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Class 68 Progress, what's the latest?

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Peter Sarf

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I suppose the reason for that flickering effect is the same reason why wheels sometimes appear to be revolving in the reverse direction. Its when the recording frame rate and the frequency (of the light flicker or wheel rotation) conspire against each other.
 
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ac6000cw

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I suppose the reason for that flickering effect is the same reason why wheels sometimes appear to be revolving in the reverse direction. Its when the recording frame rate and the frequency (of the light flicker or wheel rotation) conspire against each other.

Correct.

The technical term for it is 'temporal aliasing' (i.e. creating time-based frequency information in the video which does not exist in the original image). Normally occurs when repetitive changes in the scene happen at a higher rate than the video frame rate. Using slower shutter speeds helps to filter these higher frequencies out of the image that the camera image sensor sees.

BTW - the normal recommendation for video (or film) shutter speed is to use a shutter period which is half the frame period. So for 25 frame-per-second video use a 1/50 second shutter, for 50 fps video use 1/100 second. This is also called '180 degree shutter' in the movie world. It provides some motion blur (otherwise motion looks too jerky), without making moving objects look unduly smeared.
 
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Sunbird24

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Just to nudge this thread back on course, over the last few weeks at least 4 almost complete class 68s have been seen at one time so it looks like they are on schedule for the delivery dates quoted by DRS a few months back (and a few pages back here). The factory re-opened yesterday after the summer break. Not yet sure how the South African issue will affect other orders (very long story) but no new African locos have appeared for quite some time while other European locos are nearing completion, with 4 Europorte Euro 4000s as well as the 68s mentioned above.
 

Peter Sarf

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A new 68 should be arriving soon if previous posts are anything to go by. Anything happening ?.

Where will these 68s (68016-68025) go to work ?. Or more likely where will the extra workings for all 25 be ?. I was under the impression that 68s would work the South end of the West Coast Main Line until the 88s arrive - that has not happened yet. But, optimistically, the 88s will be here soon so I would not expect to see 68s on the South end of the WCML for only 6+ months. The 88s will be ready after testing finishes - so sometime after March 2016.
 
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Sunbird24

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A new 68 should be arriving soon if previous posts are anything to go by. Anything happening ?.

Where will these 68s (68016-68025) go to work ?. Or more likely where will the extra workings for all 25 be ?. I was under the impression that 68s would work the South end of the West Coast Main Line until the 88s arrive - that has not happened yet. But, optimistically, the 88s will be here soon so I would not expect to see 68s on the South end of the WCML for only 6+ months. The 88s will be ready after testing finishes - so sometime after March 2016.

I have been away for some time but should arrive home later today. When I last visited the factory several 68s were almost ready and I expect a couple have been shipped already. They are usually taken to Valencia docks and put on a ship for Liverpool area. The total will be 32, not 25, delivered at a rate of 2 per month, and will be followed by the 88s which have not yet appeared, at least not when I was last there.

Over the last few months the factory have been putting up new buildings which have blocked much of the view of the previously open yards where much of the work was carried out in the open so there is less chance of seeing things, I saw 68018 (as No 3 with a paper ID plate) a couple of months ago in base finish and again last month completed but without numbers or logos and a couple of others in similar condition. When I left last month 4 Euro 4000s were being prepared for shipment to France and I understand these have now arrived and started work, so the 68s will be following. DRS had not stated their expected delivery dates for 68026-68032 in their last public statement so it is not clear if they will be before or after the 88s. They did say that some older locos would be phased out when they arrived. Bear in mind also that the number of 68s ordered was dependent on the number of CAT engines available by the end of 2014 and was not as many as the earlier proposal for 40+.

Update, passed the factory this afternoon, 5 AFRO 4000 locos visible and 3 68s, 2 fully painted but no vynils or numbers and one totally unpainted so still 2-3 months from completion. Could have been more 68s but they were obscured by trams.
 
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Peter Sarf

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Thanks for your observations Sunbird. I suppose it is possible that the three 68s you saw without numbers need not necessarily be 68016-68016 - perhaps 68016 has already left. Yes I think the last seven (68026-68032) will be after the 88s but I am not sure. I believe the 47s days are numbered - that is 9 locos and iirc it seemed the last seven 68s were ordered to replace the 47s.

I heard a very slight rumor that DRS are not keeping the JG Russel contract. I think this was/is a Daventry - Scotland (Mossend ?) service which I would assume was a candidate for an 88. Also I have not noted a 68 working Mossend/Inverness for over a Month but I guess this might now be a class 66 turn. The 68s seem busy enough though. There now seems to be a fairly frequent Crewe/Toton turn of late.
 
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66103

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Hello

is there any pictures anywhere on Flickr or Facebook of the new 68s?

Thanks!:)
 

Sunbird24

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I can now confirm that 68016 and 68017 are en route to UK on board a freighter, MV DOUWE-S (NL).
More info here: http://www.mainlinediesels.net/index.php?nav=1000001&lang=en&id=8160&action=shownews#.ViaZQJorKUk
if the link is inactive copy and paste into the address bar.
Passing Lisbon at 10 knots, destination Workington, so sometime this weekend maybe. ETA is Sunday 25th at 1700.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Hello

is there any pictures anywhere on Flickr or Facebook of the new 68s?

Thanks!:)


Pictures taken on the factory premises are not permitted to be posted on public web pages unless approval is gained prior to them being taken, by invited guests only.
 
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Sunbird24

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Post 1000!:lol:

Is it me or are these being delivered very slowly?

They are on time for 2 arriving in UK in October and 2 every month thereafter.
The factory is also building trams for several customers including Sheffield-Rotherham, Euro 4000s for France (mostly Europorte), Class 88s for DRS, EuroDuals for South Africa and finishing off (modifications) for AFRO 4000s. Since many of the orders came in trickles they are being built in the same manner.
The latest 2 68s were shipped through Sagunto port which they left on Friday night and it had to sail via Almeria Port and the Gibraltar strait at an average speed of 10 knots, it is currently off the North-west coast of Spain near A Coruña, so entering the Bay of Biscay.
I understand the first 88 is nearing completion and should be going to Velim in January.
A lot of new buildings have been erected in the yard where much of the work used to be done in the open so it may be less weather dependent now but also more difficult to see.
 
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455driver

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So there has been a break in the deliveries between the first batch and the second.

Thanks for the info.
 

Sunbird24

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So there has been a break in the deliveries between the first batch and the second.

Thanks for the info.

The second batch was an option which was not taken up until many of the first batch had been delivered and work was already well under way on the rest, as was work on other customer's orders. A further option for 7 more has now been announced but they will be added at the end of the current program. With orders for deliveries already scheduled for at least most of 2016, if not well into 2017, orders can only be processed early at the expense of someone else's order.
With all parts already to hand current built time to delivery is about 7 months but if any parts have to be manufactured elsewhere and hold up construction this time will be extended. Locomotives are built to order unlike cars which are mass produced and sometimes left in storage for years before going back for a faceover to be sold as new!
I believe the class 88 order may have been pushed back to get the extra 10 68s out first but that is not likely to happen with the final 7 as work is already advanced on some of the 88s, the first one being virtually complete already.
In addition to what I mentioned earlier the factory is also producing bodies for American locomotives and carries out refurbishment and major repairs to some locomotives. Currently the first Eurolight is having some work done and several Israeli class 67 lookalikes have been trickling through in the past, along with a number of Spanish locomotives, all of which were built there in the past, just under some of the older names such as Alstom, Macosa, Meinfesa etc.
 

greysleuth

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Given that there can be no more new Class 66 s in the U.K. and GBRF's voracious appetite for additional traction is there any possibility that they will follow their parent company Europorte on the path to Euro 4000s. If it could be modified to fit U.K. loading gauge ?
I ask here because of the level of knowledge shown on this thread.
Be lucky
David
 

Sunbird24

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Given that there can be no more new Class 66 s in the U.K. and GBRF's voracious appetite for additional traction is there any possibility that they will follow their parent company Europorte on the path to Euro 4000s. If it could be modified to fit U.K. loading gauge ?
I ask here because of the level of knowledge shown on this thread.
Be lucky
David
There is no way the Euro4000 can be modified to fit the UK loading gauge without making it much longer to fit everything in. They already tried it with the AFRO 4000 series for South Africa and although only Cape gauge they still dwarf the 68s in height and probably width also, though that I'm not sure about that without checking all the data. Any wider and all station platforms would need trimming to accept them so that's a non-starter. Height only and they would be restricted to certain lines. Not sure if they are actively working on a redesigned 68 for the additional space required by stage 4 emission control and if so whether that might include modification for a more powerful engine and fitting of Co-Co bogies with the extra traction motors.
Standard Euro 4000 is UIC 505-1, height 4280mm, width 3150mm.
AFRO 4000 is height 4140mm. width 2850mm.
UK W6a is height 3965mm, width 2820mm above 1 metre, 2700mm below 1 metre.
So even the trimmed down AFRO 4000 is still too big for UK.
There is an AsiaLight concept for a metre gauge Co-Co design with up to 3,800HP 16 cyl CAT engine which might fit UK loading gauge.
Lengthening the bodies to accommodate everything brings another problem as the extra overhang would need to be tapered to keep within the gauge on curves.

BTW another new 68 appeared this morning, being moved from the production line to one of the finishing shops, no visible ID on the side I could see but it is probably at least the seventh that I have seen.
 
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60163

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Probably wrong thread so apologies, but I don't suppose there's a chance of an 88 being ready in time for the Multimodal exhibition in Birmingham in April/May next year is there? Seeing 68005 was a blast
 

Sunbird24

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Probably wrong thread so apologies, but I don't suppose there's a chance of an 88 being ready in time for the Multimodal exhibition in Birmingham in April/May next year is there? Seeing 68005 was a blast
Seeing as an 88 is more or less a 68 with a pantograph I personally have no problem with dealing with them together.
To answer your question the first 88 is now scheduled to go to Velim in January while the second may also appear around the same time frame. The last schedule from DRS was 2 68s a month from October to February followed by the 88s, so tentatively it would be 2 in March and 2 in April, but the on-time delivery will depend on results from Velim and if these indicate modifications are required this could cause a delay, as happened with the 68s, but depending on what the modifications are they could be done in the UK. With so much commonality between the two fewer problems are likely but its too early to say yet. The first one in UK will likely be used for approval testing so may not be available. Its a tight time-frame but who knows.

Update: DRS have booked an 8m x 10m area for May 10-12th 2016, not big enough for a complete locomotive so they obviously have something else in mind. Some of their customers have larger areas booked so if one appears in, for example, Malcolm livery....
 
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ARoo21

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68 015 was involved in an incident today at High Wycombe. The set was eventually taken back to Wembley Lmd.

Luckily fire prevention system did what it needed to do apparently.
 

Sunbird24

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For anyone living in the Isle of Man and wanting to catch a glimpse of 68016 & 68017 (if they are in a visible position on the ship, it should pass off Douglas around midday or just after today. I will update this post as it gets closer, currently about 40kms south of Douglas.
Link here: http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:254859/zoom:10
PS I would be interested to see a photograph of these taken from there.
Just changed course and will pass 10 kms off-shore about 12:15, web-cams suggest reduced visibility due to rain. Make that 11.15 UK time.
2nd update, 14 kms from the harbour and not visible on their webcams.
Probably be off St. Bees head in 3-4 hours. One day early so not sure if it will anchor off-shore or enter the dock early, will know later.
It appears the port is unable to accommodate it and it has turned away, presumable to a safe anchorage off the Scottish coast.
 
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Sunbird24

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The ship carrying 68016 & 68017 is now berthed at the north side of Workington Dock, almost 1 whole day ahead of schedule and after making a 30 km circular detour to allow another ship to berth first.
Before anyone asks, I have no idea about the unloading arrangements.
 

ARoo21

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68 002 took 68 015 back to Crewe yesterday.

68 014 is on the 10:35 from London Marylebone to Oxford Parkway today?
 

themiller

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Early this afternoon there was no sign of locos on the dock beside the Douwe-s and no sign of a crane alongside the hold for lifting anything off. It looks like it'll all happen tomorrow. If anyone's intending to go there tomorrow, the best vantage point would be on the south side of the river towards the carpark at the point.
 
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Sunbird24

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My first thought was that it would have moored on the south side, which has more, larger cranes, and an adjacent track. The ship it waited for moored on the south side but that may leave this morning and it could then be moved to the other side, I don't know.
As for the locos not being visible, the ship has a draught of 3.6 metres so they would only just fit inside without being visible. No sign of anything moving yet but that could change, though I will not be able to monitor it all morning as I have to go out. I monitor it remotely via this link: http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:254859/zoom:15
 

158722

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My first thought was that it would have moored on the south side, which has more, larger cranes, and an adjacent track. The ship it waited for moored on the south side but that may leave this morning and it could then be moved to the other side, I don't know.
As for the locos not being visible, the ship has a draught of 3.6 metres so they would only just fit inside without being visible. No sign of anything moving yet but that could change, though I will not be able to monitor it all morning as I have to go out. I monitor it remotely via this link: http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:254859/zoom:15

Crane being assembled on the dockside since late yesterday afternoon. Light loco from Kingmoor has gone down this morning, return path booked to leave at 1600.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R02846/2015/10/26/advanced

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R02847/2015/10/26/advanced
 

jopsuk

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the ship has a draught of 3.6 metres so they would only just fit inside without being visible.

Draught is the depth below the waterline. It has little or no bearing on whether the locos will be on an open/visible deck or not.
 
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