Europhoenix

Europhoenix is an English railway locomotive company whose activities combine short-term locomotive hire in the United Kingdom with the refurbishment and export of former British railway rolling stock. The company is particularly associated with older electric and diesel locomotives that have been withdrawn from mainstream British service but retain commercial value in freight, engineering or overseas operations. The business was founded in 2008 by Glenn Edwards and initially traded as Electric Traction Limited before adopting the Europhoenix name. Its early focus was the reactivation and overhaul of 17 stored Class 87 electric locomotives formerly owned by the leasing company Porterbrook. The locomotives were prepared at a workshop at Long Marston for a contract involving the Bulgarian Railway Company. After that programme, Europhoenix continued to look for overseas customers for locomotives remaining in storage, while examples considered uneconomic to restore were progressively dismantled. The company subsequently developed a broader export programme. Several Class 87 locomotives were sold to the Bulgarian private railway operator Bulmarket, while Class 86 electric locomotives acquired from storage by HSBC Rail were refurbished and sold to the Hungarian open-access operator Floyd Zrt. Europhoenix also handled Class 56 diesel freight locomotives, some of which were exported to Hungary. These projects established the company's role not only as a seller or refurbisher, but also as a provider of continuing technical advice and aftersales support for overseas operators. During the 2010s, Europhoenix expanded into the British spot-hire market with Class 37 diesel locomotives. It acquired locomotives from DB Schenker, Direct Rail Services and the preservation sector, then arranged heavy overhauls and rebuilds through specialist railway engineering companies. The original plan was to offer the locomotives as occasional hires, but demand from customers including the Rail Operations Group was strong enough to keep much of the fleet employed on a near-continuous basis. By 2018, the company's Class 37 fleet had undergone full rebuild work. Europhoenix's business model is based on extending the useful lives of established locomotive designs rather than competing primarily through the purchase of new rolling stock. It evaluates surplus or withdrawn railway assets, assesses whether they can be economically restored, and matches them with domestic or overseas demand. Its work has therefore depended on the availability of locomotives released by British operators and leasing companies as fleets are modernised or passenger services change. The company has also examined lower-emission and hybrid technologies, including cleaner engine designs, in an effort to improve the future operating prospects of older locomotives. In 2019, it announced a plan to refurbish and export as many as 20 Class 91 electric locomotives for heavy freight work in Eastern Europe. Europhoenix had acquired two examples for initial trials and discussed technical changes with Voith, including re-gearing for freight use and coupling locomotives permanently in pairs. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted plans associated with Bulgaria, and by February 2022 the company was still seeking suitable continental European opportunities. Europhoenix's public profile is consequently defined by specialist asset conversion, cross-border locomotive deployment and flexible fleet support rather than by mass-market consumer branding.

Europhoenix originated in 2008 under the leadership of Glenn Edwards, initially trading as Electric Traction Limited. Its first major project involved the recovery and overhaul of 17 stored Class 87 electric locomotives previously owned by Porterbrook. A workshop was established at Long Marston to repair and reactivate the locomotives for a programme connected with the Bulgarian Railway Company. This project gave the business its initial experience in assessing stored British locomotives, carrying out heavy restoration and preparing them for operation outside the United Kingdom. After the original Bulgarian contract was completed, additional Class 87 locomotives remained in long-term storage at Long Marston. Europhoenix sought further buyers for those that could be restored economically, while other examples were gradually scrapped. In 2012, four Class 87s were sold to Bulmarket in Bulgaria. The same year, three Class 56 diesel locomotives were sold for dispatch to Hungary, where they were intended for use by Floyd Zrt. The company also built a substantial Class 86 programme. In September 2008, it acquired 23 Class 86 electric locomotives that had been stored by HSBC Rail. Europhoenix's engineering team undertook an extensive refurbishment programme at Long Marston. Between 2009 and 2013, eight rebuilt locomotives were sold to Floyd Zrt in Hungary. In May 2016, another six Class 86s were sold to Bulmarket. Two of those had previously been used in Britain by Electric Traction Limited, and the Bulgarian-bound locomotives received further modifications after arrival. Europhoenix's involvement with Class 56 locomotives developed from discussions with Floyd about restoring diesel freight power for Hungary. Three locomotives were acquired from DB Schenker, while a fourth came from the preservation sector. Three were exported to Hungary, although only two entered optional service and the other appears to have served primarily as a source of parts. The fourth locomotive was briefly operated by Europhoenix before being sold to Colas Rail. The company continued to provide technical support and advice to both Bulgarian and Hungarian customers after the export transactions. A further phase began in the early 2010s when Europhoenix entered the British spot-hire market with Class 37 diesel locomotives. In 2013 it acquired 37800 and 37884 from DB Schenker and preserved locomotive 37906 from the Ruston 906 Group. The first two returned to service in 2015 and 2016 after overhaul work by the Harry Needle Railroad Company and UK Rail Leasing, and were leased to the Rail Operations Group. In 2016 Europhoenix bought five more Class 37s from Direct Rail Services: 37503, 37510, 37608, 37611 and 37670. The Class 37 fleet was originally intended for occasional spot-hire work. Customer demand proved stronger than expected, and the locomotives were employed almost continuously rather than being held mainly for ad hoc contracts. By 2018, the entire fleet had received full rebuild work. This shift demonstrated Europhoenix's ability to move between export sales and domestic operational leasing according to market demand. In the later 2010s, the company investigated hybrid propulsion and cleaner engine designs as possible ways to improve the environmental and commercial performance of its fleet. It also continued to review other locomotive types for both export and British spot-hire use, particularly assets becoming available as railway operators replaced older rolling stock with new fleets. In October 2019, Europhoenix announced an ambitious plan involving up to 20 Class 91 electric locomotives. The proposed programme would have adapted locomotives withdrawn from East Coast Main Line express passenger service for heavy freight work in Eastern Europe. Two locomotives had been obtained for initial trials. In cooperation with Voith, Europhoenix considered re-gearing them for lower-speed heavy haulage and permanently coupling pairs together at their blunt ends. Plans connected with Bulgaria were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. By February 2022, the company was still looking for continental European applications, having determined that the British market offered little suitable work for the Class 91 type. Across its history, Europhoenix has operated as a specialist railway engineering and asset-utilisation business. Its activities have included acquisition, overhaul, reconfiguration, sale, export, leasing and aftersales support. The company's distinctive role is to find new operational uses for mature British locomotive designs in markets where their performance, availability or cost remains attractive.

• 2022

  Class 91 opportunities still being sought

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  The company was still seeking continental European work for its Class 91 locomotives after pandemic-related disruption.

• 2019

  Class 91 freight conversion proposal

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  Europhoenix announced plans to refurbish and export up to 20 Class 91 electric locomotives for heavy freight operations in Eastern Europe.

• 2018

  Class 37 fleet fully rebuilt

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  By this year, Europhoenix's Class 37 fleet had undergone full rebuild work after sustained spot-hire demand.

• 2016

  Additional Class 37 and Class 86 acquisitions

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  The company purchased five further Class 37s from Direct Rail Services and sold six refurbished Class 86s to Bulmarket.

• 2013

  Class 37 fleet acquisition begins

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  Europhoenix acquired three Class 37 locomotives from commercial and preservation sources, beginning its expansion into British spot-hire operations.

• 2012

  Class 87 and Class 56 exports

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  Four Class 87s were sold to Bulgarian operator Bulmarket, while three Class 56 locomotives were sold for use in Hungary.

• 2009

  Class 86 exports to Hungary begin

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  Refurbished Class 86 locomotives began being sold to Hungarian open-access operator Floyd Zrt, with exports continuing through 2013.

• 2008

  Company founded and Class 87 programme begins

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  Glenn Edwards founded the business, then trading as Electric Traction Limited, and began restoring stored Class 87 electric locomotives for an overseas programme involving Bulgaria.

• 2008

  Class 86 locomotives acquired

  [1]Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org

  The company acquired 23 stored Class 86 electric locomotives from HSBC Rail and started an extensive refurbishment programme at Long Marston.

A specialist railway asset-management and locomotive-services company focused on restoring, deploying and supporting mature British locomotive designs in domestic spot-hire and continental European freight markets.

• Diesel locomotive spot-hire · 2013

  Class 37

  Europhoenix's Class 37 programme involved acquiring locomotives from DB Schenker, Direct Rail Services and preservation sources, arranging substantial overhaul and rebuild work, and placing the locomotives into the British spot-hire market. The fleet was initially intended for occasional work but attracted sustained demand, including from the Rail Operations Group. By 2018, the examples held by the company had undergone full rebuild work.

• Electric locomotive refurbishment and export · 2008

  Class 86

  Europhoenix acquired 23 stored Class 86 electric locomotives from HSBC Rail and refurbished them at Long Marston. Between 2009 and 2013, eight were sold to Floyd Zrt in Hungary, followed by a further six sold to Bulmarket in Bulgaria in 2016. The Bulgarian examples received additional alterations after arrival, reflecting the company's practice of adapting British rolling stock for overseas operating conditions.

• Electric locomotive refurbishment and export · 2008

  Class 87

  The Class 87 programme was Europhoenix's founding project. The company overhauled 17 locomotives stored at Long Marston for an overseas contract associated with the Bulgarian Railway Company. After the initial programme, it marketed additional stored locomotives to operators, including Bulmarket, while scrapping examples that were judged uneconomic to restore.

• Diesel freight locomotive refurbishment and export · 2012

  Class 56

  Europhoenix restored and arranged the overseas deployment of Class 56 diesel freight locomotives. Three were acquired from DB Schenker and another from the preservation sector following interest from Floyd Zrt. Three were sent to Hungary, although only two entered operational service and the third appears to have been retained mainly for spare parts. A fourth locomotive was briefly used by Europhoenix before being sold to Colas Rail.

• Electric locomotive freight-conversion proposal · 2019

  Class 91

  Europhoenix proposed converting up to 20 Class 91 electric locomotives, withdrawn from British express passenger service, for heavy freight operations in Eastern Europe. Two were acquired for initial trials. Proposed modifications included re-gearing for lower-speed haulage and permanently coupling locomotives in pairs, with Voith identified as a technical partner. The export programme remained under development after pandemic disruption.

• 2019

  Proposed Class 91 conversion and export programmeStrategy

  Background

  Class 91 locomotives were becoming available after withdrawal from express passenger services, while Europhoenix identified limited suitable work for the type in Britain and potential demand for heavy freight power in Eastern Europe.

  Action taken

  Europhoenix acquired two locomotives for trials and announced a plan to refurbish and export as many as 20. Proposed engineering changes included lower-rated gearing and permanent pairing, with Voith involved in the technical discussions.

  Aftermath

  Plans associated with Bulgaria were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. By February 2022, Europhoenix was still seeking continental European opportunities for the locomotives.

  Source

• 2018

  Shift of Class 37 fleet toward sustained spot-hire useStrategy

  Background

  Europhoenix initially acquired Class 37 locomotives with the expectation that they would serve the occasional spot-hire market.

  Action taken

  After customer interest proved strong, the company kept the locomotives in near-permanent employment and completed full rebuild work across the fleet.

  Aftermath

  The Class 37 programme became a core domestic operating activity alongside the company's locomotive export and technical-support work.

  Source

1. 1Europhoenixen.wikipedia.org