Cotswold Rail

Fate	Dissolved
Founded	2000
Defunct	2010
Headquarters	Gloucester
Services	Locomotive spot-hire
Parent	Adrian Parcell
Subsidiaries	Advenza Freight
Website	www.costwoldrail.com

Cotswold Rail was an English spot-hire company of shunting and mainline locomotives, based in Gloucester.

Cotswold Rail was founded in 2000. It initially acted as a broker for rolling stock. In June 2000 it offered 13 141 Pacers for sale.

In 2001, some Class 08 shunting locomotives were purchased, which were hired to both industry and main-line railway companies.

Cotswold Rail also purchased a fleet of Class 47 locomotives. From June 2002 until June 2009, it provided Class 47s for Anglia Railways and its successor National Express East Anglia as a rescue locomotive and to haul Mark 2 sets on Summer Saturday services from Norwich to Great Yarmouth.

In 2004, Cotswold Rail leased 12 former Virgin Trains Mark 3 carriages from Porterbrook.

In April 2005, Cotswold Rail acquired leased some Class 87 electric locomotives. A fleet of ten locomotives was planned for spot-hire work, charter operations and a new intermodal freight flow. However, all locomotives were returned to the leasing company (Porterbrook) in 2006.

In September 2005 two former Virgin CrossCountry High Speed Train sets were leased. These were returned in August 2006.

In 2005, Cotswold Rail purchased Advenza Freight, primarily for its safety case. This allowed it to operate freight services. In 2007, railtour promoter Steamy Affairs was purchased.

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Wikipedia