GBRf acquire three Swedish '66s'

[sprinterguy]

GBRf have acquired three former Swedish class 66 equivalents, which are being leased through Beacon Rail. The first arrived at Immingham docks yesterday, 03/06/19, and has proceeded to EMD Longport where it'll become 66790. Two further locos are to follow to become 66791 and 66792.
https://www.railmagazine.com/news/fleet/first-of-three-swedish-66s-arrives-for-gb-railfreight

The first of three Class 66s from Sweden has arrived in the UK for use by GB Railfreight.

On June 3, 66790 was moved from Immingham Docks to Longport, where Electro-Motive Diesel will convert it to UK standards before the ‘66’ enters traffic.

Leased from Beacon Rail Leasing, the ‘66’ was previously T66403, and will be joined by classmates T66404/405, which will be renumbered 66791/792 respectively. They date from November 2002, and were bought by Beacon Rail in 2009 from HSBC Rail.

This will take the number of former European Class 66s in the GBRf fleet to eight, joining 66747-749 which arrived from Holland and 66750/751 which moved from Germany.

They are to be fitted with standard UK safety equipment and will be repainted into GBRf livery. It takes the number of ‘66s’ in the GBRf fleet to 91.

“These locomotives are incredibly reliable and will assist us in delivering the best possible service now and into the future,” said GBRf Managing Director John Smith.

 

[Plethora]

What locomotives will they be using in Sweden? Are they getting rid of diesel traction due to electrification?

 

[Peter Sarf]

GBRf have acquired three former Swedish class 66 equivalents, which are being leased through Beacon Rail. The first arrived at Immingham docks yesterday, 03/06/19, and has proceeded to EMD Longport where it'll become 66790. Two further locos are to follow to become 66791 and 66792.
https://www.railmagazine.com/news/fleet/first-of-three-swedish-66s-arrives-for-gb-railfreight

I suppose it is unlikely but were they former DRS locomotives 66403, 66404 & 66405 ?. I really ought to remember what happened to the DRS ones - went to another UK operator (FL ?) maybe.

 

[sprinterguy]

I suppose it is unlikely but were they former DRS locomotives 66403, 66404 & 66405 ?. I really ought to remember what happened to the DRS ones - went to another UK operator (FL ?) maybe.

They're not, they're purely European machines. DRS' former locos 66403, 404 & 405 already became GBRf's 66735, 736 and 737.

 

[Peter Sarf]

They're not, they're purely European machines. DRS' former locos 66403, 404 & 405 already became GBRf's 66735, 736 and 737.

Thanks. I thought they changed UK operator but I should have guessed it would be GBRF (already) !.

 

[sprinterguy]

Thanks. I thought they changed UK operator but I should have guessed it would be GBRF (already) !.

Yeah, GBRf have pretty much snapped up every spare 66 going, whereas Freightliner have downsized their fleet in recent years. I have to say that I thought 66779 was the last 66 we'd see that was new to these shores.

 

[hwl]

Yeah, GBRf have pretty much snapped up every spare 66 going, whereas Freightliner have downsized their fleet in recent years. I have to say that I thought 66779 was the last 66 we'd see that was new to these shores.

The Porterbrook and Beacon (25+) have lots of 66s leased on the continent that could come over for the right price when the terms expire.

 

[furnessvale]

The Porterbrook and Beacon (25+) have lots of 66s leased on the continent that could come over for the right price when the terms expire.

Not forgetting they will become available as the continent uses its superior loading gauge to buy better (emission control) locos.

 

[43096]

The Porterbrook and Beacon (25+) have lots of 66s leased on the continent that could come over for the right price when the terms expire.

Porterbrook don’t have any continental 66s anymore except for some Freightliner examples that transferred from the UK. They sold their European fleet many years ago.

 

[hwl]

Not forgetting they will become available as the continent uses its superior loading gauge to buy better (emission control) locos.

Exactly more options over there

 

[Robin Edwards]

Is anyone able to confirm the ID of the 'Blue' Class 66 most visible from the passing train at Longport yesterday 22/8 - amongst the 56s? (66790, 91 or 92?)

 

[cj_1985]

Won't be 792 as it's yet to be (to best of my knowledge) shipped to the UK

 

[83G/84D]

Is anyone able to confirm the ID of the 'Blue' Class 66 most visible from the passing train at Longport yesterday 22/8 - amongst the 56s? (66790, 91 or 92?)

66705 and 66726 (GBRF) and 66302 (DRS) are there.

 

[59CosG95]

What locomotives will they be using in Sweden? Are they getting rid of diesel traction due to electrification?

Two of the three locomotives were leased to Hector Rail - who now no longer need them as they have Vectron electro-diesel locos (i.e. 6.4MW AC locos with a Diesel Power Module) for their timber freight work.
(The Hector Rail loaned 66s were mainly used for that purpose, as was their predecessor, Rush-Rail, who folded.)
T66404 (becoming 66791) was hired by CargoNet (the state freight operator in Norway) but that's beside the point - it also became surplus to CargoNet's requirements and was returned to Beacon Rail.

 

[Spirit555]

The third loco has arrived at immingham and is currently red and black don't know if the current identity is as mentioned above.

HTH

Mark

 

[Rob F]

How many 66s are in the country now?

 

[hwl]

How many 66s are in the country now?

Circa 390 including the 3 new ones but not temporary imports for overhaul at Longport.

 

[sprinterguy]

How many 66s are in the country now?

Breaking it down by operator for a little extra detail:

DB Schenker: 160*
Freightliner: 113**
GB Railfreight: 91
Direct Rail Services: 19
Colas Rail: 5

TOTAL: 388 locos

*There are an additional 79 class 66/0 locos built for the UK in use with Euro Cargo Rail in France and Poland.
**There are an additional 18 Freightliner locos built for the UK in use with Freightliner in Poland.

There are a total of eight former continental class 66s now in service or being prepared to enter it in the UK, which are included in the total above: 66747 - 751, and 66790 - 792.

 

[Rob F]

Thanks. I assume when EWS ordered the original 250 they thought there was work in the UK for all of them. Was there a major downturn in freight tonnage (coal etc) or was their reduced requirement down to competition from other operators or maybe a bit of both?

Even if all the 'built for UK' locos were still here, they still woudn't quite get to the number of class 47s built.

 

[59CosG95]

Thanks. I assume when EWS ordered the original 250 they thought there was work in the UK for all of them. Was there a major downturn in freight tonnage (coal etc) or was their reduced requirement down to competition from other operators or maybe a bit of both?

Even if all the 'built for UK' locos where still here, they still woudn't quite get to the number of class 47s built.

I'd say a bit of both. With new entrants like GBRf, Fastline & DRS acquiring 66s of their own (leased or directly), alongside competition from Freightliner for non-intermodal flows (such as coal & aggregates), EWS found lots of their traction out of work (hence why a large chunk went to France under the ECR umbrella).
When DB Schenker took over, there was still more scope, so a few went to Poland under similar circumstances, and more have continued to go to France, although more recently the near-collapse of the UK coal industry has also played its part in the exodus of 66s.
Freightliner have also sent 66s to Poland for the same reasons, about an even mix of the 66/5s and lower-geared 66/6s.

 

[sprinterguy]

Even if all the 'built for UK' locos where still here, they still woudn't quite get to the number of class 47s built.

Though it's quite a close run thing, which isn't bad going given that the class 47s were a mixed traffic design in the days when loco haulage reigned supreme, while the 66s are dedicated freight locos, albeit fairly universal "jack of all trades" ones at that.

 

[Peddles88]

The "new" 66792 confirmed as ex Rush Rail T66405 (92 74 0066 405-2 S-BRLL) seen passing through Derby on its way to Longport.

 

[Meerkat]

Was that a special paint job for Halloween?!

 

[Cletus]

It certainly looks a rush job!

 

[Peter Sarf]

It certainly looks a rush job!

That livery etc does the job. I wonder if they had to pay a lot for a consultant to design that and pay for a fancy paint job ?.

Staggered by how many DBS 66s have left for Europe !. Miracle any 60s are left alive ?.

 

[66Yorks]

The UK can never have enough Class 66's.

 

[Serathor]

That's got to be the worst livery ("Paint Job") I have ever seen. I hate it!

 

[USRailFan]

What locomotives will they be using in Sweden? Are they getting rid of diesel traction due to electrification?

Apart from one line in the Southwest about 10 years ago, and a couple new-built lines, there hasn't been any electrification of previously unelectrified lines in Sweden for ages, about 50 years probably... The Swedes often run diesels on fully electrified lines tho, like in the UK. The locos have also often been hired out, a couple of them were used in Norway for a while but were never very popular here and ended up being replaced by Euro4000s

 

[USRailFan]

That's got to be the worst livery ("Paint Job") I have ever seen. I hate it!

The pink "One" Class 66 is worse...

 

[Darandio]

The UK can never have enough Class 66's.

Yes there can, that's why nearly 100 originally based here are now abroad.