01.12.05
EWS awarded Sleeper contract
First ScotRail has awarded EWS a new contract to provide drivers and locomotives for the operation of the Caledonian Sleeper services between Scotland and London.
EWS has a long association with the Caledonian Sleeper and has been providing locomotives and drivers for it since 1996.
The contract commeneced on 1st January 2006 and will expire in 2011.
Under the new contract, EWS will supply locomotives and drivers to operate First ScotRail’s Caledonian Sleeper services that serve Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Fort William, Glasgow, Inverness and London Euston.
First ScotRail’s Head of Contracts, Mike Price, explained the decision, “EWS provided a competitive bid which illustrated a commitment to delivering a reliable service for the Caledonian Sleeper. We are happy to be working with them and look forward to offering an improved service to our customers.”
EWS’s General Manager of Rail Industry Services, Nigel Smith, said, “EWS is delighted to have been awarded this long term contract by First ScotRail to operate the Caledonian Sleeper services. We have been able to provide a robust service offering that met their requirements and we are confident we will be able to deliver this to the highest standard.”
The contract will see five class 90 electric locomotives that operate between London Euston and Edinburgh/Glasgow re-branded in First ScotRail’s livery. The new livery will be applied by Axiom Rail, a trading brand of EWS, which is also refurbishing all carriages used on the Caledonian Sleeper as part of a £1 million upgrade by First ScotRail.
Class 67 locomotives will be used between Edinburgh and Aberdeen/Inverness.
While the contract will initially see class 37 locomotives used between Edinburgh and Fort William, First ScotRail, EWS and Network Rail are developing plans to introduce regular haulage with class 67 locomotives during the early stages of the contract.
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