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Status of the Class 58

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al.currie93

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Hi all!

Just wondering what the current status/whereabouts of the class 58 fleet is?

I believe that all have been returned, or at least been put out of use, from the continent, and I believe that these duties were there last. However, I don't believe that any have been sold by DB or scrapped either. Can anyone correct me and does anyone know where they're currently stored?

Cheers! :)
 
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richieb1971

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DB schenker are probably the worst company for re-patrioting the 58 fleet. It seems if something goes, it never returns.
 

alexl92

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There was talk of 58s for Colas a while back but since the Super 60s project I think it's dead in the water.
 

D365

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There was talk of 58s for Colas a while back but since the Super 60s project I think it's dead in the water.

The distingusing feature which is missing on the Class 58 is the Sepex WSP. Colas is quoted to have an option on 10 further 60s.
 

Strathclyder

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One (58016) has been preserved by the Class 58 Locomotive Group and has been undergoing restoration at Barrow Hill Roundhouse for quite a while now.
http://www.c58lg.co.uk/

The group also briefly owned 58045 for use as a spares doner for 016. It was cut up at EMR Kingsbury in October 2010.
 

Alistair G.

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I know there's a few at the back of toton that look like they will never see movement again!. Can't remember the numbers but they can be seen from the top of the hill.

Can anyone remember the one that was stabled at leicester depot for what seemed like an eternity?. I think it was 005 but can't be sure. Also, does anyone know what happened to it?
 

westcoaster

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I know there's a few at the back of toton that look like they will never see movement again!. Can't remember the numbers but they can be seen from the top of the hill.

Can anyone remember the one that was stabled at leicester depot for what seemed like an eternity?. I think it was 005 but can't be sure. Also, does anyone know what happened to it?

005 was moved from leicester to toton in late 2006.
 

physics34

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annoys me that spain and france can make them work well and we couldnt.
 

Domh245

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annoys me that spain and france can make them work well and we couldnt.

It was more a case of spain and france having a large amount of work building the high speed lines, needing all the locos they could get. If we needed them, they would have been working, but they weren't needed, and so were stored/scrapped/flogged off to europe.
 

Jamesb1974

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I don't think we'll ever see a 58 on revenue earning service again. Those that went to Spain were trashed to death. It would cost a fortune to give the remaining ones a full rebuild/overhaul to bring them back to mainline status. Whether their physical condition is more to do with being thrashed or years of storage is a moot point really.
 
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61653 HTAFC

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Isn't 58050 reserved for the national collection, being the last loco built at Doncaster? As it's been gathering rust in France for a decade though, I expect it will eventually become a static exhibit at York or Shildon...
 

455driver

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DB schenker are probably the worst company for re-patrioting the 58 fleet. It seems if something goes, it never returns.

Why spend money dragging them back here just to take up siding space, there isn't any work for them over here so what would the point?
Leaving them where they are is cheaper.
 

Jamesb1974

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Why spend money dragging them back here just to take up siding space, there isn't any work for them over here so what would the point?
Leaving them where they are is cheaper.

Especially when you factor in that the DB group are a global business and probably own the sidings that they are sat on in France.
 

Blaahh

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agreed with all comments, but it would be nice to see one back in Railfreight livery one last time. 58008 is apparently in the airport sidings at Eastleigh but i'll be damned if i can see it. 58023 in Mainline blue was very visible at Toton last time I went there.
 

Bevan Price

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Unfortunately for the 58s, EWS obtained 250 Class 66s in anticipation of increased traffic that did not materialise. I undestand that they have to pay hire charges whether or not they use the 66s, whereas they owned the 58s (and 60s) , so there were no hire fees. Hence it makes economic sense to use the 66s and let the 58s (& most of the 60s) rust away in sidings. All the 60s would probably have gone, too, except that it was found that 66s had problems with some very heavy loads on steep gradients.
 
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.....I believe that all have been returned, or at least been put out of use, from the continent.....
.... I don't believe that any have been sold by DB or scrapped either.....

From the Class 58 fleet status list and loco histories, it seems your guess was way off the mark.
9 scrapped or in various stages of dismantlement
Only 5 survivors on UK soil
36 survivors, in various conditions, stored in France and Spain.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulkelly/10054217096/in/photostream/

http://flickriver.com/places/France/Upper+Normandy/Alizay/search/

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/56781-class-58s-in-spain/


P
 

al.currie93

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From the Class 58 fleet status list and loco histories, it seems your guess was way off the mark.
9 scrapped or in various stages of dismantlement
Only 5 survivors on UK soil
36 survivors, in various conditions, stored in France and Spain.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulkelly/10054217096/in/photostream/

http://flickriver.com/places/France/Upper+Normandy/Alizay/search/

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/56781-class-58s-in-spain/


P

Apparently I was off the mark, thanks for that! Wow, those 58s in France look sad in those photographs!
 

SpacePhoenix

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How much bigger are the 58s then the battery locos that LU use? If they could be made to fit could a couple be made into battery locos for LU? If that's not possible then realistically apart from a couple perhaps being preserved the rest will probably end up being scrapped
 

Jamesb1974

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How much bigger are the 58s then the battery locos that LU use? If they could be made to fit could a couple be made into battery locos for LU? If that's not possible then realistically apart from a couple perhaps being preserved the rest will probably end up being scrapped

Significantly bigger I would say. Heavier as well, plus the cost to convert a knackered, rusty 58 that has been sat in store for years into a battery loco would be so prohibitive that LU would go for a new build every time.

It's a nice idea to have old locomotives reactivated, but realistically is it ever going to happen? No would be my guess.
 

D365

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How much bigger are the 58s then the battery locos that LU use? If they could be made to fit could a couple be made into battery locos for LU? If that's not possible then realistically apart from a couple perhaps being preserved the rest will probably end up being scrapped

I'm guessing this is merely because you saw the arched roofline?

Having said that, I see what you're seeing, it does look similar to a battery locomotive. No chance of a conversion however.
 

Smudger105e

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Unfortunately for the 58s, EWS obtained 250 Class 66s in anticipation of increased traffic that did not materialise. I undestand that they have to pay hire charges whether or not they use the 66s, whereas they owned the 58s (and 60s) , so there were no hire fees.

I understand that DB purchased the 66s and so the Banks have no interest in the fleet now.

I also have it on good authority that DB have put 40 sheds in store. Can anyone verify this?
 

Peter Mugridge

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SpacePhoenix said:
How much bigger are the 58s then the battery locos that LU use? If they could be made to fit could a couple be made into battery locos for LU? If that's not possible then realistically apart from a couple perhaps being preserved the rest will probably end up being scrapped

Interesting idea, but....

Significantly bigger I would say.

That is quite correct; the battery locos are sized for the tube loading gauge; the 58s are of course built to the main line loading gauge.
 

CosherB

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I understand that DB purchased the 66s and so the Banks have no interest in the fleet now.

I also have it on good authority that DB have put 40 sheds in store. Can anyone verify this?

DBS don't (yet) own the 66's - there are online quotes that EWS took out a 20 year lease with an option to purchase at the end of the lease.

DBS certainly haven't stored 40 66's! There are 12 currently listed as stored, but DBS change the pool codes on an almost daily basis in some cases. There are also the 50 or so locos exported to Eurpoe for ECR.
 

DarloRich

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How much bigger are the 58s then the battery locos that LU use? If they could be made to fit could a couple be made into battery locos for LU? If that's not possible then realistically apart from a couple perhaps being preserved the rest will probably end up being scrapped

that would be like comparing a mini metro and a double decker bus! NO chance at all of such a conversion. The conversion/development costs of a prototype would dwarf new build costs!

I understand that DB purchased the 66s and so the Banks have no interest in the fleet now.

I also have it on good authority that DB have put 40 sheds in store. Can anyone verify this?


No to both. The 66's are on lease and while quite a few have gone to Europe there cant be more than 20 in store ,at least what the lay man would consider store - the devil is in the pool codes.
 
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