Riviera Trains

Riviera Trains Limited is a railway spot-hire company based at Burton-on-Trent and Eastleigh in England.

Riviera Trains Limited
Founded1995
Headquarters
Crewe
,
England
SubsidiariesPathfinder Tours UK Railtours
Websitewww.riviera-trains.co.uk

History
47805 at Cromwell Moor in July 2007
Mark 1 in Great Western Railway livery
Mark 2 in Great Briton livery

Riviera Trains was founded in 1995, initially based at Cranmore on the East Somerset Railway. It later relocated to Crewe and Eastleigh.[1]

Operations

Riviera Trains has provided rolling stock on both short and long term hire to many train operating companies including Abellio ScotRail, Arriva Trains Wales, Direct Rail Services, First Great Western, First ScotRail, Grand Central, Virgin CrossCountry and Wales & Borders.[2][3][4]

Riviera also hire to rail tour customers who include: The Branch Line Society, Compass Tours, Kingfisher Railtours, Past Time Rail, Pathfinder Tours 2006, SRPS, The Railway Touring Company and UK Railtours. In 2006 Riviera Trains acquired Pathfinder Tours.[5]

Charter Alliance

On 1 April 2007 EWS and Riviera Trains launched Charter Alliance to provide charter services.[6][7]

Fleet

Locomotives

In 1999 Riviera Trains purchased its first locomotives; 37029 and 47705.[8] Two further Class 47s (47805 and 47839) were acquired from Porterbrook in 2002.[9] Further Class 47s were purchased from Harry Needle Railroad Company (47575 and 47769) and Porterbrook (47812, 47815, 47829, 47843, 47847 and 47848).[10][11] After long periods with little use, the 47s were sold to Direct Rail Services, Harry Needle Railroad Company and Rail Operations Group between 2011 and 2016.[12][13]

Carriages

Riviera Trains commenced with one set of Mark 1 carriages.[1] It later purchased further Mark 1s and Mark 2s.[14][15]

Riviera Trains launched a rake of Mark 2F coaching stock early in 2006, called The Great Briton. All carriages were in the livery of Oxford Blue and Cream, which were hand painted at LNWR Crewe. The eight coaches are named after famous Britons, such as Shakespeare and Churchill, and feature hand painted Union Jacks on each side of the coaches. In January 2007 The Great Briton luxury Pullman train set took over the operation of the Blue Pullman for Hertfordshire Rail Tours after FM Rail ceased.

On 11 April 2008 Riviera launched a rake of Mark 1 coaching stock named The Royal Scot. This set has had over £500,000 invested in it, with all the coaches painted in carmine and cream livery and featuring The Royal Scot carriage destination boards. Both the interior and exterior of the vehicles underwent a full refurbishment.

Fleet details
Key: In service Under repair Sold for further use


Number Class Name Livery Year Acquired Former Owner Status
08507 08 - Oxford Blue 2013 ex Harry Needle Railroad Company Operational
08605 08 - DB Red/Grey 2016 ex DB Cargo Operational
08704 08 - Oxford Blue 2013 ex Harry Needle Railroad Company Operational
08780 08 - Oxford Blue 2003 ex First Great Western Operational

Past fleet
Key: Withdrawn Sold for further use


Number Class Name Livery Year Acquired Former Operator Status
37383 37 - Mainline Freight blue 2000 ex EWS Scrapped
47575 47 - Rail Express Systems 2004 ex EWS[10] Scrapped in 2010
47705 47 Guy Fawkes LNWR black 1997 ex Waterman Railways[8] Sold to Porterbrook in 2002, and converted to 57303[16]
47747 47 - EWS 2007 ex EWS Sold to Direct Rail Services in 2011
47769 47 Resolve Virgin CrossCountry 2004 ex Porterbrook[10] Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2013
47805 47 - Oxford Blue 2005 ex Porterbrook[9] Sold to Direct Rail Services in 2011[12]
47812 47 - Oxford Blue 2005 ex Porterbrook[11] Sold to Rail Operations Group in 2016[12]
47815 47 Great Western Oxford Blue 2005 ex Porterbrook[11] Sold to Rail Operations Group in 2016[12]
47829 47 - British Transport Police 2005 ex Porterbrook[11] Sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company in 2007
47839 47 Pegasus Oxford Blue 2002 ex Porterbrook[9] Sold to Direct Rail Services in 2011[12]
47843 47 Vulcan Oxford Blue 2005 ex Porterbrook[11] Sold to Rail Operations Group in 2016[12]
47847 47 - BR Blue Large Logo 2005 ex Porterbrook[11] Sold to Rail Operations Group in 2016[12]
47848 47 Titan Star Oxford Blue 2005 ex Porterbrook[11] Sold to Rail Operations Group in 2016[12]
47853 47 Rail Express XP64 Blue/Red 2002 ex Porterbrook[11] Sold to Direct Rail Services in 2011[12]
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References
  1. About Riviera Trains Limited Riviera Trains
  2. DRS begins its own service to ferry workers to Sellafield and return Rail Express issue 189 February 2012 page 7
  3. Riviera in the Valleys Rail issue 466 23 July 2003 page 71
  4. Virgin announces summer loco-hauled trains The Railway Magazine issue 1238 June 2004 page 64
  5. Riviera/FM acquire Pathfinder Tours Today's Railways UK issue 51 March 2006 page 7
  6. Charter Alliance launched for quality specialist passenger rail services EWS
  7. EWS/Riviera Charter Alliance runs first trains Today's Railways UK issue 78 June 2007 page 78
  8. Riviera Trains buys main line diesels The Railway Magazine issue 1185 January 2000 page 12
  9. Riviera Trains acquires two Class 47s from Porterbrook Rail issue 448 13 November 2002 page 58
  10. Riviera buys two more 47s Rail issue 492 21 July 2004 page 27
  11. Seven more 47s for Riviera Rail issue 501 24 November 2004 page 26
  12. More 47s for DRS Today's Railways UK issue 118 October 2011 page 58
  13. ROG buys five Riviera Class 47s Today's Railways UK issue 176 August 2016 page 60
  14. Riviera takes HSBC stock Rail issue 440 24 July 2002 page 61
  15. Arriva Mk 2 coaches leave South Wales Rail Express issue 210 November 2013 page 55
  16. Reprieve for 47705 Rail Express issue 73 June 2002 page 73

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