From King’s Norton to COP26 the UK’s newest rail operator is already making its mark…

Midlands based SLC Operations (SLCO) has celebrated its new status as a licensed passenger train operator with an appearance at COP26.

Based in Kings Norton, the business was first formed in early 2020 by Managing Director Cath Bellamy, Adrian Shooter and Ian Walters (all former Chiltern Railways senior management), with a vision to become a market leader in the provision of railway operational support, including:

• Driver and guard hire
• Driver and guard instructor hire
• New rolling stock introduction/acceptance including fault-free and mileage accumulation
• Rail vehicle collection and delivery
• Train service planning

In addition, SLCO is also gaining a reputation as one of the UK’s specialist train driver training providers through its subsidiary division, The Rail Academy, offering driver/train crew training and End Point Assessments for Level 3 train driver apprentices.

All of this comes just a year after the company achieved its first major milestone – approval to become a non-passenger licensed train operator.

Cath Bellamy takes up the story. “The last 12 months has been spent establishing the business, using our initial licence to help clients with rolling stock movements and the introduction of new/modified trains on to the network. This has included supporting VivaRail, Transport for Wales (TfW) and South Western Railway (SWR) with the mileage accumulation and fault free running of TfW’s new diesel/battery hybrid and SWR’s third rail type rolling stock earlier this year.”

Following requests from customers, SLCO made a successful application for its Passenger Train Operating Licence, awarded in October. And the company put it to good use supporting VivaRail and Network Rail to run the UK’s first emission free, fully battery powered mainline passenger train at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.

“With our new Passenger Operating Licence, we are initially setting out to support local interest groups and local government provide passenger railways and connections where there currently aren’t any. We are already actively talking to a range of organisations about possible opportunities,” added Cath.

Images Credit: Network Rail

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