Rail Freight Liveries


		With years of decline in rail hauled freight in the UK, there was much optimism when US based Wisconsin Central purchased the three UK Railfreight businesses, Loadhaul, Mainline Freight, and Transrail, in 1996. Ed Burkhart, the head of Wisconsin, set about transforming the Uk Rail Freight business, which has grown steadily since. Meanwhile Freightliner was sold to it's management, and has also thrived.

		Burkart's first task was to merge the three businesses, but wished to adopt a new name and image. The new name was "English Welsh & Scottish Railway", which immediately became known as "EWS". But the company took a surprising step (surprising to me, anyway), when it adopted a very traditional image and livery for it's locomotives. It chose what was essentially, the pre 1923 Midland Railway livery of Crimson. Splendid for a Midland Compound or a Jubilee, but not quite what I would have chosen for an ambitious Railfreight business.

		The former Loadhaul business had adopted a striking and bold colour scheme of Orange and Black, with a modern Logo. Surely this should have been adopted as the new image, perhaps renamed "EWS LOADHAUL". The name says it all. Take a look below, and see what you think. Meanwhile Freightliner, together with several new companies such as DRS (Direct Rail Services) have adopted bold Liveries and Logos.

The above is just an opinion. I have the highest regard for EWS.

Below is some of the competition.