RIVIERA TRAINS TO SELL CARRIAGE FLEET TO WCRC
Published at 09:38 on Friday 13th September 2024
Tags: Riviera Trains, West Coast Railway Company, Mk2 Coaches
Vehicles from the Riviera Mk2 fleet stand at Bristol Temple Meads while operating on a recent charter. With the rolling stock sold to WCRC, Riviera Trains will be wound up. Jack Boskett Media
It has been confirmed that independent rolling stock operator, Riviera Trains, has agreed the sale of its fleet of Mk2 coaches to Carnforth-based West Coast Railway Company.
The deal, which includes around 60 vehicles, including the two 'blue and grey'-liveried Mark 2 sets that are fully CDL fitted, has been concluded in recent days and may partly explain the reluctance of West Coast Railway Company to invest in its Mk1 fleet of coaches, which have been stopped from operating in passenger service since the outcome of its Judicial Review against the ORR process for insisting on CDL fitment. However, it should be noted that with the Riviera Mk2 fleet being air-braked, it does not improve the availability of WCR locomotives for steam operations, the majority of which are not equipped with air-brakes. It is expected that the whole of the former Riviera Trains fleet will move from its current base at Burton-on-Trent to the WCRC facility at Carnforth in due course, with future operations being handled out of the WCRC depots at Carnforth and Southall.
The owner of Riviera Trains, Barry Cordell and his Operations Manager, Charles Paget, said they were pleased to secure the future of the vehicles, having played a pivotal role in the provision of locomotive-hauled coaching stock for ad-hoc operations and special trains for many years. This sale marks a momentous occasion for Barry Cordell, who, with over 30 years involvement in the charter train business, will be stepping back from main line operations. Charles Paget, who has been an integral part of Riviera Trains for the past three decades, will join WCRC as its Business Manager.
The move is likely to bring some stability to the charter industry, given the issues that have been faced by lack of rolling stock since the removal of the WCRC Mk1s from the operational fleet. It is understood that through Mr Paget's new position, existing Riviera Trains third-party customers, such as GB Railfreight will still be able to hire the Mark 2 fleet for private and corporate workings if required, although this has not been confirmed by WCR.
With the sale expected to be concluded in late September, the Riviera Trains brand will cease to exist, with the company being wound up.
Barry Cordell said: “This agreement builds on the solid business relationship that the two organisations have enjoyed in recent years and will provide stability for the charter industry going forward.” He added that his partial retirement from the industry will allow him to focus further on his separate Pathfinder Railtours business, which is unaffected by the sale and will continue to operate as usual, from the Stroud office. It is understood that Pathfinder Railtours will continue to use the former Riviera Trains rolling stock, under WCRC ownership, in its ongoing tour and excursion programme. However, it is not yet known if the current blue and grey Mark 2 fleet will be repainted into WCR maroon or keep their current colours.
