestic and overseas, had been identified.[13] By this point, three different options were being considered; these were: two main engines, a single main engine, or a single main engine plus an auxiliary engine. It is expected that a re-engined Class 56 would cost around £1.8 million, compared to £3 million for a new locomotive.[14]

During June 2018, it was announced that all 16 of UKRL's Class 56s had been purchased by the freight operator GB Railfreight (GBRf), shortly thereafter, several were transported from Leicester to Electro-Motive Diesel's Longport facility.[15][16][17] GBRf has also contracted UKRL to work on its Class 92 electric locomotive fleet, including the changing of traction motors and wheelsets, modifications to the brake stack and coolers, along with identifying and implementing reliability enhancements.[18] In July 2018, UKRL acquired the Leicester depot's freehold.[19]

Services

Design innovations

Coupler detail

A significant proportion of the Rail Operations Group (ROG) second generation multiple unit moves involved use of translator vehicles, as the locomotive was unable to connect directly to the tightlock coupler. On 10 July 2017, a pair of Class 319 multiple units were hauled by a Class 37 locomotive leased to ROG fitted with the new coupler.[20][21]

Leasing

UKRL frequently hired out its overhauled Class 56s to other various operators. This activity ceased with the sale of the locomotives in mid 2018.[15]

Maintenance services

As well as overhauling its own fleet, UKRL has undertaken overhaul work for Electric Traction Limited, Europhoenix and Rail Operations Group.[3]

References

  1. ^ "UK Rail Leasing Ltd, Company number: 08704791". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "History and mission". UK Rail Leasing. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "UK Rail Leasing launch Class 56 fleet back into main line service". rail.co.uk. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  4. ^ "UK Rail Leasing's in-demand 56s set for overhauls". Rail. No. 739. 8 January 2014. p. 12.
  5. ^ Clinnick, Richard (February 2014). "UK Rail Leasing breaks cover". Rail Express. No. 213. p. 40.
  6. ^ "UKRL Traincare". UK Rail Leasing. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  7. ^ Clinnick, Richard (December 2014). "Spotlight on UK Rail Leasing". The Railway Magazine. No. 1365. p. 14.
  8. ^ "Freightliner hires UK Rail Leasing Class 56". Rail. 18 November 2014.
  9. ^ "Main line return for Class 56". No. 788. Rail. 25 November 2015. p. 31. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  10. ^ "Other operators". Class 56 Group. Archived from the original on 23 November 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  11. ^ Clinnick, Richard (18 January 2016). "Inside UK Rail Leasing's Leicester depot". Rail.
  12. ^ Railways Illustrated. No. 136. June 2014. p. 15. ISSN 1479-2230. {{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ Clinnick, Richard (1 February 2016). "UKRL offers re-engineered '56s' as a heavy haul solution". Rail.
  14. ^ Pritchard, Robert (March 2016). "UK Rail Leasing looks to a re-engineered future". Today's Railways UK. No. 171. Sheffield, England: Platform 5 Publishing. pp. 50–51. ISSN 1475-9713.
  15. ^ a b "GBRf buys 16 Class 56s from UK Rail Leasing". The Railway Magazine. No. 1408. July 2018. p. 94.
  16. ^ "GBRf acquires Grids and Tugs". Railways Illustrated. No. 186. August 2018. p. 16.
  17. ^ "GBRf purchases 56s from UK Rail Leasing". Today's Railways UK. No. 200. August 2018. p. 62.
  18. ^ "Case studies". UK Rail Leasing. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  19. ^ "UKRL completes purchase of Leicester Train Maintenance Depot". UK Rail Leasing. 1 July 2021.
  20. ^ "UK Rail Leasing Ltd – Tightlock". Railway Technology Magazine. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  21. ^ "UKRL DEBUTS LOCOMOTIVE-TO-MULTIPLE UNIT "TIGHTLOCK" DESIGN". UKRL. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
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