Unfulfilled Dreams
GB Railfreight Class 92s, 92040 "Goethe" and 92045 "Chaucer" stand bogie-less in the yard at the Brush Traction works, Loughborough, contemplating their uncertain futures.
The History of the Stored Class 92s at Brush:
021, 040, 045 and 046 are the remaining stored Class 92s in the GB Railfreight fleet – with all four having been stored for almost 20 years.
The Forgotten Four were part of the seven Class 92s originally owned by European Passenger Services (EPS) for use on the ill-fated Nightstar European sleeper service.
Up until April 2001, all of the EPS engines were used along with the rest of the Class 92 fleet as part of the common pool operated by EWS and based at Crewe ETD.
However, with the Nightstar project officially over, EPS offered their 92s for sale during 2000, but no buyers were found. Consequently, all seven were stored on 24 April 2001 - with 021, 040, 045 and 046 never having worked since.
021 and 040 were eventually purchased by Europorte (along with three other 92s) on 15 Feb 2007 from EPS for a total of £2m for the five locos (which cost £21m to build in 2007 prices).
021 and 040 remained stored and were moved by road from Crewe IEMD to Loughborough by Allelys in late July 2008. In Summer 2010, 021 and 040 moved to Cheriton where they remained for a while, before moving on to Coquelles/Frethun Eurotunnel Depot in Autumn 2011.
021 and 040 remained at Frethun Depot in store until being repatriated on 24/11/2018 and 08/12/2018 respectively for parts recovery and storage at Loughborough Brush.
The remaining two EPS 92s - 045 and 046 - were also purchased by Europorte in November 2007. They were both moved by road to Loughborough in late July 2008 and have remained at Brush ever since, donating parts to the rest of the Europorte/GBRf fleet.
In February 2014, all Europorte Class 92s – including the stored locomotives - were sold to its then subsidiary, GB Railfreight Limited. The Caledonian Sleeper contract meant the GBRf active fleet increased to 12 of their 16 engines. However, the remaining four stored locos – ironically all originally intended for sleeper operations – are unlikely to work again.
Unfulfilled Dreams
GB Railfreight Class 92s, 92040 "Goethe" and 92045 "Chaucer" stand bogie-less in the yard at the Brush Traction works, Loughborough, contemplating their uncertain futures.
The History of the Stored Class 92s at Brush:
021, 040, 045 and 046 are the remaining stored Class 92s in the GB Railfreight fleet – with all four having been stored for almost 20 years.
The Forgotten Four were part of the seven Class 92s originally owned by European Passenger Services (EPS) for use on the ill-fated Nightstar European sleeper service.
Up until April 2001, all of the EPS engines were used along with the rest of the Class 92 fleet as part of the common pool operated by EWS and based at Crewe ETD.
However, with the Nightstar project officially over, EPS offered their 92s for sale during 2000, but no buyers were found. Consequently, all seven were stored on 24 April 2001 - with 021, 040, 045 and 046 never having worked since.
021 and 040 were eventually purchased by Europorte (along with three other 92s) on 15 Feb 2007 from EPS for a total of £2m for the five locos (which cost £21m to build in 2007 prices).
021 and 040 remained stored and were moved by road from Crewe IEMD to Loughborough by Allelys in late July 2008. In Summer 2010, 021 and 040 moved to Cheriton where they remained for a while, before moving on to Coquelles/Frethun Eurotunnel Depot in Autumn 2011.
021 and 040 remained at Frethun Depot in store until being repatriated on 24/11/2018 and 08/12/2018 respectively for parts recovery and storage at Loughborough Brush.
The remaining two EPS 92s - 045 and 046 - were also purchased by Europorte in November 2007. They were both moved by road to Loughborough in late July 2008 and have remained at Brush ever since, donating parts to the rest of the Europorte/GBRf fleet.
In February 2014, all Europorte Class 92s – including the stored locomotives - were sold to its then subsidiary, GB Railfreight Limited. The Caledonian Sleeper contract meant the GBRf active fleet increased to 12 of their 16 engines. However, the remaining four stored locos – ironically all originally intended for sleeper operations – are unlikely to work again.