WIREDGOV

As the UK fights against the extreme weather conditions, Direct Rail Services is helping Network Rail keep the nation moving by clearing snow from train lines.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s specialist rail freight subsidiary is hard at work keeping its locomotives running in the atrocious weather conditions that have been sweeping the nation.

DRS’ Commercial Director, Beverley Stothart, said:

Providing support to Network Rail in keeping the UK’s train services running is already an important part of our work, but when we face such a severe spell of weather, that threatens to disrupt the UK’s infrastructure, it’s even more important that we get DRS services out to help keep the lines open so the train services that we rely on can get back to normal.

The DRS loco’s are supporting Network Rail with its effort to return the rail network to normal, patrolling important routes to keep them open and driving snow ploughs to battle through the many drifts that ‘The Beast from the East’ has brought with it.

The severe snow and record-breaking low temperatures have resulted in massive disruption to the rail network and train services all over the UK, in particular across Scotland.

Large parts of the busy rail network are still unavailable for train services and, without clearing snow from the network, it would be impossible for normal rail services to restart on these key routes.

DRS, Network Rail and other rail freight operators are keen to win this battle with the ‘Beast’ so normal services can resume for both freight and passengers.