Fastline

Fastline Ltd
Predecessor
Founded1994
Defunct2010
FateDissolved
Headquarters,
Area served
United Kingdom
ServicesFreight transportation
Track maintenance equipment
ParentJarvis
Websitewww.fastline-uk.com
Fastline Class 56 56303 seen at Kingsheath operating an intermodal service in 2007.
Fastline Class 66 66434 seen at Chester operating a Chirk Kronospan to Carlisle logging train for Colas Rail, 4 months after Fastline ceased trading.

Fastline was created by six railwaymen who undertook a successful management buyout (MBO) of Eastern Track Renewals from British Rail in 1996. In that year they bought Northern Track Renewals from British Rail, and undertook all the studies and examinations that resulted in their acquiring a Harsco Track Renewals Train, the first continuous-process track relaying system in the country. They also examined the possibility of acquiring their own diesel locomotives because of dissatisfaction with the service provided by others for engineering trains. The company was acquired by Jarvis, who later resurrected the Fastline name to create a railway freight operator. It operated a fleet of Class 56 and Class 66 locomotives. The class 56s cost £700,000 each to refurbish. A fourth and a fifth Class 56 (56311 & 56312) were hired in from Hanson Traction Ltd. Fastline's base was at Doncaster, Yorkshire. It ceased trading when Jarvis plc entered administration and subsequently ceased trading in late March 2010.[1] The company is in administration with N.G. Edwards, N.B. Kahn, P.S. Bowers and I. Brown of Deloitte LLP.

  1. ^ "Jarvis administrators shed 1,100 jobs - People Management Magazine Online". Archived from the original on 4 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2010.