Beacon Rail order for 10 Vectrons

On 9 November 2023 it was announced that Beacon Rail, a rolling stock leasing company, has ordered 10 Vectron MS locomotives from Siemens Mobility. Beacon Rail plans to have the locomotives operate along the Rhine-Alpine corridor and between the North Sea ports and the European hinterland. This order will give Beacon Rail an overall portfolio of 170 Vectron locomotives, most of them forming the previous batches of Class X4E Vectrons for MRCE, excluding the 13 Vectrons of a sale and lease back business with Hector Rail in 2018. MRCE, which was the successor of the former Siemens Dispolok pool, was taken over by Beacon Rail in September 2023.

“Beacon Rail is delighted that, following its recent acquisition of Mitsui Rail Capital Europe, it has ordered 10 additional Vectrons to support the company’s commitment to the European 4-axle electric rail freight and passenger markets. Beacon looks forward to further enhancing its relationship with Siemens Mobility,” said Adam Cunliffe, CEO Beacon Rail.

Beacon Rail is the 67th customer for the Vectron. The ordered locomotives have a maximum power at wheel of 6,400 kW and a top speed of 160 km/h, and are equipped with the on-board ETCS Baseline 3 as well as the required national ATPs. To date, Siemens Mobility has sold more than 1,850 Vectrons and the fleet has covered over 800 million km. The Vectron is approved for operation in 20 European countries.

We asked Beacon Rail and Siemens Mobility:

1) when the locomotives were ordered, if 193 639 had now been delivered to Beacon Rail?
Siemens answered us: "The locomotive that has now been handed over is not from the newly ordered locomotives, but from an earlier MRCE-order."

2) what is the delivery date of the remainder of the batch of ten new Vectrons?
"Please understand that we do not comment on delivery dates."

3) what inventory numbers the new Vectron batch will carry?
"This is to be clarified yet."

4) if you are stating "Beacon Rail is the 67th customer for the Vectron", you're not taking into account the earlier deliveries of Vectrons to MRCE? Or the earlier purchase of Vectrons from Hector Rail?
"MRCE is counted as a customer, Beacon Rail is a customer and Hector Rail as well. They all count separately."