British Rail Class 66
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| British Rail Class 66 | |
 66713 'Forest City' at Crewe Works |
|
| Also called: | Shed JT42 CWR |
|---|---|
| Builder: | Electro-Motive Diesel |
| Years built: | 1998 to date |
| Number built: | Still being delivered (508+) |
| Engine: | EMD 12N-710G3B-EC EMD 12N-710G3B-T2 (Class 66/9) |
| Transmission: | Diesel Electric |
| Wheel layout: | Co-Co |
| Brakes: | Westinghouse PBL Air |
| Length: | 20.1 m |
| Width: | 2.65 m |
| Height: | 3.9 m |
| Weight: | 129.6 tonnes |
| Maximum speed: | Class 66/6 65mph Balance of fleet 120 km/h (75 mph) |
| Engine power: | 3,000 bhp (2,200 kW) |
| Maximum TE: | 409 kN (92,000 lbf) Starting |
| Continuous TE: | 260 kN at 25.6 km/h (58,450 lbf at 15.9 mph) |
| Heating type: | None |
| Multiple working: | Classes 59, 66 & 67 |
| Fuel capacity: | 6,400 litres |
| Route availability: | 7 |
| Operators: | EWS Direct Rail Services Freightliner FirstGBRf |
The Class 66 locomotive is a development of the Class 59 and used both on British and European railway networks—where it is marketed as EMD Series 66.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] United Kingdom
On the privatisation of British Rail's freight operations in 1996, English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS), then a subsidiary of Wisconsin Central and since acquired by Canadian National, bought most of British Rail's freight operations. Many of the locomotives that EWS inherited were either at the end of their useful life or of doubtful reliability. EWS approached General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD), who offered their JT42CWR model developed from the Class 59. Initially classified as Class 61, this was subsequently given the "Class 66" designation in the British classification system. Two hundred and fifty were ordered and built in London, Ontario, Canada.
The Class 66 incorporated many ideas from North America and differed a lot from the Class 60, which had been recently built but to a more traditional layout.
In 1998, Freightliner placed an order for locomotives. They were followed by GB Railfreight, and then Direct Rail Services.
Although unpopular with many rail enthusiasts, due to their ubiquity and having caused the displacement of several older types of (mostly) British built locomotives, their high reliability has helped rail freight to remain competitive.
[edit] Continental Europe
The Class 66 design has also been taken to mainland Europe where it is currently certified for operations in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, and Poland, with certification pending in the Czech Republic and Italy. They currently operate on routes between Sweden and Denmark and between Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and Poland. As a result of its well-known British identity, EMD Europe markets the locomotive as "Series 66".
Due to the similarity between the word 'class' and the Dutch boy's name 'Klaas', locomotives of this class are nicknamed Klaas or in plural Klazen.
[edit] Current operations
[edit] English, Welsh and Scottish Railway
English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) was the first to order Class 66 locomotives, with the first of the two hundred and fifty locomotives shipped to Britain in mid-1998. The final locomotive entered traffic just two years later, in mid-2000. The EWS fleet includes five locomotives capable of banking heavy trains over the Lickey Incline—on these specific locomotives, the knuckle coupler has been modified to allow remote releasing from inside the cab, whilst in motion.[1] It also includes fifteen locomotives fitted with RETB signaling equipment, for working in northern Scotland and RETB-fitted branchlines.[1]
[edit] Freightliner
Freightliner followed EWS by initially ordering five new Class 66/5 locomotives, and have continued to order in small batches. As of summer 2007, the 66/5 fleet had reached 93 examples, numbered 66501-520/522-594, with 66521 having been withdrawn, and later scrapped after the 2001 crash at Great Heck.
In 2000, a new Class 66/6 sub-class was built, with a lower gear ratio, enabling heavier trains to be hauled, albeit at slower speed. There are presently twenty-five examples of this class, numbered 66601-625.
During 2004 the company also took receipt of the most recent Class 66/9 sub-class of the locomotive, which are a low emission variant. All new locomotives for all companys are now of the low emission "T2" type. The original two such locomotives remain as 66951/52.
[edit] FirstGBRF
FirstGBRf is the newest UK freight operator, now wholly owned by FirstGroup. They opted for new Class 66/7 locomotives, rather than buying second-hand from EWS or Freightliner, ordering seventeen examples. Currently, GBRf operate a fleet of twenty-seven locomotives, painted in their distinctive blue and orange livery. The locomotives are employed on infrastructure contracts with Network Rail and London Underground. GBRf also haul intermodal container trains from Felixstowe to the West Midlands and carry coal between Tyne Yard in the North-East and Drax power station.
During April 2006, five additional locomotives (numbered 66718-722) were delivered. These are of the low emission kind, similar to the 66/9s in service with Freightliner. The livery differs slightly from the original seventeen, using a lighter blue and 'Metronet' branding on the sides. Their primary use was to work infrastructure trains for Metronet, but now for Metronet's succesor Transport for London. A further order for five more locomotives (66723-727) was delivered in early 2007. These locomotives are painted in a new livery of pink, white and blue, which is similar to First Groups corporate livery. In April 2008 First GBRf took delivery of another five locomotives (66728 - 732). They are painted again in the corporate First Group livery, and 66728 is expected to be named on Friday 18th April 2008 at March West TMD
[edit] Direct Rail Services
Direct Rail Services (DRS), a subsidiary of BNFL, is the latest company to opt for Class 66 locomotives. Previously, they had relied on a fleet of ageing second-hand Class 20, Class 33, Class 37 and Class 47 locomotives. In 2002, DRS ordered ten Class 66/4 locomotives from EMD. These were delivered in 2003, numbered 66401-410, and are employed on new Anglo-Scottish traffic, some with Stobart Rail. They are painted in a variation of DRS's blue livery. More locomotives have since been ordered, with ten (66411-420) delivered in 2006 and another ten (66421-430) delivered in late 2007.
[edit] Future orders
Recently two new entries into the UK freight market have expressed an interest in acquiring class 66 locomotives - the first of these being Fastline Freight, part of Jarvis PLC, which operates intermodal services between Doncaster and Birmingham International Railfreight Terminal (BIFT), and Thamesport, in North Kent, using refurbished Class 56 locomotives. They are understood to have ordered five Class 66 locomotives to operate a new coal flow from Hatfield Colliery. The other company, who are believed to have placed an order for 3 locomotives is Victa Westlink, who took over some of the assets of the beleaugered Fragonset Merlin Rail upon their collapse late in 2006.
[edit] Cab design problems
The lack of air conditioning, poor seating and noise levels led to the British Trade Union ASLEF to deem the locomotives unfit and unsafe, and in April 2007 proposed a ban on their members driving the locomotives through the Summer 2007 period. Keith Norman, ASLEF's general secretary described the cabs as "unhealthy, unsafe and unsatisfactory." Research also showed that in July 2006 when the weather was extremely hot, the number of times a driver passed a red signal increased. EWS was the first company to enter discussions and make amendments to a series of trial locomotives.[2]
[edit] Fleet details
|
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|---|---|
| Specification | Details |
| Currently owned by: | EWS |
| Operated by: | EWS |
| Built: | 1998-2000 |
| Builder: | General Motors Electro Motive Division, London, Ontario, Canada |
| TOPS Numbers: | 66 001 - 66 250 |
| Engine: | GM 12N-710G3B-EC |
| Cylinder Bore: | 230mm |
| Cylinder Stroke: | 279mm |
| Main alternator: | GM-EMD AR8 |
| Traction motors: | 6 of GM-EMD D43-TR |
| Maximum tractive effort: | 92,000lb |
| Continuous tractive effort: | 58,390lb |
| Horsepower | 3,300hp |
| Horsepower at rail: | 3,000hp |
| Wheel arrangement: | Co-Co |
| Train brakes: | Air |
| Brake Force: | 68 Tonnes |
| Brake Manufacturer: | Westinghouse PBL3 |
| Length: | 21.40m |
| Width: | 2.65m |
| Height: | 3.91m |
| Mass: | 126 t |
| Wheel Diameter: | 1060 mm |
| Wheelbase: | 17.29m |
| Bogie Wheelbase: | 4.15m |
| Bogie Type: | HTCR Radial |
| Minimum Curve: | 4 Chains (80.46m) |
| Design speed: | 87.5 mph |
| Maximum speed: | 75 mph |
| Fuel capacity: | 6,550 litres |
| Route availability: | 7 |
| Electric train supply: | None Fitted |
| Train Heating | None Fitted |
| Multiple working: | Within type |
| Multiple Connectors: | Association of American Railroads |
| Withdrawl/Scrapped: | None - All In Service |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Specification | Details |
| Currently owned by: | Porterbrook |
| Operated by: | Direct Rail Services |
| Built: | 2003-2006 |
| Builder: | General Motors Electro Motive Division, London, Ontario, Canada |
| TOPS Numbers: | 66 401 - 66 420 |
| Engine: | GM 12N-710G3B-EC |
| Cylinder Bore: | 230mm |
| Cylinder Stroke: | 279mm |
| Main alternator: | GM-EMD AR8 |
| Traction motors: | 6 of GM-EMD D43-TR |
| Maximum tractive effort: | 92,000lb |
| Continuous tractive effort: | 58,390lb |
| Horsepower | 3,300hp |
| Horsepower at rail: | 3,000hp |
| Wheel arrangement: | Co-Co |
| Train brakes: | Air |
| Brake Force: | 68 Tonnes |
| Brake Manufacturer: | Westinghouse PBL3 |
| Length: | 21.40m |
| Width: | 2.65m |
| Height: | 3.91m |
| Mass: | 126 t |
| Wheel Diameter: | 1060 mm |
| Wheelbase: | 17.29m |
| Bogie Wheelbase: | 4.15m |
| Bogie Type: | HTCR Radial |
| Minimum Curve: | 4 Chains (80.46m) |
| Design speed: | 87.5 mph |
| Maximum speed: | 75 mph |
| Fuel capacity: | 6,550 litres |
| Route availability: | 7 |
| Electric train supply: | None Fitted |
| Train Heating | None Fitted |
| Multiple working: | Within type |
| Multiple Connectors: | Association of American Railroads |
| Withdrawl/Scrapped: | None - All In Service |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Specification | Details |
| Currently owned by: | Unknown |
| Operated by: | Freightliner |
| Built: | 1999-2008 |
| Builder: | General Motors Electro Motive Division, London, Ontario, Canada |
| TOPS Numbers: | 66 501 - 66 597 (soon to arrive are 598 and 599) |
| Engine: | GM 12N-710G3B-EC |
| Cylinder Bore: | 230mm |
| Cylinder Stroke: | 279mm |
| Main alternator: | GM-EMD AR8 |
| Traction motors: | 6 of GM-EMD D43-TR |
| Maximum tractive effort: | 92,000lb |
| Continuous tractive effort: | 58,390lb |
| Horsepower | 3,300hp |
| Horsepower at rail: | 3,000hp |
| Wheel arrangement: | Co-Co |
| Train brakes: | Air |
| Brake Force: | 68 Tonnes |
| Brake Manufacturer: | Westinghouse PBL3 |
| Length: | 21.40m |
| Width: | 2.65m |
| Height: | 3.91m |
| Mass: | 126 t |
| Wheel Diameter: | 1060 mm |
| Wheelbase: | 17.29m |
| Bogie Wheelbase: | 4.15m |
| Bogie Type: | HTCR Radial |
| Minimum Curve: | 4 Chains (80.46m) |
| Design speed: | 87.5 mph |
| Maximum speed: | 75 mph |
| Fuel capacity: | 6,550 litres |
| Route availability: | 7 |
| Electric train supply: | None Fitted |
| Train Heating | None Fitted |
| Multiple working: | Within type |
| Multiple Connectors: | Association of American Railroads |
| Withdrawl/Scrapped: | 66521 (Selby rail crash) |
|
|
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|---|---|
| Specification | Details |
| Currently owned by: | Unknown |
| Operated by: | Freightliner |
| Built: | 2000-2007 |
| Builder: | General Motors Electro Motive Division, London, Ontario, Canada |
| TOPS Numbers: | 66 601 - 66 625 |
| Engine: | GM 12N-710G3B-EC |
| Cylinder Bore: | 230mm |
| Cylinder Stroke: | 279mm |
| Main alternator: | GM-EMD AR8 |
| Traction motors: | 6 of GM-EMD D43-TR |
| Maximum tractive effort: | 105,080lb |
| Continuous tractive effort: | 66,630lb |
| Horsepower | 3,300hp |
| Horsepower at rail: | 3,000hp |
| Wheel arrangement: | Co-Co |
| Train brakes: | Air |
| Brake Force: | 68 Tonnes |
| Brake Manufacturer: | Westinghouse PBL3 |
| Length: | 21.40m |
| Width: | 2.65m |
| Height: | 3.91m |
| Mass: | 126 t |
| Wheel Diameter: | 1060 mm |
| Wheelbase: | 17.29m |
| Bogie Wheelbase: | 4.15m |
| Bogie Type: | HTCR Radial |
| Minimum Curve: | 4 Chains (80.46m) |
| Design speed: | 87.5 mph |
| Maximum speed: | 65 mph |
| Fuel capacity: | 6,550 litres |
| Route availability: | 7 |
| Electric train supply: | None Fitted |
| Train Heating | None Fitted |
| Multiple working: | Within type |
| Multiple Connectors: | Association of American Railroads |
| Withdrawl/Scrapped: | None - All In Service |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Specification | Details |
| Currently owned by: | HSBC Rail (UK) |
| Operated by: | FirstGBRf |
| Built: | 2001-2008 |
| Builder: | General Motors Electro Motive Division, London, Ontario, Canada |
| TOPS Numbers: | 66 701 - 66 732 |
| Engine: | GM 12N-710G3B-EC |
| Cylinder Bore: | 230mm |
| Cylinder Stroke: | 279mm |
| Main alternator: | GM-EMD AR8 |
| Traction motors: | 6 of GM-EMD D43-TR |
| Maximum tractive effort: | 92,000lb |
| Continuous tractive effort: | 58,390lb |
| Horsepower | 3,300hp |
| Horsepower at rail: | 3,000hp |
| Wheel arrangement: | Co-Co |
| Train brakes: | Air |
| Brake Force: | 68 Tonnes |
| Brake Manufacturer: | Westinghouse PBL3 |
| Length: | 21.40m |
| Width: | 2.65m |
| Height: | 3.91m |
| Mass: | 126 t |
| Wheel Diameter: | 1060 mm |
| Wheelbase: | 17.29m |
| Bogie Wheelbase: | 4.15m |
| Bogie Type: | HTCR Radial |
| Minimum Curve: | 4 Chains (80.46m) |
| Design speed: | 87.5 mph |
| Maximum speed: | 75 mph |
| Fuel capacity: | 5,546 litres |
| Route availability: | 7 |
| Electric train supply: | None Fitted |
| Train Heating | None Fitted |
| Multiple working: | Within type |
| Multiple Connectors: | Association of American Railroads |
| Withdrawl/Scrapped: | None - All In Service |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Specification | Details |
| Currently owned by: | Unknown |
| Operated by: | Freightliner |
| Built: | 2004 |
| Builder: | General Motors Electro Motive Division, London, Ontario, Canada |
| TOPS Numbers: | 66 951 - 66 952 |
| Engine: | GM 12N-710G3B-EC |
| Cylinder Bore: | 230mm |
| Cylinder Stroke: | 279mm |
| Main alternator: | GM-EMD AR8 |
| Traction motors: | 6 of GM-EMD D43-TR |
| Maximum tractive effort: | 92,000lb |
| Continuous tractive effort: | 58,390lb |
| Horsepower | 3,300hp |
| Horsepower at rail: | 3,000hp |
| Wheel arrangement: | Co-Co |
| Train brakes: | Air |
| Brake Force: | 68 Tonnes |
| Brake Manufacturer: | Westinghouse PBL3 |
| Length: | 21.40m |
| Width: | 2.65m |
| Height: | 3.91m |
| Mass: | 126 t |
| Wheel Diameter: | 1060 mm |
| Wheelbase: | 17.29m |
| Bogie Wheelbase: | 4.15m |
| Bogie Type: | HTCR Radial |
| Minimum Curve: | 4 Chains (80.46m) |
| Design speed: | 87.5 mph |
| Maximum speed: | 75 mph |
| Fuel capacity: | 5,546 litres |
| Route availability: | 7 |
| Electric train supply: | None Fitted |
| Train Heating | None Fitted |
| Multiple working: | Within type |
| Multiple Connectors: | Association of American Railroads |
| Withdrawl/Scrapped: | None - All In Service |
| Subclass | No. built | No. range | Operators | Loco nos. | No in traffic | Withdrawn / Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66/0 | 250 | 66001-250 | EWS | 66001-250 | UK:189 France:67 | - |
| 66/4 | 10 | 66401-410 | DRS | 66401-410 | 10 | DRS are removing these ten from traffic, and returning them to their ROSCO shortly. |
| 20 | 66411-430 | DRS | 66411-430 | 20 | Low emission locomotives. 5 on order for 2008 (66431-435). | |
| 66/5 | 81 | 66501-581 | Freightliner | 66501-520/522-586 | 80 | 66521 written off in the Great Heck rail crash. |
| 13 | 66582-597 | Freightliner | 66582-597 (soon to arrive are 598 and 599) | 13 | Low emission locomotives. 2 more on order (66598 and 66599). | |
| 66/6 | 22 | 66601-622 | Freightliner | 66601-622 | 22 | - |
| 3 | 66623-625 | Freightliner | 66623-625 | 3 | Low emission locomotives. | |
| 66/7 | 17 | 66701-717 | FirstGBRf | 66701-717 | 17 | - |
| 10 | 66718-732 | FirstGBRf | 66718-732 | 10 | Low-emission locomotives. | |
| 66/9 | 2 | 66951-952 | Freightliner | 66951-952 | 2 | Low-emission locomotives. 5 more on order for 2008 (66953-957). |
DRS = Direct Rail Services
EWS = English, Welsh and Scottish Railway
FirstGBRf = GB Railfreight, recently renamed FirstGBRf
[edit] Gallery
 Brand new 66430 awaits its next duty on DIRFT headshunt, 14th October 2007. |
 66573 at Ipswich on 31 January 2004. When pictured, this Freightliner locomotive was only a few weeks old. |
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 DRS 66403 at Nuneaton with an intermodal train. |
 66724 at Doncaster on 4th September 2007 |
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[edit] References and Sources
[edit] References
- ^ a b Fox, Peter; Hall, Peter & Pritchard, Robert (2008). British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock 2008. Platform 5, Sheffield. ISBN 978 1902 336 63 3.
- ^ Boycott threat over 'dirty' locos BBC News - 30 April, 2007
[edit] Sources
- Fox, Peter; Hall, Peter & Pritchard, Robert (2004). British Railways Locomotives & coaching stock 2004. Sheffield: Platform 5. ISBN 1 902336 39 9.
- Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. EMD: JT42CWRM. Retrieved December 19, 2006
[edit] See also
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