Colas Class 70s for sale ?!

[trainmania100]

Mascus

www.mascus.co.uk

sale, four locomotives GE class 70 located in England.
Engine : GE P616 V16
Building year : 2011 for one and 2014 others
Power : 2750kw (3686hp)
Transmission : Diesel Electric
Equipment : AWS/TPWS
Optional Equipments : Auxiliaire Power Unit, Regenerative Braking, Tablet Holders
Condition : very good

Has anyone got any further information? Seems legit, are colas scaling back their operations?

Locomotives listed as 70801 to 70804

 

[ExRes]

Who is selling them though, Colas or the leasing company, who are the actual owners?

 

[pdeaves]

Minor point of no consequence but the advert says "Production country United States". Was 70801 the one built in Turkey?

 

[XAM2175]

Minor point of no consequence but the advert says "Production country United States". Was 70801 the one built in Turkey?

Correct - it was originally 70099. I expect that the database behind the website only allows one value for that field, so the US is selected because it's the correct value for the the majority of the lot.

Continuing the pedantry though () I think they're slightly out in saying that 2014 is the year of manufacture for the US-built ones, because I understood that 70802 through to 70805 had already been built when Colas placed the order in late 2013.

 

[Townsend Hook]

How long before a ‘Class 70 Preservation Society’ group springs up on Bookface?

 

[ExRes]

Now reported on WNXX that the Mascus advert is actually several months old with no interest shown so far

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

Two minor points of no consequence:

Whoever wrote the ad used a French language smartphone and didn't fight the autocomplete ("Locomotive Général Electrique").

Mascus doesn't have a category for locomotives. They have to be listed under "Railroad maintenance".

 

[Bayum]

Why are they selling?

 

[FOCTOC]

Why are they selling?

Colas moving away from freight haulage and concentrating on engineering etc. They are also reputed to be looking for too much money for the locos.

 

[Roast Veg]

Well that didn't last long.

 

[ExRes]

Colas moving away from freight haulage and concentrating on engineering etc. They are also reputed to be looking for too much money for the locos.

What freight do Colas haul?

 

[D365]

Colas moving away from freight haulage and concentrating on engineering etc. They are also reputed to be looking for too much money for the locos.

Makes sense with the attention that’s going into the Class 37 and 56 fleets in the near future…

 

[driver9000]

What freight do Colas haul?

Timber between Carlisle and Chirk plus fuel between Dalston (Cumbria) and Grangemouth. Probably a few other flows too but they are the ones I know of.

 

[Highlandspring]

What freight do Colas haul?

In Scotland they have quite extensive cement traffic from Oxwellmains to various destinations in Scotland and England and china clay slurry from Aberdeen to Workington Docks. Also the Dalston tanks as mentioned above and aviation fuel to Prestwick airport.

 

[Photohunter71]

Wonder who'll get those Oxwellmains contracts now? CRH might opt for Freightliner or GBRf I'd be surprised if DRS gets the contract.

 

[warwickshire]

What freight do Colas haul?

Class 70s on the Westbury and hinksey yard to bescot sidings engineers trains.
Test trains off course.
The first workings the above mentioned engineering trains are daily Monday to Friday.

 

[Trackman]

I quite like them, do the 'cranks' of today have a nickname for them?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I quite like them, do the 'cranks' of today have a nickname for them?

I've heard a few which all relate to them having a "great face for radio", for example "Betties" (as in "ugly Betty").

 

[_toommm_]

I quite like them, do the 'cranks' of today have a nickname for them?

Fuglies.

 

[BRblue33]

Toasters as they catch a light

 

[Rhinojerry]

Mountsorrel to Carlisle ballast workings.

 

[Mollman]

Timber between Carlisle and Chirk plus fuel between Dalston (Cumbria) and Grangemouth. Probably a few other flows too but they are the ones I know of.

Also Preston Docks - Lindsey Bitumen which tends to be a pair of 56s.

 

[Doomotron]

GBRF might buy it, since they have a record of buying literally anything as long as it has wheels and a cab...

 

[XCTurbostar]

Condition: Very Good

Edit: I also like it how the picture is of 70813..

 

[ExRes]

GBRF might buy it, since they have a record of buying literally anything as long as it has wheels and a cab...

By 'it' I presume you mean them

When 70099 first came to the UK in 2012/13 it was rumoured that GBRf were giving it the once over, obviously nothing came of that and you'd have to wonder whether a mini fleet of four locos would be a gain or a potential headache now, assuming GBRf had any actual need for them of course

 

[rustbucket]

By 'it' I presume you mean them

When 70099 first came to the UK in 2012/13 it was rumoured that GBRf were giving it the once over, obviously nothing came of that and you'd have to wonder whether a mini fleet of four locos would be a gain or a potential headache now, assuming GBRf had any actual need for them of course

Probably not given they have an option to extend the order of 69s which they've not yet exercised

 

[DB]

Probably not given they have an option to extend the order of 69s which they've not yet exercised

And they seem to be snapping up any 66s which become available on the continent too. 70s would have the disadvantage of being completely different to any of their current locos.

 

[Mollman]

Do we know if COLAS have had the same issues as Freightliner in regards to accessing certain replacement parts?

 

[Ribbleman]

Why have the 70s proved to be less than successful? Is there one principal fault or are there many?

 

[4F89]

Why have the 70s proved to be less than successful? Is there one principal fault or are there many?

They are crap on t3 work, but excellent for bulk haulage.