Specialist freight operator Direct Rail Services has staged a charity fundrasing photoshoot. The event featuring one of its modern Class 68 diesel locomotives and all 25 of its JNA open wagons. The location was a stop on the Cumbrian Coast Line. This mainly coastal loop runs between Carnforth and Carlisle. DRS say it’s the first time a stationary photoshoot has been arranged on the main line at night.
The event took place on 18 December 2025. It was staged just outside Maryport, in northwest England. The location was chosen for tis proximity to the beneficiary, the Eden Valley Hospice. Generous (and well wrapped up) supporters donated for the unique opportunity to photograph the train from a private viewing point. The demonstration train was stopped for ten minutes under a battery of floodlights to allow the photography enthusiasts to capture their shots.
Funds raised
Direct Rail Services is currently in the middle of the closure of the West Coast Main Line, the critical north-south route which passes their depot at Carlisle, Cumbria. The two-week closure is to permit the rebuilding of a bridge over the M6 motorway at Clifton, also in Cumbria. While Direct Rail Services does not exactly have free rein along a fifty-mile (80km) length of main line, they did arrange for a shorter possession of the parallel coastal route.
The DRS team worked with Network Rail to ensure the event went smoothly and on time. The train and surrounding area were specially illuminated with floodlights to create the perfect setting. The unique charity even raised £580 (nearly €700) for the Hospice, which provides specialist care for adults in the region who have life-limiting conditions.
Credit due
The train itself was a concours-ready rake of JNA wagons, delivered just under two years ago by British manufacturer WH Davis. They’re normally used to carry bulk aggregate. DRS has recently been using them in its work with Nuclear Waste Services’ Low Level Waste Repository site in Cumbria. They have replaced thousands of lorry journeys and saved hundreds of tonnes of CO2 emissions. No, they do not glow in the dark.
“This was a fantastic opportunity to raise money for Eden Valley Hospice and also show off how brilliant our trains look at night,” said Joseph Nicholson, DRS Operations Planner and organiser of the event. “Many people thought it couldn’t be done, but everyone came together to make it such a success. I would like to thank Network Rail, the landowner, and all my DRS colleagues.”
For charitable support, DRS is perhaps better known for its hugely popular open days. However, it’s the company’s outstanding reputation that encouraged a handful of enthusiasts to lay down hard cash to stand in a winter field in the middle of the night in the North of England. For that, they deserve credit. Eden Valley Hospice gratefully welcomes donations to support its work.