From the post-privatisation of British Rail one operator bucked the trend, and instead of buying new locomotives they invested in class 20s, 37s and 47s.

Now operating a fleet of more than 60 locomotives and rising, Direct Rail Services emerged from a small operation based in Cumbria to become the third largest freight operator in the UK today.

From the high profile 66411 ‘Eddie the Engine’ to the humble class 20, this programme looks at the locomotives owned and operated by DRS and the trains which they haul.

Starting with the Class 20s, which are featured hauling flask trains, including the famous 6K73 working. Although they normally work in pairs, some triple headers are included as well as mixed formations with Class 37s. See 20313, 20314 and 20315 on the Twenty Twenty Vision railtour.

The popular Class 37s feature on many different duties. From coal trains to Intermodals, flasks, tankers and water cannons, see these veteran type 3s hard at work. Includes amazing footage of 37029 hauling the Royal Scotsman!

The most elusive members of the DRS fleet are the Class 47s. With just three operational members in 2007 and little booked work, these machines were often hard to find but with a new livery, a relaunch and some coaches to haul, 47501 and 47802 ended up on a passenger trains! See 47237 and 47802 on flask duty in Scotland and 47237 at the Keighley and Worth Valley Diesel Gala.

With a recent addition of ten, a total of 30 Class 66s are now operated by DRS. The locos are featured on mixed duties again including flasks and water cannons plus Intermodals on the West Coast Main line and the high profile Tesco train. See 66411 on railtour duty and hauling the Tesco train over Ribblehead viaduct.

The programme is completed with locomotive details, footage from the Carlisle depot open day from July 2007, a look at the newly acquired Class 57s and a section dedicated to familiar DRS locos in previous lives