British Rail Class 66
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The Class 66 is a six axle diesel electric freight locomotive developed in part from the British Rail Class 59, for use on the railways of the UK. Since its introduction the class has been successful and has been sold to British and other European railway companies. In Continental Europe it is marketed as the EMD Series 66 (JT42CWR).
History
United Kingdom
On the privatisation of British Rail's freight operations in 1996, English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS), bought most of British Rail's freight operations. Many of the locomotives that EWS inherited were either at the end of their useful life or of doubtful reliability. EWS approached General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD), who offered their JT42CWR model which had the same bodyshell as the EMD built Class 59; this gave the advantage of having a locomotive of known clearance. The engine and traction motors were different models from those in the Class 59. Additionally, the Class 66s incorporated General Motors' version of a steering bogie - designed to reduce track wear and increase adhesion on curves.
The initial classification was as Class 61, then they were subsequently given the "Class 66" designation in the British classification system. Two hundred and fifty were ordered and built in London, Ontario, Canada.[1]
In 1998, Freightliner placed an order for locomotives. They were followed by GB Railfreight, and then Direct Rail Services.
Although unpopular with many rail enthusiasts, due to their ubiquity and having caused the displacement of several older types of (mostly) British built locomotives, their high reliability has helped rail freight to remain competitive.
Under the rule of DB Schenker, however, the Class 66 is suffering losses[citation needed] as a select few are being put into storage. As of June 2009[update], around twenty have been put away.
Continental Europe
The Class 66 design has also been introduced to Continental Europe where it is currently certified for operations in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, and Poland, with certification pending in the Czech Republic and Italy. They currently operate on routes between Sweden and Denmark and between Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and Poland. As a result of its well-known British identity, EMD Europe markets the locomotive as "Series 66".
Operators
English, Welsh and Scottish Railway
English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) was the first to order Class 66 locomotives, with the first of the two hundred and fifty locomotives shipped to Britain in mid-1998. The final locomotive entered traffic just two years later, in mid-2000. The EWS fleet includes five locomotives capable of banking heavy trains over the Lickey Incline—on these specific locomotives, the knuckle coupler has been modified to allow remote releasing from inside the cab, whilst in motion.[2] It also includes fifteen locomotives fitted with RETB signalling equipment, for working in northern Scotland and RETB-fitted branchlines.[2]
Freightliner
Freightliner followed EWS by initially ordering five new Class 66/5 locomotives, and have continued to order in small batches. As of summer 2007, the 66/5 fleet had reached 93 examples, numbered 66501-520/522-594, with 66521 having been withdrawn, and later scrapped after the 2001 crash at Great Heck.
In 2000, a new Class 66/6 sub-class was built, with a lower gear ratio, enabling heavier trains to be hauled, albeit at slower speed. There are presently twenty-five examples of this class, numbered 66601-625.
During 2004 the company also took receipt of the most recent Class 66/9 sub-class of the locomotive, which are a low-emission variant. All new locomotives for all companies are now of the low-emission "T2" type. The original two such locomotives remain as 66951/52.
FirstGBRF
FirstGBRf is the newest UK freight operator, now wholly owned by FirstGroup. They opted for new Class 66/7 locomotives, leasing from HSBC Rail, and ordering seventeen examples. Currently, GBRf operate a fleet of twenty-seven locomotives, painted in their distinctive blue and orange livery. The locomotives are employed on infrastructure contracts with Network Rail and London Underground. GBRf also haul intermodal container trains from Felixstowe to the West Midlands and carry coal between Tyne Yard in the North-East of England and Drax power station.
During April 2006, five additional locomotives (numbered 66718-722) were delivered. These are of the low-emission kind, similar to the 66/9s in service with Freightliner. The livery differs slightly from the original seventeen, using a lighter blue and 'Metronet' branding on the sides. Their primary use was to work infrastructure trains for Metronet, but now for Metronet's succesor Transport for London. A further order for five more locomotives (66723-727) was delivered in early 2007. These locomotives are painted in a new livery of pink, white and blue, which is similar to First Groups corporate livery. In April 2008 First GBRf took delivery of another five locomotives (66728 - 732). They are painted again in the corporate First Group livery, and 66728 is expected to be named on Friday 18 April 2008 at March West TMD
Direct Rail Services
Direct Rail Services (DRS), a subsidiary of British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), is the latest company to opt for Class 66 locomotives. The locomotives are leased from Porterbrook. Previously, they had relied on a fleet of ageing second-hand Class 20, Class 33, Class 37 and Class 47 locomotives. In 2002, DRS ordered ten Class 66/4 locomotives from EMD. These were delivered in 2003, numbered 66401–410, and are employed on new Anglo-Scottish traffic, some with Stobart Rail. They are painted in a variation of DRS's blue livery, with two locomotives, 66411 and 66414, in Stobart Rail livery. More locomotives have since been ordered, with ten (66411–420) again T2 style spec locos, delivered in 2006 and another ten (66421–430) delivered in late 2007. As of 2008, DRS had another four locomotives (66431–66434) on order. DRS have now returned 401-10 as they are high emission locos; thus meaning they are the newest fleet set to reach storage.[citation needed]
Fastline
Fastline Freight, part of Jarvis PLC, which operates intermodal services between Doncaster and Birmingham International Railfreight Terminal (BIFT), and Thamesport, in North Kent, using refurbished Class 56 locomotives have ordered five Class 66/3 locomotives to operate a new coal flow from Hatfield Colliery The first three have arrived in the UK.[3]
DB Schenker
DB Schenker has taken over EWS and now operate their full fleet of 250 Class 66 locomotives. The first Class 66 to receive DB colours was 66152. 66048 has since been painted in Stobart Rail livery and was involved in a derailment in Carrbridge, in January 2010.
Sub-classes
Minor differences between different orders, and different operating companies have resulted in a number of subclasses being defined:
| Subclass | Number built (year) | TOPS number range | Operators | Comments
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66/0[1] | 250 | 66001-66250 | DBS | The original order of 250; the first loco arrived at Immingham in 1998[1] |
| 66/3 | 5 | 66301-66305[4] | Fastline | Ordered to service a coal contract[5] |
| 66/4 | 24 | 66411-66434 | DRS | Intended use is on intermodal traffic. Occasionally used on nuclear flask traffic - for which they are overpowered.[1] |
| 2 | 66401-66402 | GBRf | ||
| 4 | 66403-66405, 66410 | Off-lease | ||
| 66/5 | 95 | 66501-66599[6] | Freightliner | Replaced Class 47s on Intermodal freight.[1] 66521 written-off after Great Heck crash, 66582, 66583, 66584, 66586 are active in Poland. |
| 66/6 | 24 | 66601-66624[6] | Freightliner | Top speed of 65 mph (105 km/h) - reduced gearing to cope with heavier oil, aggregates and cement trains.[1] 66625 are active in Poland. |
| 66/7 | 32 | 66701-66732 | GBRf | One (66722) operates on engineering work for Metronet on London's underground lines[1] |
| 66/8 | 4 | 66841-66844 | Colas Rail | Former DRS 66/4 |
| 66/9 | 7 | 66951-66957[6] | Freightliner | A lower emission variant - fuel capacity reduced due to increase mass of other components - the overall mass remains the same[1] |
Cab design problems
The British Trade Union ASLEF has complained that the locomotives are unfit and unsafe, citing a lack of air conditioning, poor seating and noise levels. There has been difficulty fitting air-conditioning systems within the smaller British loading gauge—Europe variants have had air-conditioning units placed on top of the locomotive's roof, above the driving cabins.
In April 2007, ASLEF proposed a ban on their members driving the locomotives during the British summer 2007 period. Keith Norman, ASLEF's general secretary described the cabs as "unhealthy, unsafe and unsatisfactory." Research showed that in July 2006, when the weather had been extremely hot, that the number of times a driver had passed a red signal increased. EWS was the first company to enter into discussions and make amendments to a series of trial locomotives.[7]
In Norway, CargoNet has had similar complaints over their CD66 variant of the Class 66, which were resolved by offering higher pay-rates for hours spent driving the locomotive class.[8]
References and sources
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h GM-EMD Class 66 Thejunction.org.uk
- ^ a b Fox, Peter (2008). British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock 2008. Platform 5, Sheffield. ISBN 978 1902 336 63 3.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Railway Herald Issue 137 June 30, 2008
- ^ Fastline Freight's new Class 66s arrive in the UK 22/06/2008
- ^ Fastline website - news
- ^ a b c Rail Fleet - Class 66 Locomotive : Freightliner
- ^ Boycott threat over 'dirty' locos BBC News - 30 April, 2007
- ^ Agreement of 25% more pay for CD66 operations (in Norwegian)
- "Nothing stops a Class 66" : article from RAIL #492 Detailed description of class, including internal layout. via pigeonsnest.co.uk
Sources
- Fox, Peter (2004). British Railways Locomotives & coaching stock 2004. Sheffield: Platform 5. ISBN 1 902336 39 9.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. EMD: JT42CWRM.
See also