European Railroad Discussion > [UK] Virgin Pendolino Ownership

Might be a dumb question, but since I don't know I will have to ask: are the Virgin class 390 Pendolinos owned by the company, or as often in EU by a train owner company? Searching data on this gives multiple answers and lots of read between lines ideas on the subject, but nothing conclusive.

Thank you for answers on this issue!

 

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McKey Wrote:
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> Might be a dumb question, but since I don't know I
> will have to ask: are the Virgin class 390
> Pendolinos owned by the company, or as often in EU
> by a train owner company? Searching data on this
> gives multiple answers and lots of read between
> lines ideas on the subject, but nothing
> conclusive.

Like nearly all British equipment, they are owned by a ROSCO (rolling stock leasing company) and leased to the TOC (train operating company). There are three major ROSCOs, which are typically owned by banks and investment firms. In this case, the ROSCO is Angel Trains. https://www.angeltrains.co.uk
 

Thank you very much railsmith! So you have the same system as Continental Europe.

Besides Angel trains, is there a list of the other ROSCOs?

 

Porterbrook and Eversholt Rail Group are two other major ROSCO's. Quite a few freight locos are owned by the actual freight operating companies also though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/16 13:47 by exhaustED.

Thanks, still one more question: do huge leasing companies like MRCE or Railpool, or possibly Beacon Rail have any business inside U.K.?  


 

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Yes, Beacon Rail lease some locomotives to Direct Rail Services (DRS). This currently includes Bo-Bo mixed traffic diesel class 68's (manufactured by Vossloh with a Caterpillar power unit) and the soon-to-be-deliverd class 88, an electro-diesel with a small (900hp) diesel engine for working on non-electrified sections of track.
DRS are the only (UK) state-owned freight operator in the UK. 7 or 8 of their class 68's are currently on long-term lease to Chiltern railways for hauling push/pull passenger trains between London and the Midlands/Birmingham area.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/16 13:35 by exhaustED.

McKey Wrote:
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> Thanks, still one more question: do huge leasing
> companies like MRCE or Railpool, or possibly
> Beacon Rail have any business inside U.K.?  
>
No, I believe that that they have no presence at all, certainly not in the main rolling stock markets, which are of course all passenger stock. There is a small market for the spot hire and shortterm lease of both locos, and passenger coaches usually for special operations The few freight operators often own both their locos and wagons, but Ieasing of freight stock (by eg Tiphook) is not uncommon.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/16 14:18 by spflow.

spflow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> McKey Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thanks, still one more question: do huge
> leasing
> > companies like MRCE or Railpool, or possibly
> > Beacon Rail have any business inside U.K.?  
> >
> No, I believe that that they have no presence at
> all, certainly not in the main rolling stock
> markets, which are of course all passenger stock.
> There is a small market for the spot hire and
> shortterm lease of both locos, and passenger
> coaches usually for special operations The few
> freight operators may own (or common) or lease
> their locos and wagons.

You might want to read your response through and clarify it slightly?

exhaustED Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> spflow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > McKey Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Thanks, still one more question: do huge
> > leasing
> > > companies like MRCE or Railpool, or possibly
> > > Beacon Rail have any business inside
> U.K.?  
> > >
> > No, I believe that that they have no presence
> at
> > all, certainly not in the main rolling stock
> > markets, which are of course all passenger
> stock.
> > There is a small market for the spot hire and
> > shortterm lease of both locos, and passenger
> > coaches usually for special operations The few
> > freight operators may own (or common) or lease
> > their locos and wagons.
>
> You might want to read your response through and
> clarify it slightly?

Thanks for pointing out my incoherent garbage!

I have edited my response so I hope it now makes sense. The real point I wsa trying to make was that these big European leasing outfits seem to have a very small role in the UK. The main reason for the setup post-privatisation of the passenger ROSCOs was to free the operating franchises for having to make long term commitments to investment in vehicles. One of the great ironies of rail privatisation in the UK is that Government contol, intervention and subsidy of the industry has multiplied tenfold.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/16 02:35 by spflow.