FM Rail

They were initially employed on Silverlink services on the Marston Vale Line, operating in top and tail mode with two carriages.

[5] Following this, the Class 31 fleet was employed on a variety of duties, including hire to WAGN to haul electrical multiple units between depots for maintenance.

Network Rail (Railtrack's successor) purchased its own fleet of 31s, so no longer required the Fragonset locomotives.

Some locomotives, notably 47355 and 73107, were repainted into a freight livery of all-over black with large Fragonset lettering.

As the business grew the need for a central location became apparent and offices at Wyvern House, by Derby station, were rented from mid-2003.

Merlin was the first train operator to receive approval through the stringent Railway (Safety Case) Regulations, 2000, and held one of the widest railway safety cases, allowing full geographic coverage of the network with all classes and types of conventional locomotives, passenger rolling stock and loaded and unloaded freight vehicles.

[17][18][19] FM Rail launched its new livery in September 2005, when 47832 was repainted for a Crewe Works open day.

[21][22][23] In 2006, FM Rail purchased the assets of Pathfinder Tours, another railtour operator, in conjunction with Riviera Trains.

[26][27][28] The administrator sold the Fragonset Railways Maintenance business to Rail Vehicle Engineering Limited (RVEL), a company founded by former FM Rail managing director Andy Lynch; this business has since been sold to Loram and rebranded as Loram UK.