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Class 68 Progress, what's the latest?

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capital12

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Don't look any better in silver then!

They look like 67s that have been addicted to having Botox!! Head on they look like they've had lip implants and got a trout pout - maybe they could be nicknamed Trouts? Or possibly Leslie's? (As in Ash!)

Or maybe I've just been in the sun too long! ;)
 
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Rhydgaled

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Don't look any better in silver then!
The shinny silver looks quite smart, but the shape of the loco ends still doesn't work. Wonder why Chiltern have kept the directionally mess-up-y class 67 livery rather than taking the chance to try and come up with a livery which works whichever way round the loco is coupled to the stock.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think they look fine (and even better for real). Class 70s - eat your heart out :)
Oh, class 68s are better looking than class 70s, and probably 67s, but that still isn't enough to make them 'good looking'. From the side though, the 68s do look quite good. I think it is just the bit at the ends that is warning panel yellow that doesn't work, looks almost like it had an areodynamic nose that wouldn't fit the UK loading guage so they just sliced it off straight down and made a mess of the looks.
 

ac6000cw

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Oh, class 68s are better looking than class 70s, and probably 67s, but that still isn't enough to make them 'good looking'. From the side though, the 68s do look quite good. I think it is just the bit at the ends that is warning panel yellow that doesn't work, looks almost like it had an areodynamic nose that wouldn't fit the UK loading guage so they just sliced it off straight down and made a mess of the looks.

The nose shape is the basically the same on the non-UK 'Eurolights' - just google for 'vossloh eurolight' images.
 

fgwrich

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The shinny silver looks quite smart, but the shape of the loco ends still doesn't work. Wonder why Chiltern have kept the directionally mess-up-y class 67 livery rather than taking the chance to try and come up with a livery which works whichever way round the loco is coupled to the stock.

I'll agree with that point. I'd have thought that a more simpler version without the diagonal line would have worked, just keeping the two tone theme but horizontaly as the current livery looks odd when coupled the 'wrong' way around to a Mk3 set, designed to match the DVTs or not!
 

158722

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Don't look any better in silver then!

They look like 67s that have been addicted to having Botox!! Head on they look like they've had lip implants and got a trout pout - maybe they could be nicknamed Trouts? Or possibly Leslie's? (As in Ash!)

Or maybe I've just been in the sun too long! ;)

Simple, effective, uncluttered (for now!) livery which sits well on the natural lines of the design. Nice I'd say.

Might be my misreading of Sunbird24's notes, but thoughts are that both 68010 & 011 are on the way with 009?
 

Sunbird24

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Simple, effective, uncluttered (for now!) livery which sits well on the natural lines of the design. Nice I'd say.

Might be my misreading of Sunbird24's notes, but thoughts are that both 68010 & 011 are on the way with 009?
68009 Titan left the factory on a low loader on Friday 18th for Valencia docks, less than 10 kms away, though maybe a bit more by the route it took.
68011 was on the same low loader on Sunday morning, but no one working there so I assumed it would move to the docks on the Monday. At that time 68010 was still at the back of the yard.
On Monday I saw 68011 had already gone so I did not look for the others but went to the docks in the hope of catching it there, but didn't see any 68s, only a 333 and 310.
I assumed that if 68010 was ready the low loader would return again later on Monday, load it up, and take it Monday evening or this morning, but I cannot confirm if that happened yet. I may find out tomorrow.
I have been monitoring shipping departures from the port but nothing appears to have left in that direction this week yet.
I did update my earlier post, not realising that a new page had started.
Just discovered that the Grande Spagna left Valencia at half past midnight, so early this morning, and its next call is Southampton. It is a possible contender, since it arrived the previous evening around 5 pm. 7 hours is time to load 2/3 locos. Just a possibility.
 
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158722

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68009 Titan left the factory on a low loader on Friday 18th for Valencia docks, less than 10 kms away, though maybe a bit more by the route it took.
68011 was on the same low loader on Sunday morning, but no one working there so I assumed it would move to the docks on the Monday. At that time 68010 was still at the back of the yard.
On Monday I saw 68011 had already gone so I did not look for the others but went to the docks in the hope of catching it there, but didn't see any 68s, only a 333 and 310.
I assumed that if 68010 was ready the low loader would return again later on Monday, load it up, and take it Monday evening or this morning, but I cannot confirm if that happened yet. I may find out tomorrow.
I have been monitoring shipping departures from the port but nothing appears to have left in that direction this week yet.
I did update my earlier post, not realising that a new page had started.
Just discovered that the Grande Spagna left Valencia at half past midnight, so early this morning, and its next call is Southampton. It is a possible contender, since it arrived the previous evening around 5 pm. 7 hours is time to load 2/3 locos. Just a possibility.

Cheers for that. I've thought a few times about paying a visit to the Valencia area, especially when the 58s were around and about the region, but its about as far as you can get from where I am in the Iberian peninsula...!
 

sprinterguy

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Don't look any better in silver then!
The Chiltern livery, IMO, looks better on the side of a 67. Not sure why though....
I think the 68s look really quite impressive in silver. The livery is marred on the 67s by all of those bodyside ribs breaking up the overall effect.

It is weird though to see brand new locos being outshopped in Wrexham and Shropshire colours (Chiltern might have added a pointless blue flash to the coaching stock, but they’ve done nothing at all to alter the appearance of the locos and DVTs) so long after that company ceased to be!
 

cj_1985

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I think the 68s look really quite impressive in silver. The livery is marred on the 67s by all of those bodyside ribs breaking up the overall effect.

It is weird though to see brand new locos being outshopped in Wrexham and Shropshire colours (Chiltern might have added a pointless blue flash to the coaching stock, but they’ve done nothing at all to alter the appearance of the locos and DVTs) so long after that company ceased to be!

I think the 68s look weird in the Chiltern/WSMR livery simply because of the silver that wraps around onto the cab front from the body sides, just under the windscreen
 

lifeboat1721

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Any news on when the 68's are starting to do full runs, I have been told tha there is one doing Daventry-Coatbridge on Monday 28-July but no idea of times. That's what i'm looking for..
 

Freightmaster

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Any news on when the 68's are starting to do full runs,..
Not heard about any runs to Daventry, but a few people on gen groups have
suggested that the Mossend to Inverness Tesco train may be 68-hauled from
next Tuesday...

MARK
 

92002

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Not heard about any runs to Daventry, but a few people on gen groups have
suggested that the Mossend to Inverness Tesco train may be 68-hauled from
next Tuesday...

MARK

68005 currently heading light from Kingmoor to Motherwell.

Due to work 4H47 from Grangemouth to Inverness on Tuesday 29th.
 

stevread1

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Not heard about any runs to Daventry, but a few people on gen groups have
suggested that the Mossend to Inverness Tesco train may be 68-hauled from
next Tuesday...

MARK

68005 is on the way to Motherwell at this moment on 0S82 from Carlisle Kingmoor to Motherwell TMD so this could be true
 

92002

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Any idea what time it arrives Inverness as thinking of going....

4H47

MOSSEND 05:14
WHIFLETSJ PASS 05:17
COATBGCTL PASS 05:19
GRTSHRISJ PASS 05:21
GARNQN NJ PASS 05:23
CUMBRNALD PASS 05:28
GREENHLLO PASS 05:35
CARMURSWJ PASS 05:37
LARBERTJN PASS 05:38
STIRLING PASS 05:48
DUNBLANE PASS 05:54
BLACKFORD PASS 06:05
HILTON JN PASS 06:21
PERTH PASS 06:28
STANLEY PASS 06:38
DUNKELD+B PASS 06:48
PITLOCHRY 07:03 07:23
BLAIRATHL PASS 07:34
DALNCRDCH PASS 07:54
DALNSPDAL PASS 08:06
DALWHINIE PASS 08:15
NEWTNMORE PASS 08:24
KINGUSSIE PASS 08:27
KINCRAIG 08:33 08:39
AVIEMORE PASS 08:46
CARRBRIDG PASS 08:54
SLOCHD PASS 09:03
TOMATIN PASS 09:07
MOY PASS 09:11
CULLODEN PASS 09:18
INVERNSMJ PASS 09:35
IVRNRSL 09:40

Does also sometime run later, depending on arrivals from the South
 

92002

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Also runs in a different path when the Inverness cement runs.

MARK

68005 currently on 4H47, running around 20L after a late start.

Will probably miss out the wait at Pitlochry and return to an on time schedule as previously listed.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
68005 currently on 4H47, running around 20L after a late start.

Will probably miss out the wait at Pitlochry and return to an on time schedule as previously listed.

An excellent start to revenue service.

Arrived in Inverness a mere 77E today.
 

Peter Sarf

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Are 68001-68009 likely to end up working at the Northern end of DRSs sphere of operation only ?.

Obviously 68010-68015 will work into Marylebone.
 
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ac6000cw

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Are 68001-68009 likely to end up working at the Northern end of DRSs sphere of operation only ?.

Obviously 68010-68015 will work into Marylebone.

No hard facts, but I got the impression at the Gresty Bridge open day that they would work intermodals and passenger work generally i.e. not just up north (and their maintenance base will be Crewe - cue DRS guy pointing to brand new Vossloh spares building !).

That said, I assume the 88s will take over the WCML long-haul stuff when they arrive (logically).
 

ModernRailways

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Found this photo on Facebook. First Chiltern bound loco being unloaded.

10536913_316111621899813_3672592943059521054_n.jpg
 
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Boothby97

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Found this photo on Facebook. First Chiltern bound loco being loaded/unloaded (?)



10536913_316111621899813_3672592943059521054_n.jpg


Two of Chilterns (68010/011) are due to moved from Liverpool Gladstone Dock to Crewe (with 68009) tomorrow. All three should have docked in Liverpool today :p
 
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