Rail Operations Group

Rail Operations Group (ROG) specialises in ad-hoc movement of rolling stock for rolling stock companies and train operating companies as well as locomotive spot hire services and the operation of charter trains. Founded by Karl Watts and David Burley, it commenced operating in November 2015.

Rail Operations Group
Overview
Fleet size20 locomotives
Dates of operationNovember 2015–
Other
Websitewww.railopsgroup.co.uk

History

After the company was granted an operating licence by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in March 2015, Rail Operations Group commenced operating rolling stock movements with a Class 37 locomotive leased from Europhoenix in November 2015.[1][2][3][4][5] It was joined by a second from the same source in July 2016.[6][7]

Previously, Class 56 locomotives were hired from UK Rail Leasing, with another leased from the Class 56 Preservation Group to perform rolling stock haulage.[8]

47813 at Old Oak Common TMD in September 2017

Between 2016 and 2017, Rail Operations Group purchased five Class 47 locomotives from Riviera Trains[9][10][11][12] and one from Direct Rail Services.[13][14]

In July 2016, ROG was granted a charter operator licence by the ORR.[15] A month later, ROG commenced a five-year contract to move rolling stock for Angel Trains.[5][16]

In 2017, ROG began to move second generation multiple units without having to use a barrier vehicle, courtesy by fitting some of its locomotives with Dellner couplers to haul multiple units built after 2001 and using a tightlock coupling device developed by UK Rail Leasing.[17]

Rail Operations Group operated its first scheduled passenger services in August 2017, when it operated additional relief services from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street under contract to Chiltern Railways between the 26th and 28th of August due to the closure of London Euston, these services were operated by 47812 and 813 with 6 leased Mk2 Coaches.[18] ROG has also leased Class 50 locomotives for snow clearing and to assist other train operating companies in route learning for diversions.[19]

In 2018, Rail Operations Group confirmed a long term lease for two Class 57s owned by Direct Rail Services,[20] and also announced that ten Class 93s have been ordered from Stadler Rail. The first locomotive is scheduled for delivery in August 2020.[21]

In March 2020, Rail Operations Group received 4 Class 20 locomotives on lease from Harry Needle Railroad Company.

Fleet

Rail Operations Group has a fleet of 20 locomotives, 3 of those being in storage

Class Image Top speed Number Locomotive numbers Built Notes
mph km/h
Diesel locomotives
20/0 & 20/3 75 121 4 20118, 20132, 20311, 20314 leased from Harry Needle Railroad Company
37/6 & 37/7 80 130 6 37510, 37601, 37608, 37611, 37800, 37884 1961–63
47/4 75 121 6 47812–813, 47815, 47843, 47847–848 1964–65 47843 and 47847 stored

47813, 815 and 848 in "Thank You NHS" vinyls

57/3 95 153 4 57301, 57305, 57310, 57312 1964-67 on Long-term lease from Direct Rail Services

Future fleet

Rail Operations Group is due to receive ten Class 93 tri-mode locomotives in 2020.[22]

In January 2019, it was confirmed that Rail Operations Group will operate two Class 769 units to transport mail.[23] In March 2020, the order was increased to 5 units[24].

Class Image Top speed Number Locomotive numbers Built
mph km/h
Tri-mode locomotives
93 110 180 10 93001–93010 2020
Bi-mode multiple units
769/3 Flex 100 161 5 769365–366, TBA 2017-2020

References
  1. "ROG prepares 37/7s with more locomotives targeted" Rail issue 788 25 November 2015 page 31
  2. "ROG completes work on first 37 for EMU haulage" Rail issue 790 23 December 2015 page 29
  3. "37884 in traffic with ROG" Today's Railways UK issue 169 January 2016 page 65
  4. "Rail Operations Group seeks more Class 37s" The Railway Magazine issue 1379 February 2016 page 82
  5. "Carving out a niche" The Railway Magazine issue 1386 September 2016 pages 14-18
  6. "37800 returns" Today's Railways UK issue 176 August 2016 page 63
  7. "Second Europhoenix Reinstated" Rail Express issue 243 August 2016 page 87
  8. "Other Operators". Class 56 Group. Rail Operations Group (ROG). Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  9. "ROG buys five Riviera Class 47s" The Railway Magazine issue 1384 July 2016 page 79
  10. "ROG earmarks Class 47s for passenger and freight work" Rail issue 804 6 July 2016 page 34
  11. "ROG buys five Riviera Class 47s" Today's Railways issue 176 August 2016 page 60
  12. "Riviera Trains sells Class 47s" Rail Express issue 243 August 2016 page 86
  13. "News in Brief" Rail issue 827 24 May 2017 page 28
  14. "ROG buys sixth 47" Today's Railways UK issue 184 April 2017 page 67
  15. "Approval of Rail Operations Group Disabled People's Protection Policy (Condition 5 of the GB Passenger Statement of National Regulatory Conditions)" (PDF). Office of Rail & Road. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  16. "ROC signs multi-million pound deal with Angel Trains" Rail issue 807 17 August 2016 page 27
  17. "UKRL Debuts Locomotive-to-Multiple Unit "Tightlock" Design". UKRL. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  18. "First scheduled passenger trains for ROG" Today's Railways UK issue 190 October 2017 page 25
  19. "English Electric Type 4 (later BR Class 50) diesel locomotives". SVR Live. 2 March 2018. February 22nd 2018 & March 2nd 2018. Archived from the original on 24 March 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  20. In Brief Railways Illustrated issue 188 October 2018 page 17
  21. Rail Operations fuels its ambitions with tri-mode Class 93s Rail issue 868 19 December 2018
  22. Rail Operations fuels its ambitions with tri-mode Class 93s Rail issue 868 19 December 2018
  23. Lea, Robert. "Poetic return for Auden's night train in era of ecommerce". The Times. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  24. "More FLEX units for ROG as it expands logistics traffic plans". www.railmagazine.com. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
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