HNRC Swietelsky branding makes debut on UK network after takeover

Following the takeover of Harry Needle Railroad Company by Swietelsky, the first locomotives have appeared on the main line with the new branding.

The company will be known as HNRC Swietelsky (HNRCS), part of the Swietelsky group and a separate business to the Swietelsky Babcock Rail partnership engaged on infrastructure projects.

Swietelsky AG is the company’s Austrian core business, which has a number of divisions including Bahnbau - the main railway sector business.

The Swietelsky Constriction Company Ltd is a UK on-track maintenance company owned by Swietelsky AG. It has been operating in the UK for more than 20 years, providing some of the most modern and high-output OTM (on-track machines) technology, including Techne Kirow cranes.

HNRC Swietelsky is the new company set up after HNRC was acquired by Swietelsky AG though share purchase on December 20, and all its associated people, assets, plant, property and locomotives (mainly Class 08s, ‘20s’, ‘37s’, and the two Class 73/9s) have transferred to Swietelsky ownership.

Following Harry Needle’s resignation as MD, Craig Goldie is now MD alongside his role as MD Swietelsky Construction.

Swietelsky Babcock Rail (SB Rail) is an unincorporated joint venture between Swietelsky and Babcock, acting as partners that have been delivering OTM contracted services to Network Rail since 2004.

So far of the ex-HNRC assets, 20302/311 and 37405/607 (which were already in HNRC orange colours) have appeared with the Swietelsky logos and HNRC above them.

The first run was by 37607 on January 15, when it ran light from Barrow Hill to collect failed 37057 Barbara Arbon after it had failed on a test train. It took the failed ‘37’ and its train back to Derby RTC.

The same morning, 37405 arrived at Barrow Hill and had its branding applied before being sent out to work later that same afternoon.

HNRCS said it will initially only be repainting locomotives that need it, and retaining the all-over orange colours, with 37422 likely to be the first.