Merlin Rail Limited
Merlin received its train operating licence in July 2002. It was originally very decentralised, considering itself to be a "virtual company" operating over the internet with no central office, although the control office was initially in Maidstone, Kent. 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 saw itself as an operator of specialist, individually planned trains, and felt that such trains were not the core activity for conventional train operating companies and therefore did not always enjoy the best of operational and organisational arrangements. Merlin passionately believed that a dedicated specialist train operator in this niche market could provide a high quality total service for all potential clients requiring individually planned trains.
Merlin was the first train operator to receive approval through the stringent Railway (Safety Case) Regulations, 2000. Merlin 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. Merlin was specifically authorised to operate new, unusual and novel vehicles.
With its website, Merlin set out to differentiate itself from its competitors. There was a complete section on "Inspiration", with quotations ranging from Rudyard Kipling to Niccolò Machiavelli, and a section on "How We Think", explaining the company's special philosophy on matters ranging from World Class Values to Strength of Character.
Merlin expected to make a loss for the first few years as business was built up and was expected to be profitable in 2005.
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