Freightliner Class 86/6 fleet

[dmncf]

On weekdays I have seen pairs of 86 on:
- The 1433 Felixstowe North F.L.T. to Coatbridge F.L.T.
- The 2125 Coatbridge F.L.T. to Felixstowe North F.L.T.

The second one as also noted in your post. I haven't spotted any at weekends, but that's probably lack of effort on my part.

 

[50039]

On weekdays I have seen pairs of 86 on:
- The 1433 Felixstowe North F.L.T. to Coatbridge F.L.T.
- The 2125 Coatbridge F.L.T. to Felixstowe North F.L.T.

The second one as also noted in your post. I haven't spotted any at weekends, but that's probably lack of effort on my part.

Thanks - the return to Coatbridge makes sense - and being much later through here explains why I’ve never come across it before - I will update my list

 

[DBS92042]

Hi - not sure if it’s been covered elsewhere - but is there a list of regular workings for pairs of 86s on the southern section of the WCML, and presumably onwards to Felixstowe?

They seem to be fairly fixed, so far I believe I have identified the following heading south:

21:25 Coatbridge to Felixstowe
06:00 Crewe to Felixstowe
05:00 Trafford Park to Felixstowe

Going north, I know of:
11:12 Felixstowe to Trafford Park
Added:
14:33 Felixstowe to Coatbridge

I think most of those are right, but if there are three going to Felixstowe (well, Ipswich) then there must be two more that I don’t know of returning north?

Also, not aware of any on Saturdays?

For south-bound trains, I find the following are usually 86s (on weekdays):
4L89 2125 Coatbridge to Felixstowe
4L97 0615 Trafford Park to Felixstowe
4L75 0500 Trafford Park to Felixstowe
4L60 1946 Garston to Felixstowe
The 4L41 0600 Basford Hall to Felixstowe used to be 86s although I believe this hasn't run in a while

For north-bound trains:
4M45 0250 Felixstowe to Garston
4M87 1113 Felixstowe to Trafford Park
4S88 1433 Felixstowe to Coatbridge

There could be some I've missed though.
Hope this helps

 

[50039]

For south-bound trains, I find the following are usually 86s (on weekdays):
4L89 2125 Coatbridge to Felixstowe
4L97 0615 Trafford Park to Felixstowe
4L75 0500 Trafford Park to Felixstowe
4L60 1946 Garston to Felixstowe
The 4L41 0600 Basford Hall to Felixstowe used to be 86s although I believe this hasn't run in a while

For north-bound trains:
4M45 0250 Felixstowe to Garston
4M87 1113 Felixstowe to Trafford Park
4S88 1433 Felixstowe to Coatbridge

There could be some I've missed though.
Hope this helps

Brilliant! Very useful - thanks!

 

[Class 170101]

05:00 Trafford Park to Felixstowe

This one doesn't run on Monday as 2x Class 86s as its coming from Birch Coppice instead. However there is a down working, might be the 21:25 Coatbridge, that has been known to run with 4x Class 86s on it, two powering and 2 dead in tow, on a Monday.

 

[Romsey]

In poor railhead conditions, the lack of sanders is a problem. A single 66 can climb Brentwood bank more reliably than a pair of 86's with a similar load. That might be old experience from 2007, but I guess it still applies.
( It came to light as part of Delay Attribution enquiries and puzzled a few managers until sanders and what they did was explained. )

 

[cjmillsnun]

Can't see why anyone would ask Freightliner when there's several specialist rail tour operators that own/operate Class 86s. Especially as the Freightliner locomotives, most likely, do not have working ETH supplies (electrical train heating).

I think the term used today is ETS Electrical Train Supply in acknowledgement of the fact that it’s used for more than just heating.

 

[captainbigun]

In poor railhead conditions, the lack of sanders is a problem. A single 66 can climb Brentwood bank more reliably than a pair of 86's with a similar load. That might be old experience from 2007, but I guess it still applies.
( It came to light as part of Delay Attribution enquiries and puzzled a few managers until sanders and what they did was explained. )

86s have sanders though. Presumably that’s a lack of working sanders.

 

[50039]

In poor railhead conditions, the lack of sanders is a problem. A single 66 can climb Brentwood bank more reliably than a pair of 86's with a similar load. That might be old experience from 2007, but I guess it still applies.
( It came to light as part of Delay Attribution enquiries and puzzled a few managers until sanders and what they did was explained. )

Interesting- Will a single 90 be capable of replacing a pair of 86s then?

 

[Romsey]

Interesting- Will a single 90 be capable of replacing a pair of 86s then?

It depends if class 90's have sanders (which I think they do) or better slip control electronics

 

[CW2]

I would have thought that when 90003 - 90015 are put into service, they will largely replace the 86/6s on a one-for-one basis, rendering the 86 fleet extinct. A single 90 can haul more than a single 86, but generally not as much as a pair of 86s. As for 66 versus 2 x 86, the 66 may well be more predictable in its performance, but it will be distinctly slower on the hilly sections - at least in timetabled terms. In real life with grotty rail conditions, the 66 may have the edge.

Edit: typo.

 

[DBS92042]

Excuse me for my lack of knowledge but can an 86 and 90 work in multiple together? If they can't, is there a specific reason why?

 

[captainbigun]

Excuse me for my lack of knowledge but can an 86 and 90 work in multiple together? If they can't, is there a specific reason why?

Yes, anything TDM fitted, give or take few restrictions, can work in multiple.

 

[sjm77]

I see the CLC route near Castlefield Jcn from my apartment. Recently I have been observing the Felixstowe - Trafford Park Freightliner that passes around 22:35* most evenings to see the 86s whilst I can. Well tonight for the first time (that I have witnessed) it was a pair of 90s! The 86s have certainly earned their retirement!

Realtime Trains - FRGT 1113 Felixstowe North F.L.T. to Trafford Park F.L.T.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

*During April it often arrived 30 minutes early probably due to limited traffic en route.

 

[50039]

I see the CLC route near Castlefield Jcn from my apartment. Recently I have been observing the Felixstowe - Trafford Park Freightliner that passes around 22:35* most evenings to see the 86s whilst I can. Well tonight for the first time (that I have witnessed) it was a pair of 90s! The 86s have certainly earned their retirement!

Realtime Trains - FRGT 1113 Felixstowe North F.L.T. to Trafford Park F.L.T.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

*During April it often arrived 30 minutes early probably due to limited traffic en route.

That’s interesting - that one has been one of the most regular pairs of 86s I can remember - mainly because it’s a convenient time for me to see!

This morning, the 4M45 to Garston was a 66 instead of 2x86s... I wonder if there are some availability issues??

 

[hexagon789]

Excuse me for my lack of knowledge but can an 86 and 90 work in multiple together? If they can't, is there a specific reason why?

Yes and it used to be the case that the 86 would be preferred to lead in such cases. Not sure if that's still the case.

 

[Class 170101]

Pair of 90s on the GEML today both with pantograph up.

 

[sjm77]

Well the late evening arrival into Trafford Park from Felixstowe was back to 86s today!

 

[DBS92042]

Yes and it used to be the case that the 86 would be preferred to lead in such cases. Not sure if that's still the case.

I'm guessing a double heading of 86/90 combo isn't too common at the moment as I've never seen one.

Also a quick update on the fleet sees 86605, 86610, & 86627 currently in the stored pool. 86614 has recently been returned to traffic after a period in the stored pool.

 

[hexagon789]

I'm guessing a double heading of 86/90 combo isn't too common at the moment as I've never seen one.

I was thinking some time ago, the 86 was preferred to lead because of its tap-changer controls and it being easier to deal with wheelslip on the 86 from the 86, the electronics of the 90 meaning it could be left to its own devices quite happily.

 

[50039]

Well the late evening arrival into Trafford Park from Felixstowe was back to 86s today!

Seems to be an odd pair of 90s running still, but I don’t understand the diagrams yet - The railcam at Watford picked up a pair of 90s headed towards Felixstowe yesterday lunchtime on 4L75 from Trafford Park... not sure what they return on

 

[DBS92042]

Seems to be an odd pair of 90s running still, but I don’t understand the diagrams yet - The railcam at Watford picked up a pair of 90s headed towards Felixstowe yesterday lunchtime on 4L75 from Trafford Park... not sure what they return on

I could be wrong but I believe the locos that work the 4L75 to Ipswich later return on the 4M53 2046 Felixstowe North F.L.T. to Trafford Park F.L.T., taking the train forward from Ipswich. Similar for the locos from the 4L89 work the 4M87 back and the locos from the 4L97 work the 4S88 back. I guess sometimes this wouldn't always happen though.

 

[DBS92042]

Looks like there's a working today to retrieve 86604 from Wembley. Not sure what the problem is with 86604 but hopefully it isn't terminal.

Realtime Trains - 054Q 1200 Crewe Bas Hall S.S.M. to Wembley Receptions 1-7

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains - 023R 1630 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Crewe Bas Hall S.S.M.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

86604 + 90046 + 90048 | 0Z86 At Milton Malsor 04/07/20

90048 & 90046 slowly lead a 'thumping' 86604 past Milton Malsor, working the 0Z86 1630 Wembley Receptions 1-7 to Crewe Bas Hall S.S.M. 86604 was taken off the 4S88 on 19/06/20 due to wheel flats and had remained at Wembley Yard since. On 06/07/20, 86604 moved under its own power from Basford...

www.flickr.com

 

[XCTurbostar]

Looks like it’s 90046 and 90048, Allegedly it was supposed to be 47830 but it wouldn’t start.

 

[DBS92042]

Looks like it’s 90046 and 90048, Allegedly it was supposed to be 47830 but it wouldn’t start.

Quite right with 90s, apparently flat batteries on 47830

 

[50039]

Caught them at Berkhamsted on the return - photos on Twitter but no idea how to link them on here... surprised to see 90048 still in a very old livery!

 

[DJH1971]

I noticed 86627 has a new pantograph and other roof equipment the other day, so Freightliner are still investing in the fleet for now.

A highspeed pantograph I take it?

 

[DBS92042]

A highspeed pantograph I take it?

It got a Stone Faiveley pantograph if I'm not mistaken, however I believe 86627 now has brake issues which has lead to its storage.

 

[DBS92042]

86604 is back in service today, working the 4L93 with 86632

 

[XCTurbostar]

86604 is back in service today, working the 4L93 with 86632

Good to see it’s back. There must be some short term future plan if they’re being repaired.
Anyone know what was wrong with it? For what it’s worth Wikipedia said it was withdrawn due to a bad wheel flat..