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FM Rail
FM Rail was a railway charter company based in Derby, England. The company was formed when spot hire company Fragonset Railways and charter operator Merlin Rail merged. It went into administration in 2006.
Fragonset Railways was formed in 1997 as a spot hire company when four Class 47/7 locomotives were purchased from Waterman Railways with the operation initially based at the Tyseley Locomotive Works. In November 1997, Fragonset commenced its first contract providing locomotives for Virgin CrossCountry. A further Class 47/7 owned by the Lear family was also managed. A permanent base was established at the Railway Technical Centre, Derby. The locomotives were repainted into a new livery of black with a broad maroon mid-bodyside stripe.
In 1998, Fragonset purchased several redundant Class 31 locomotives from EWS. The first of these, 31452, was quickly repaired at the company's base at Tyseley Locomotive Works. A further four Class 31s quickly followed. They were initially employed on Silverlink services on the Marston Vale Line, operating in top and tail mode with two carriages. The use of the Class 31s continued until 1999, when Class 150/1 diesel multiple units replaced them. Following this, the Class 31 fleet was employed on a variety of duties, including hire to WAGN to haul electrical multiple units between depots for maintenance.
Fragonset would go on to purchase many redundant locomotives from EWS, mainly of classes 31, 33, 47 and 73. By 2002 it had purchased 75.
First Great Western, Midland Mainline and Virgin CrossCountry all hired Class 47s. Wessex Trains hired Class 31s to haul passenger services from Bristol-Weymouth and Bristol-Brighton with 31601 repainted into Wessex Trains pink livery. First North Western hired Class 31s to work Blackpool-Manchester-Chester services.
Railtrack hired 31190 and 31601 to haul test trains. Both locomotives were repainted into Railtrack's blue and lime green livery. Network Rail (Railtrack's successor) purchased its own fleet of 31s, so no longer required the Fragonset locomotives. First GBRf hired Class 73s to supplement its own fleet.
South West Trains hired Class 33s and 73s to act as Thunderbird rescue locomotives. West Coast Railways hired 31190, repainted into Royal Scotsman maroon livery.
Some locomotives, notably 47355 and 73107, were repainted into a freight livery of all-over black with large Fragonset lettering.
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FM Rail
FM Rail was a railway charter company based in Derby, England. The company was formed when spot hire company Fragonset Railways and charter operator Merlin Rail merged. It went into administration in 2006.
Fragonset Railways was formed in 1997 as a spot hire company when four Class 47/7 locomotives were purchased from Waterman Railways with the operation initially based at the Tyseley Locomotive Works. In November 1997, Fragonset commenced its first contract providing locomotives for Virgin CrossCountry. A further Class 47/7 owned by the Lear family was also managed. A permanent base was established at the Railway Technical Centre, Derby. The locomotives were repainted into a new livery of black with a broad maroon mid-bodyside stripe.
In 1998, Fragonset purchased several redundant Class 31 locomotives from EWS. The first of these, 31452, was quickly repaired at the company's base at Tyseley Locomotive Works. A further four Class 31s quickly followed. They were initially employed on Silverlink services on the Marston Vale Line, operating in top and tail mode with two carriages. The use of the Class 31s continued until 1999, when Class 150/1 diesel multiple units replaced them. Following this, the Class 31 fleet was employed on a variety of duties, including hire to WAGN to haul electrical multiple units between depots for maintenance.
Fragonset would go on to purchase many redundant locomotives from EWS, mainly of classes 31, 33, 47 and 73. By 2002 it had purchased 75.
First Great Western, Midland Mainline and Virgin CrossCountry all hired Class 47s. Wessex Trains hired Class 31s to haul passenger services from Bristol-Weymouth and Bristol-Brighton with 31601 repainted into Wessex Trains pink livery. First North Western hired Class 31s to work Blackpool-Manchester-Chester services.
Railtrack hired 31190 and 31601 to haul test trains. Both locomotives were repainted into Railtrack's blue and lime green livery. Network Rail (Railtrack's successor) purchased its own fleet of 31s, so no longer required the Fragonset locomotives. First GBRf hired Class 73s to supplement its own fleet.
South West Trains hired Class 33s and 73s to act as Thunderbird rescue locomotives. West Coast Railways hired 31190, repainted into Royal Scotsman maroon livery.
Some locomotives, notably 47355 and 73107, were repainted into a freight livery of all-over black with large Fragonset lettering.