Why are the Class 70s a Micro Fleet?

[LondonBound]

Why aren't there many Class 70 trains around? I understand the class 66 are proper workhorses but is it simply that the emissions changed?

 

[Energy]

Freight generally uses the locomotives for much longer and rebuilds old ones as its much cheaper than buying new. The 68s and 88s were ordered as DRS also wanted to use them on passenger services.

 

[Mollman]

Freightliner did have the option for more but never took it up, probably didn't help that coal traffic disappeared overnight. Freightliner have had issues sourcing spares for the locos they have.

 

[fgwrich]

Because they're pig ugly? Well, someone had to say it

Freightliner did have the option for more but never took it up, probably didn't help that coal traffic disappeared overnight. Freightliner have had issues sourcing spares for the locos they have.

In addition to the reduction in coal work (They still won a large contract from DB in South Wales in the early 2010s though), Their early reliability issues and fires were a major draw in Freightliner's decision not to take up the potential additional batch (which were taken on by Colas as 70802-810), nor to order anymore. Eventually their reliability began to improve after modification by GE themselves, which included fitting extra cooling to the locos (the large wart like box sticking out on the sides) and this modification was carried over to the Colas built locos during their construction. Since the mods they've become very capable haulers and possibly new record holders beating the 59 - though as you mention, both Freightliner and Colas have begun to store them again due to parts and supply chain issues. A bit of a shame though - I live roughly 2 miles from my nearest line and on a still day or night, can hear them climbing the bank, powering down across the crossing then powering up again. They're ugly, but they're impressive beasts!

 

[43096]

Their early reliability issues and fires were a major draw in Freightliner's decision not to take up the potential additional batch (which were taken on by Colas as 70802-810)

I don’t believe the Colas batch were those intended for Freightliner. 70021-030 were the Freightliner options and GE had reserved works numbers 58801-810 for them. The Colas 70802-810 batch have works numbers 61859-867, which suggests it was a completely separate order.

 

[Leeds1970]

i pass midland road depot pretty much every day and it is a little disheartening seeing class 70's being parked up - i would have thought the Mendip work would have been ideal for them.
as a side note what's the story with the 59 on temp bogies its been there quite a long time now..

 

[43096]

as a side note what's the story with the 59 on temp bogies its been there quite a long time now..

The 59 fleet is going through a bogie overhaul programme: one loco is stopped and its bogies are used as the float for the programme. Once they're done the final set of bogies will be overhauled and will go underneath the stopped loco.

 

[Mollman]

i pass midland road depot pretty much every day and it is a little disheartening seeing class 70's being parked up - i would have thought the Mendip work would have been ideal for them.
as a side note what's the story with the 59 on temp bogies its been there quite a long time now..

I think a lot of the stored locos are awaiting spare parts.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/freightliner-class-70-storage.168633/

 

[Wyrleybart]

I don’t believe the Colas batch were those intended for Freightliner. 70021-030 were the Freightliner options and GE had reserved works numbers 58801-810 for them. The Colas 70802-810 batch have works numbers 61859-867, which suggests it was a completely separate order.

That is a very interesting, and rather indisputable fact "43096". Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Green tractor]

i pass midland road depot pretty much every day and it is a little disheartening seeing class 70's being parked up - i would have thought the Mendip work would have been ideal for them.
as a side note what's the story with the 59 on temp bogies its been there quite a long time now..

The 59 gave up its bogies to provide a spare set to enable the 59s to have bogie overhauls in the same way that a Freightliner 90 did a few years ago. Once all the 59s have had freshly overhauled bogies put under them it will get the last set put under it.