Chiltern Railways team inspects former TransPennine Express Mk 5s

A Chiltern Railways senior management delegation has visited Long Marston to inspect the ex-TransPennine Express Mk 5 coaches.

The company said the team was able to inspect the coaches, which “we want to bring to Chiltern to replace our Mk 3 coaches”.

Chiltern added that the coaches are “a step up from the Mk 3s”, adding: “If we can secure them for Chiltern it would be fantastic

for our customers. We are working hard to reach agreement between us, the owner of the coaches [Beacon Rail] and the Department for Transport by the end of March.”

The suggestion is that Chiltern is seeking nine six-coach sets, which would require most of Beacon’s Class 68s that are able to work with the coaches (68019- 032 to be leased as well).

It is likely 12 of these ‘68s’ would be needed. The other two could go to Europhoenix, if it pursues an aspiration to add two Class 68s to its fleet. Alternatively, they could come from the pool of six current Chiltern locomotives (68010-015) which would be displaced by the Mk 5- compatible ‘68s’.

The six silver Class 68s could be returned to Beacon or added to the Direct Rail Services operational fleet to replace the five Class 66s it has returned to DB Cargo.

By Pip Dunn