English Welsh & Scottish Railways (EWS): Data & Information
English Welsh & Scottish Railways (EWS): (25/04/1996 – 31/12/2008)
The company was founded in 1995 as North & South Railways in order to bid for the ex-BR businesses being offered for sale. North and South Railways Limited was owned by a consortium headed by Wisconsin Central with financing provided by Berkshire Partners, Goldman Sachs and Fay Richwhite.
On 9th December 1995, North and South Railways purchased Rail Express Systems for £24 million. This sale included the contract for operating the Royal Mail train services, including the Travelling Post Office trains as well as the contract to haul the Royal Train.
On 24th February 1996 North & South Railways purchased all three of British Rail's trainload freight companies, Loadhaul, Mainline Freight and Transrail Freight for £225 million.
All four companies were subsequently merged into North and South Railways, nullifying the UK government's effort to create multiple competitive rail freight businesses through privatisation. Initially, the four companies continued to trade under their existing names.
On 25th April 1996, the EWS brand was unveiled. On 10th July 1996 the holding company's name was changed to English, Welsh & Scottish Railway Holdings Limited. In October 1996, Loadhaul and Mainline Freight were merged with Transrail Freight which was then renamed to English, Welsh & Scottish Railway Limited.
On 24th December 1996, EWS was announced as the preferred bidder for the loss-making Railfreight Distribution, for which it received grants and subsidies estimated to amount to £242 million over eight years, including subsidies for the use of the Channel Tunnel.
Railfreight Distribution's businesses included international containerised freight, movement of cars and automotive components by rail, and freight services for the Ministry of Defence. At this point, EWS controlled 90% of the rail freight market having acquired five of the six freight companies sold during the privatisation of British Rail.
Railfreight Distribution was renamed English Welsh & Scottish Railway International on 1st December 1998.
On 1st April 1998, open access operator National Power's rail division was taken over.
In January 2001, the Canadian National Railway announced it had agreed to purchase Wisconsin Central. The deal, which included Wisconsin Central's 42.5% stake in EWS, was concluded in October 2001.
During 2003 the contract with Royal Mail was lost to road transport.
In October 2005 Euro Cargo Rail, a subsidiary operating in France, commenced operation seeing the transfer of numerous Class 66 locomotives.
On 28th June 2007, Deutsche Bahn announced it had agreed to purchase EWS, subject to receiving regulatory approval, for £309 million. At the time EWS had a market share of around 70% in the United Kingdom. After the transaction was approved by the European Commissioner for Competition, the sale was completed on 13th November 2007.
At the time of the sale it was announced that EWS would not be rebranded, but on 1st January 2009 EWS was rebranded as DB Schenker along with Deutsche Bahn's Railion and DB Schenker divisions.
In March 2016 it was further rebranded as DB Cargo UK.
Read MoreThe company was founded in 1995 as North & South Railways in order to bid for the ex-BR businesses being offered for sale. North and South Railways Limited was owned by a consortium headed by Wisconsin Central with financing provided by Berkshire Partners, Goldman Sachs and Fay Richwhite.
On 9th December 1995, North and South Railways purchased Rail Express Systems for £24 million. This sale included the contract for operating the Royal Mail train services, including the Travelling Post Office trains as well as the contract to haul the Royal Train.
On 24th February 1996 North & South Railways purchased all three of British Rail's trainload freight companies, Loadhaul, Mainline Freight and Transrail Freight for £225 million.
All four companies were subsequently merged into North and South Railways, nullifying the UK government's effort to create multiple competitive rail freight businesses through privatisation. Initially, the four companies continued to trade under their existing names.
On 25th April 1996, the EWS brand was unveiled. On 10th July 1996 the holding company's name was changed to English, Welsh & Scottish Railway Holdings Limited. In October 1996, Loadhaul and Mainline Freight were merged with Transrail Freight which was then renamed to English, Welsh & Scottish Railway Limited.
On 24th December 1996, EWS was announced as the preferred bidder for the loss-making Railfreight Distribution, for which it received grants and subsidies estimated to amount to £242 million over eight years, including subsidies for the use of the Channel Tunnel.
Railfreight Distribution's businesses included international containerised freight, movement of cars and automotive components by rail, and freight services for the Ministry of Defence. At this point, EWS controlled 90% of the rail freight market having acquired five of the six freight companies sold during the privatisation of British Rail.
Railfreight Distribution was renamed English Welsh & Scottish Railway International on 1st December 1998.
On 1st April 1998, open access operator National Power's rail division was taken over.
In January 2001, the Canadian National Railway announced it had agreed to purchase Wisconsin Central. The deal, which included Wisconsin Central's 42.5% stake in EWS, was concluded in October 2001.
During 2003 the contract with Royal Mail was lost to road transport.
In October 2005 Euro Cargo Rail, a subsidiary operating in France, commenced operation seeing the transfer of numerous Class 66 locomotives.
On 28th June 2007, Deutsche Bahn announced it had agreed to purchase EWS, subject to receiving regulatory approval, for £309 million. At the time EWS had a market share of around 70% in the United Kingdom. After the transaction was approved by the European Commissioner for Competition, the sale was completed on 13th November 2007.
At the time of the sale it was announced that EWS would not be rebranded, but on 1st January 2009 EWS was rebranded as DB Schenker along with Deutsche Bahn's Railion and DB Schenker divisions.
In March 2016 it was further rebranded as DB Cargo UK.
