The DRS Charity open day 2018

37 403 'Isle of Mull' , which normally operates Loco hauled passenger services on the Cumbrian Coast line is ready for a trip though the washing plant and is seen alongside one of the FNA-D Flatrol wagons, which was being put on display for the first time



The Class 37 is painted in the very retro British Rail 'large Logo' as are many of the other 37/4s we have. This has resulted in these locos, first introduced in 1960, having a bit of a cult following and attracting many railfans to the areas where they operate.







37 407, still missing its Loch Long nameplates, has recently come out of the works



Contrasting with the venerable 37s was 88 002 'Prometheus' one of our cutting edge 25KC AC/Diesel hybrids. Pumping out 5360HP when under the wires and a more modest 950 HP on the CAT C27 diesel these are settling down to be very useful engines since their introduction in 2016. Currently we have had 10 delivered



Now these Stadler built engines share the same bodyshell and running gear as our Class 68 diesels. These were built by Vossloh in Valencia in Spain who were absorbed into Stadler recently



We use these for our own traffic but also lease them out to main line passenger companies







68 014 is in the rather plain 'Chiltern' livery and currently works out of London Marylebone station on their services to Birmingham




Kev




The other loco to be named was one of our EMD (Ontario ) built Class 66s. These are the dominant freight design in the U.k with over 400 examples having been delivered to various companies.







66 424 and 425 are seen near the fuel road at the depot





Sister engine 66 421 was revealed as 'Gresty Bridge TMD' its home depot in a service conducted by DRS M.D Debbie Francis and local M.P for Crewe and Nantwich Laura Smith




So. After the mega shunt on Friday we went out for a meal and a few sherberts before regouping on saturday morning to do the rest of the prep as the traders, caterers and the rest of the volunteers arrived.







First order of the day. Safety brief




Once that was done it was time to go and have a look at the queue!







You'll get a better idea when I put the link to the video in but for anybody that knows Crewe this was bordering on the insane! starting at the depot gates its stretched down the drive, under the Gresty Bridge, past the Mornflakes Oats factory complex (we had to put marshalls on to stop the queuing fans blocking the delivery truck entrance and seemingly all the way to Crewe Alexandra's football ground.



And they just kept coming!



From the lessons we learnt two year ago we dispensed with the cab visits in the shed as the gantries really blocked things up



Kev