Published: 20th September 2016
Following their recent sale of 20 Class 60 freight locomotives, some which had not turned a wheel in over ten years, the UK’s largest freight train operator, DB Cargo (DBC) has offered another 24 locomotives for sale. These are the 50 to 60 year old Class 08 350hp diesel shunters.
These are in much demand from preserved railways to private freight operators so expect a flurry of activity by those interested in acquiring one of these locomotives. They are situated around the UK at Toton depot near Nottingham, Bescot near Birmingham, Arpley near Warrington, Didcot, Doncaster, Eastleigh, Westbury,Stoke, Swansea, Knottingley, Mossend and Hoo Junction in Kent.
The engines concerned and their locations are as follows:
08428 Arpley, Warrington
08703 Bescot
08752 Bescot
08623 Bescot
08907 Bescot
08405 Crewe
08495 Crewe
08706 Crewe
08757 Crewe
08804 Crewe
08742 Didcot
08782 Doncaster
08904 Eastleigh East
08735 Eastleigh
08888 Hoo Junction
09106 Knottingley
08879 Margam
08632 Mossend
08633 Stoke
08480 Toton
08784 Toton
08922 Toton
08799 Westbury
08605 Wigan
As is usual with these sales, the engines are offered for sale as seen and must be collected from the depot.
There is not a lot of time to consider a bid as registrations of interest must be made by 12noon on 5 October 2016. Whoever wins any locomotive must pay for collection and removal of their new ‘toy’.
Bidders must register their interest in accordance with the “Guide to making an offer for a Locomotive” issued by DBC.
Registrations of interest must be e-mailed to Stella.Horrocks@deutschebahn.com or by post to Stella Horrocks quoting ref SH/Sept 16/shunters at:
DB Cargo (UK) Ltd.
Toton TMD
Toton Sidings
Stapleford
Nottingham
NG10 1HA.
If your expression of interest is accepted, you will be sent Tender documents to make a bid. Each locomotive has had a reserve price put on it by the vendor.
The locomotives are to be sold by competitive open tender in accordance with the DBC “Code of Practice for the identification, Sale and/or Disposal of Surplus Locomotives”.
It may be possible to inspect the locomotives but only by making an appointment and not by arriving ‘on spec’.
If bidding, you must demonstrate how you will comply with all legal requirements and DBc says that the locomotives will be disposed of in a manner which is fair and non-discriminatory and complies with safety and environmental considerations.
If you make a winning bid, a sale contract will be awarded to the purchaser with the highest present value offered over the set reserve price. Another consideration will be how quickly the winning bidder will remove their locomotive and how fast the engines will be paid for.
Once the formal Sales Acceptance(s) to the successful Tenderer(s) has been made, DBC say contractual compliance will be rigidly enforced and if these are breached, the sale may be cancelled or stabling charges levied.
Full details of all this will be issued with the Code of Practice and Standard Conditions of Sale which will be issued with the Tender documents. DBc reserves the right to withdraw any of these locomotives from sale at any point in the proceedings.
Nearly 1000 of these shunting locomotives were built from the early 1950s and they have been based around the UK ever since but now their numbers are fast dwindling in main line use.
They are popular with preservationists and will be snapped up by the heritage railway movement without doubt.
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