DB HTE Class 66s

[Rail Quest]

66655 is ex-66167.
66656 has not been renumbered on the system yet.

Thanks for confirming.

66156 was the only other WBHT 66 at Toton, so in theory 66656 is ex-66156. Once officially renumbered on the system should confirm this

Ahh OK. Where are the other locos that are lined up for conversion? I would have expected all of them to be on Toton by now.

 

[DBS92042]

Thanks for confirming.


Ahh OK. Where are the other locos that are lined up for conversion? I would have expected all of them to be on Toton by now.

66161/66171/66181/66183 are the remaining WBHT 66s and all are currently away from Toton and active around the country

 

[ExRes]

Suggested on the WNXX forum today that there may be another 5 on the way

 

[Adrian Barr]

Where are the other locos that are lined up for conversion? I would have expected all of them to be on Toton by now.

I think they are taking one loco out of traffic at a time for conversion, more or less, although 66167 was languishing at Toton for several months before becoming 66655.

66655 worked light engine to Doncaster and back on 19th August (probably as a test run).
It's first train workings were 6E01 to Boston and 6M08 steel coils to Wolverhampton on 20th August.
Several photos of it here, working 6E01 return empties from Wolverhampton back to Boston the following day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/37260/53939631631/in/photostream/

 

[Worcestershed]

There are a few running around Margam, on steels and the tanks between Robertson and Westerleigh, quite a few have started on the Boston to Wolves covered steels, and the following day they work Boston to Swindon and return to Toton, just seen 66655 work 6M53 to Toton.

 

[Western 52]

Yes they are around South Wales now, and 66651 was on 6B13 0500 Robeston to Westerleigh oil today.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Just a quick post to keep this thread up to date:

66656 (former 66156) emerged from Toton earlier this month, working the usual light engine test run to Doncaster and back (0E23 / 0F54) on 6th September. Its first freight workings were also the usual ones, 6E02 empty steel coil wagons from Toton to Boston, and 6M08 loads to Wolverhampton, on 9th September.

Along with the Boston steel and the Robeston tanks, the 6M62 Angerstein - St Pancras is another usual 66/6 working. 66653 has been regular traction, and is seen working the return empties in August: https://www.flickr.com/photos/locohunter/53932926158/

The locos based at Margam for the tank trains have also been used on various steel workings, reaching Round Oak, Dee Marsh and Corby. In fact I think 66/6s are now booked traction for the Dee Marsh trains, which makes sense given the gradients encountered on the route. 66651 is seen here working 6V75 earlier this month: https://www.flickr.com/photos/whosoever2/53984086687/

I'm not sure what the next planned conversion is - of the locos in the pool for conversion, both 66181 and 66183 are at Toton at the moment, while 66161 is currently working off Doncaster and 66171 from Acton.

 

[Rail Quest]

Just a quick post to keep this thread up to date:

66656 (former 66156) emerged from Toton earlier this month, working the usual light engine test run to Doncaster and back (0E23 / 0F54) on 6th September. Its first freight workings were also the usual ones, 6E02 empty steel coil wagons from Toton to Boston, and 6M08 loads to Wolverhampton, on 9th September.

Along with the Boston steel and the Robeston tanks, the 6M62 Angerstein - St Pancras is another usual 66/6 working. 66653 has been regular traction, and is seen working the return empties in August: https://www.flickr.com/photos/locohunter/53932926158/

The locos based at Margam for the tank trains have also been used on various steel workings, reaching Round Oak, Dee Marsh and Corby. In fact I think 66/6s are now booked traction for the Dee Marsh trains, which makes sense given the gradients encountered on the route. 66651 is seen here working 6V75 earlier this month: https://www.flickr.com/photos/whosoever2/53984086687/

I'm not sure what the next planned conversion is - of the locos in the pool for conversion, both 66181 and 66183 are at Toton at the moment, while 66161 is currently working off Doncaster and 66171 from Acton.

Thanks for the update. Its great to see DB using these locomotives on flows that never saw regular class 60 work such as the aforementioned Dee Marsh. Perhaps that explains why DB are looking at getting more conversions done if the below is correct:

Suggested on the WNXX forum today that there may be another 5 on the way

 

[Western 52]

Today's 6B13 0500 Robeston to Westerleigh oil failed near Clarbeston Road. It later passed Burry Port 226 late with 66652 on the front and 66654 on the rear. There was a similar issue with one of these locos on this train a few weeks ago. Any known problems, or maybe just wet rails?

 

[Adrian Barr]

I heard that today's issue with 6B13 was a combination of railhead conditions and a temporary speed restriction causing the train to slip to a stand, without the loco being defective as such . There was a similar issue recently (unrelated to 66/6s) with an awkwardly placed temporary speed restriction at Woodgrange Park that prevented loaded sand trains from Dagenham getting a normal run onto the bank which takes the "T&H" up onto the arches towards South Tottenham.

 

[Class15]

I heard that today's issue with 6B13 was a combination of railhead conditions and a temporary speed restriction causing the train to slip to a stand, without the loco being defective as such . There was a similar issue recently (unrelated to 66/6s) with an awkwardly placed temporary speed restriction at Woodgrange Park that prevented loaded sand trains from Dagenham getting a normal run onto the bank which takes the "T&H" up onto the arches towards South Tottenham.

Is this why all the class 6 trains were getting delays over this section?

 

[Adrian Barr]

Is this why all the class 6 trains were getting delays over this section?

Probably, in fact I think it's still ongoing with a 10mph TSR at Woodgrange Park on the "Up T&H". With most freight trains I think it's just a couple of minutes delay, but there were a few instances where loaded westbound trains lost a lot of time (fortunately during the night) perhaps due to poor weather conditions on those days. DB's 6V12 00:37 Dagenham - Acton is a regular runner and has been diverted to run via Stratford as a result, - the pathing is not so much of a problem at night as long as the route via Stratford is not affected by engineering possessions. Freightliner's 6V93 Dagenham - Theale / 6V94 to West Drayton sand trains would be the other heavier trains that come to mind going westbound via the T&H.

 

[Worcestershed]

The regeared locomotives seem to do a lot of work on the covered steel trains, I've seen most of them on the Margam to Round Oak's and Swindon to Boston's.
Bizzare really because theyre not really heavy trains !

 

[Spaceship323]

The regeared locomotives seem to do a lot of work on the covered steel trains, I've seen most of them on the Margam to Round Oak's and Swindon to Boston's.
Bizzare really because theyre not really heavy trains !

Yeah. but the lower gearing means they can go via the Lickey without needing a banker, which must save quite some mileage

Realtime Trains | 6M59 2052 Margam T.C. to Wolverhampton Steel Term | 22/10/2024

Real-time train running information for 6M59 2052 departure from Margam T.C. to Wolverhampton Steel Term on 22/10/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Rail Quest]

The regeared locomotives seem to do a lot of work on the covered steel trains, I've seen most of them on the Margam to Round Oak's and Swindon to Boston's.
Bizzare really because theyre not really heavy trains !

I've been thinking the same about the Dee Marsh flows which were worked by standard gearing sheds for ages but I'm assuming it might have something to do with performance on steep gradients. If the 66/6 gearing has proven to perform far better than standard gearing examples on steeper routes, then DB may be leveraging the locos on routes outside of what I originally thought they'd be used for (on the trains that standard sheds aren't capable of hauling). Are there any steep gradients on those routes?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Oct 2024 ==

Yeah. but the lower gearing means they can go via the Lickey without needing a banker, which must save quite some mileage

Ahh that makes a lot of sense

 

[Trainman40083]

Only one I have seen on freight was on a waste train through Northwich

 

[Worcestershed]

I've been thinking the same about the Dee Marsh flows which were worked by standard gearing sheds for ages but I'm assuming it might have something to do with performance on steep gradients. If the 66/6 gearing has proven to perform far better than standard gearing examples on steeper routes, then DB may be leveraging the locos on routes outside of what I originally thought they'd be used for (on the trains that standard sheds aren't capable of hauling). Are there any steep gradients on those routes?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Oct 2024 ==


Ahh that makes a lot of sense

I believe all DB workings up the Lickey are banked with a loco coming from Bescot.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Oct 2024 ==

Here is one of my latest pictures with 66655 on the Swindon to Toton empties

 

[JKF]

They’re still the most common traction on Margam-Portbury steel slab workings, although regular sheds do appear. Often the same loco will stay on all week. Perhaps they’re needed for the climb up from the Severn Tunnel?

66651/654/652 have all had their turn.

 

[Adrian Barr]

Are there any steep gradients on those routes?

Trains on the freight-only branch from Stourbridge to Round Oak can encounter problems with wheelslip in autumn, so there must be some sort of gradient there.

The Boston steel trains to Wolverhampton have Soho bank to contend with; whichever loco is working those usually ends up on the Swindon working too.

I think the Portbury trains mainly benefit from a 66/6 starting the train out of the dock itself due to the curvature of the sidings - a regular 66 would be OK through the Severn Tunnel, although the extra power of a 66/6 doesn't hurt.

The Dee Marsh trains have a couple of sustained climbs between Newport and Hereford for which a 66/6 must be useful.

I've lost track of which trains are actually booked to use 66/6s and which just happen to have them on. With autumn season causing the usual adhesion issues, I wonder if the extra power of a 66/6 makes any difference with services that regularly encounter adhesion problems? Extra power isn't a great deal of help when the wheels are sliding, but possibly it helps to keep trains that are climbing banks from dropping to lower speeds where wheelslip is more of an issue... I'm not sure.

I believe all DB workings up the Lickey are banked with a loco coming from Bescot.

All loaded workings yes; even with a 60 you can't haul much more than 1000 tons up the Lickey without a banker, and most trains will be closer to 2000 tons.

Since the closure of Bescot Down yard the banker comes from Toton and is outstabled at Wolverhampton Steel terminal.

As for the next 66/6 to appear (66657), I think it will most likely be 66183

 

[JKF]

They’re still the most common traction on Margam-Portbury steel slab workings, although regular sheds do appear. Often the same loco will stay on all week. Perhaps they’re needed for the climb up from the Severn Tunnel?

66651/654/652 have all had their turn.

656 was on the early Portbury steel working (6Z55/6Z53) today, now only 653 and 655 have yet to make an appearance.

Is 657 out and about yet?

 

[The_Train]

Is 657 out and about yet?

Been out on test is all I have seen thus far

 

[Adrian Barr]

Is 657 out and about yet?

Good question... looks like 66657 did the usual light engine run to Doncaster and back on Friday (0E23 / 0M22) and was on 6E02 12:30 Toton - Boston Docks today.

66183 has disappeared from TOPS, so that must be the loco which became 66657, as expected.

 

[JKF]

I may have to add another box to my ‘Portbury Steel Heavy Haul 66 Bingo Card’ then


(image shows a 2x3 grid with pictures of four class 66/6 working on the Portbury branch)

 

[800001]

Good question... looks like 66657 did the usual light engine run to Doncaster and back on Friday (0E23 / 0M22) and was on 6E02 12:30 Toton - Boston Docks today.

66183 has disappeared from TOPS, so that must be the loco which became 66657, as expected.

66657 failed at Rectory jn working 6M08 and was removed at Toton last night.

 

[Adrian Barr]

66657 failed at Rectory jn working 6M08 and was removed at Toton last night.

It was an issue with a damaged air pipe on a wagon that stopped the train. 66657 worked forward to Toton but was then taken off with wheelflats (which might have been caused by the unsolicited brake application). It's shown back in service on TOPS so probably been on the wheel lathe already.

 

[800001]

It was an issue with a damaged air pipe on a wagon that stopped the train. 66657 worked forward to Toton but was then taken off with wheelflats (which might have been caused by the unsolicited brake application). It's shown back in service on TOPS so probably been on the wheel lathe already.

Thanks for that info.

 

[Rail Quest]

Just seen a photo (not mine) of 66657 and have noted that its got the old headlight clusters, is this the only converted loco so far not to be fitted with the shiny new LEDs?


Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsb3p...in/feed-660588-1732905848-3-72157721743992617

 

[Trainman40083]

Just seen a photo (not mine) of 66657 and have noted that its got the old headlight clusters, is this the only converted loco so far not to be fitted with the shiny new LEDs?
View attachment 170212

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dsb3p...in/feed-660588-1732905848-3-72157721743992617

When I saw it the other day, the headlights sure looked bright.

 

[RedPostJunc]

What news on 66658 (and its former identity)?

 

[43096]

What news on 66658 (and its former identity)?

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