The sound of a British Rail Class 20 can be heard whistling away through North Staffordshire once again thanks to a new freight contract that has been awarded to DC Rail.

Based in Derby, DC Rail is a freight company offering services to the UK rail industry. They have recently won a contract to transfer spoil to a newly constructed waste recovery site on the former Esso Sidings of the Pinnox branch in Longport (Stoke) for Land Recovery Ltd.

Using redundant ballast from Network Rail, once transferred from Crewe to Longport the ballast is to be cleaned and sold on to the construction industry for use in other places in the UK.

Due to the unavailability of their Class 56 locomotives for this work, DCR has hired in Class 20’s from Harry Needle Railroad Company.

Initially, the locomotives have been used for Route Learning between Cheddesdon Yard and Longport. A regular working has already appeared seeing the locomotives transport spoil from Crewe Basford Hall to long port.

The first outing saw 20118 and 20132 work together, bringing back memories for enthusiasts from the 1980s and 1990s. 20096 & 20107 have also been noted for some of these runs, which run in the more common BR Blue livery.

Class 20s in Staffordshire will one day become a regular occurrence, with the overhaul of D8057 (20 057) ongoing at Cheddleton. Purchased in December 2015, the engine has been removed for a full overhaul. It is hoped to have the locomotive make its preservation debut within the next 18 months on the Churnet Valley Railway.

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