DRS launches new cross-country freight service

Direct Rail Service (DRS) has announced a new route for freight trains connecting England with Scotland.

The cross-country service will run between Daventry in England and Coatbridge in Scotland, operating along the 330-mile route using Direct Rail Service’s (DRS) Class 88 locomotives.

Initially launched as a trial, it will be the fourth DRS Anglo Scottish rail service covering nearly the entire length of England and providing a new opportunity for freight customers.

It will run on electricity and produce no exhaust emissions, DRS has said, and divert freight from off the road and onto railways.

Gottfried Eymer, Managing Director for Rail, NTS said: “The unique feature of this train is that it is made up of goods from multiple customers, making it ideal for businesses that would like to benefit from rail but lack the volumes to justify their own train.”