British Rail Class 67

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British Rail Class 67
67030 in EWS livery (Kingswear 2017)
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
BuilderAlstom Meinfesa, Valencia
ModelEMD JT42HW-HS
Build date1999–2000
Total produced30
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • UICBo′Bo′
 • CommonwealthBo-Bo
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Wheel diameter965 mm (3 ft 2 in)
Minimum curve75 m (3.7 ch)
Wheelbasebogie wheelbase : 2.80 m (9 ft 2 in)
bogie pivots : 11.63 m (38 ft 2 in)
Length19.71 m (64 ft 8 in)
Width2.71 m (8 ft 11 in)
Height3.93 m (12 ft 11 in)
Loco weight88–90 tonnes (87–89 long tons; 97–99 short tons)
Fuel typeDiesel
Fuel capacity5,400 litres (1,190 imp gal; 1,430 US gal)
Prime moverEMD 12N-710G3B-EC
AlternatorEMD AR9AC6HEX
Traction motorsEMD D43FM
MU workingAAR system
(59, 66, 67, 68 008-015, 69, 70, and 73/9)
Train heatingElectric Train Supply (index: 66 / 330 kW)[1]
Loco brakeElectropneumatic
Safety systems
Performance figures
Maximum speedDesign speed : 125 mph (201 km/h)
Power outputEngine: 3,200 bhp (2,386 kW) @ 900 rpm
At rail: 2,500 hp (1,864 kW)[citation needed]
Tractive effortMaximum: 144 kN (32,000 lbf)
Continuous: 92 kN (20,700 lbf) @ 75 km/h
Brakeforce780 kN (78 long tons-force)
Career
OperatorsGB Railfreight
DB Cargo UK
Numbers67001–67030
NicknamesSkips
Axle load classRoute availability 8
Current ownerDB Cargo UK
Beacon Rail (Only 67023, 67027)
Disposition21 in service, 9 stored
Sources:[3][4] except where noted

The Class 67 locomotives are a class of Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives that were built for the English Welsh & Scottish Railway (EWS) between 1999 and 2000 by Alstom at Meinfesa in Valencia, Spain with drive components (engine, generator and traction motors) from General Motors' Electro-Motive Division.

EMD's designation for this locomotive type is JT42HW-HS.[5]

History[edit]

Design, testing and introduction[edit]

EWS ordered thirty locomotives via leasing company Angel Trains in a £45 million contract split between Alstom and Electro Motive Diesel,[6] for use as Class 47 replacements for hauling high-speed Royal Mail trains and passenger trains.[7] The locomotives were obtained on a 15-year lease from Angel Trains.[7] At the end of the fifteen-year contract, ownership of the locomotives was transferred to DB Cargo UK.

The bodyshell is a monocoque load-bearing Alstom design,[7][8] the bogies are an "H" frame Alstom design,[7] the engine, traction motors and control electronics are GM-EMD products, and the same as used in the Class 66. Unlike the Class 66, the traction motors are frame mounted rather than axle hung to reduce unsprung mass and the gear ratio is increased allowing higher speeds.[7] The cab design has a central driving position.[8]

The locomotives are able to provide Electric Train Supply for passenger train heating and air-conditioning, and are equipped for both buffers and chain couplers and buckeye couplers, the latter attached by a swing arm mount.[8]

High-speed running tests were undertaken with 67002 starting at Alstom's facility at La Sagra (Toledo, Spain) and running on the standard gauge Madrid-Toledo high-speed rail line.[8] A top speed of 143 miles per hour (230 km/h) was obtained.[7]

The first locomotive to be delivered was 67003, which arrived in October 1999. Initially plans were for a rapid acceptance into service, but problems with the locomotives being slightly out of loading gauge[7] caused delays. Acceptance trials began in December, and all 30 units had been delivered to the UK by early 2000.[8]

The high axle load of the locomotive caused an initial speed restriction to 110 mph (177 km/h) and modifications to the bogies were required; locomotive 67023 was passed for 125 mph (201 km/h) running in July 2001,[9] and all 30 units had been modified by June 2003.[10]

Operations[edit]

DB Cargo UK[edit]

The class were initially used primarily on mail trains.[11] In June 2003 EWS lost the Royal Mail mail train contract, with services diminishing to complete cessation in March 2004.[12][13]

The locomotives have since been used by First ScotRail on the Caledonian Sleeper on non-electrified lines north of Edinburgh. In April 2015, GB Railfreight commenced a contract to haul the Caledonian Sleeper with 67004 repainted and renamed for use on the service. When GB Railfreight started to provide the trains and crews for the Serco franchise in 2015, it was planned to use rebuilt Class 73/9s.[14] The first of these came into service in February 2016[15] but the Class 67s continued to be used on some services for another couple of years.

Class 67s are also used as Thunderbird rescue locomotives, for failed trains on the East Coast Main Line, on some freight trains, and for use on chartered tourist trains.[9][11] Two locomotives were assigned to, and received special liveries for use with the Royal Train from 2003,[9][16] and a third had a commemorative jubilee livery applied for use with the Royal Train during the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012.[17]

Five locomotives were also dedicated to Wrexham & Shropshire's services until it ceased operating in January 2011.[18]

Chiltern Railways began using ex-Wrexham & Shropshire Class 67 hauled passenger sets in December 2010,[19] in September 2011 after improvements to the Chiltern Main Line infrastructure, Chiltern began running a 100 mph (160 km/h) service from London to Birmingham branded Mainline using Class 67 powered sets.[20][21] Chiltern Railways leased six Class 68s from December 2014, to replace Class 67s on its Chiltern Main Line services.[22][23] In March 2012, Arriva Trains Wales began the lease of three Class 67s from DB Schenker to replace its Class 57s on its Premier Service.[24]

In December 2023, DB Cargo UK listed 10 Class 67s for sale.[25]

GBRf[edit]

In mid-2022, GBRf took over the leases for 67023 and 67027, though issues with the locomotives [26] meant that GBRf did not take over their operation until November 2022 when 67023 was moved to Scotland to start work on the Caledonian Sleeper contract on the Edinburgh – Inverness legs of the Highland diagrams. 67027 moved to Arlington Works (Eastleigh) for a repaint into GBRf livery, with maintenance work also being completed. 67023 ran its first Caledonian Sleeper diagram in December 2022.[27]

In June 2023, 67027 was returned from GBRf to Colas, being stripped of its GBRf branding and having Colas decals applied.[28]

Former operators[edit]

Colas Rail[edit]

In January 2017, DB Cargo UK sold 67023 and 67027 to Colas Rail, which were repainted at Toton TMD for use on Network Rail infrastructure monitoring trains.[29][30] In December 2018, these two Class 67s were included in a sale of 67 France and UK based locomotives to Beacon Rail Leasing. They were subsequently leased back to Colas Rail. [31]

Fleet[edit]

Summary[edit]

Class No. Built Year Built Operator Loco nos.
Class 67 28 1999–2000 DB Cargo UK 67001-67022
67024-67026
67028-67030
2 Colas Rail 67023 & 67027

Fleet List[edit]

Locomotives that do not currently carry their names are shown with the name in brackets.

Key: In service Stored
Number Name Operator Livery Status Notes
67001 (Night Mail) DB Cargo UK Arriva Blue In service
67002 (Special Delivery) DB Cargo[32] Involved in a serious crash at Lawrence Hill, Bristol in November 2000.
67003 DB Cargo UK Arriva Blue Stored Stored October 2019
67004 Cairn Gorm (Post Haste) DB Cargo UK DB Cargo UK Red In service
67005 Queen's Messenger
(British Royal Train locomotive)		 Royal Claret
67006 Royal Sovereign
(British Royal Train locomotive)
67007 DB Cargo UK Queens Platinum Jubilee Purple and White In Service Operational As of June 2022
67008 DB Cargo UK Transport for Wales Rail Red And White In service
67009 DB Cargo UK EWS Maroon & Gold Stored Stored October 2016
67010 (Unicorn) DB Cargo UK DB Cargo UK Red In service
67011 DB Cargo UK EWS Maroon & Gold Stored Stored June 2016
67012 (A Shropshire Lad) DB Cargo UK Wrexham & Shropshire Silver In service
67013 (Dyfrbont Pontcysyllte) DB Cargo UK Red
67014 (Thomas Telford) Transport for Wales Rail Red & White
67015 (David J Lloyd) DB Cargo UK Red
67016 EWS Maroon & Gold
67017 Arrow Transport for Wales Rail Red & White
67018 Keith Heller (Rapid) DB Cargo UK DB Cargo UK Red with Maple Leaf Stored Stored March 2019
67019 EWS Maroon & Gold Stored March 2015
67020 DB Cargo UK Transport for Wales Rail Black & Red[32] In service
67021 Belmond British Pullman Brown & Cream
67022 DB Cargo UK Transport for Wales Rail Red & White[32] Stored Stored June 2019
67023 Stella GB Railfreight Debranded Colas Rail Yellow & Orange In service Transferred to GBRf for the ‘Highland’ section of the Caledonian Sleeper.
67024 DB Cargo UK Belmond British Pullman Brown & Cream
67025 (Western Star) Transport for Wales Rail Red & White
67026 Diamond Jubilee DB Cargo UK Jubilee Silver Stored Stored June 2016
67027 (Rising Star)
(Charlotte)[33]		 Colas Rail GB Railfreight with Colas decals[28] In service Returned to Colas by GBRf
67028 DB Cargo UK DB Cargo UK Red
67029 Royal Diamond DB Cargo UK Silver
67030 Schenker DB Cargo UK EWS Maroon & Gold Stored Stored October 2019

Liveries and namings[edit]

The locomotives were initially painted in EWS's maroon and yellow livery.[8] In 2003, 67005 and 67006 replaced the two previous Class 47 locomotives hauling the Royal Train. These were repainted in the Royal Claret colour and named Queen's Messenger and Royal Sovereign, respectively, in December 2000 and February 2005.[16][34]

In October 2004, 67029 was repainted silver, with full bodyside height EWS logos, to haul the EWS Company Train.[35] On 12 October 2007, 67029 was named Royal Diamond at Rugeley Trent Valley railway station, in honour of the 60th wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.[36]

In 2008, 67012–67015 were repainted in Wrexham & Shropshire's silver and grey livery.[37][38][unreliable source?] In 2008, these were named A Shropshire Lad (3 July), Dyfrbont Pontcysyllte (9 July), Thomas Telford (14 July) and David J Lloyd (16 May), respectively.[39] These were joined by 67010 in March 2009, to add resilience to the sub-fleet.[40][unreliable source?] The sub-fleet was dispersed at the end of 2014, with locomotives receiving further repaints appropriate to their new roles.

In January 2010, 67018 was repainted into DB Schenker red with a maple leaf and named Keith Heller at the National Railway Museum. in honour of the Canadian-born former EWS and DB Schenker UK chairman.[41]

In 2011, 67001–67003 were repainted into Arriva Trains Wales blue livery, although without any company decals, for use on the daily Cardiff-Holyhead service.[42]

In March 2012, 67026 received a silver livery, union flag and Diamond Jubilee logo for use during the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II celebrations, being named Diamond Jubilee by Queen Elizabeth II on 23 March at London Victoria station.[17]

In March 2015, 67004 received the Caledonian 'Midnight Teal' livery and was named Cairn Gorm. This, along with similarly repainted 67010, was used on the non-electrified parts of the Serco Caledonian Sleeper until the release of sufficient Class 73/9s for use by GB Railfreight. Both 67004 and 67010 have since been repainted into DB Cargo red livery, and are now both operational (67004 being stored for nearly two years).[43]

In June 2017 Colas Rail duo 67023 and 67027 received the names Stella and Charlotte, respectively, on nameplates carried centrally on the bodysides.

19/20 October 2017 saw 67021 and 67024 rolled out in (unbranded) Belmond British Pullman umber and cream livery, receiving Belmond British Pullman logos a few months later.

In October 2018 the Royal locomotives, 67005 and 67006 were repainted into a slightly revised version of the Royal claret livery.

Incidents[edit]

67002 at Lawrence Hill

A serious crash occurred with 67002 at Lawrence Hill (Bristol) on 1 November 2000, when a Royal Mail train passed two red signals and ran into the back of a coal train at around 3:30 am. The mail train, hauled by 67002 "Special Delivery" with 67012 at the rear, was travelling at 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) when the incident occurred. The locomotive climbed over the back of the coal train, coming to rest 40 yards (37 m) later on top of a coal wagon and against the A420 Church Road bridge. The driver of the mail train suffered a broken arm and cuts to the face and chest, but there were no other injuries.[44][45][46] The incident was initially suspected to be caused by faulty brakes but was later found to be caused by misunderstanding and incorrect use of the locomotive's brake pipe isolation valve by railway staff.[45]

Model railways[edit]

In 2006, Hornby Railways launched its first version of the BR Class 67 in OO gauge range in a variety of liveries.[47] The class 67 is also one of the few British locomotives commercially available in T Scale.[48]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Locomotive 67002 only, as part of 'first in class' testing for the East Coast Main Line digital signalling programme.[2]

References and sources[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Class 67 Diesel Photo Gallery – Class Info". class67.co.uk. The Class 67 Diesel Photo Web Site / Colin Birch.
  2. ^ Clinnick, Richard (April 2023). "Modernising the Moorgate branch". Rail Express. No. 323. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. p. 87. ISSN 1362-234X. Two DB Cargo locomotives, Nos. 66039 and 67002, are the 'first in class' for those fleets...
  3. ^ "Mainline Diesel-Electric Locomotives Class 67" (PDF). Vossloh-Eespana.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Technical". The67Depot.Webs.com. The 67 Depot. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011.
  5. ^ Waller, Mike (December 2010). Skips for Hire. p. 14.
  6. ^ The Railway magazine, Volume 150. IPC Business Press. 2004. p. 12.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "Class 67". semgonline.com. Southern E-Group.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Class 67". therailwaycentre.com. The RailwayCentre.Com Ltd. Archived from the original on 28 January 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ a b c Gareth McMurray. "rolling stock : class 67". www.thejunction.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 November 2009.
  10. ^ "EWS completes 125mph locomotive upgrade programme". ews-railway.co.uk. EWS. 26 June 2003. Archived from the original on 23 February 2004.
  11. ^ a b Hume, Charlie. "North Wales Coast Railway: Class 67". nwrail.org.uk.
  12. ^ "Mail trains to be scrapped". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 6 June 2003.
  13. ^ Butcher, Louise (13 April 2010). "Railways: Royal Mail services, 2003-" (PDF). House of Commons Library.
  14. ^ GB Railfreight boosts rail services business with Serco Caledonian Sleeper contract Archived 23 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine Europorte 17 February 2015
  15. ^ "Rebuilt 73/9s take over all Caledonian Sleeper work" Rail issue 805 20 July 2016 page 32
  16. ^ a b Sources:
  17. ^ a b "DB Schenker Allocate a Third Locomotive for Diamond Jubilee Royal Train Use". Rail.co.uk. Atos IT Services UK Limited. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  18. ^ Milner, Chris (26 January 2011). "Wrexham & Shropshire to cease operation". RailwayMagazine.co.uk. The Railway Magazine.
  19. ^ Gareth Bayer (14 December 2010). "Chiltern commences Birmingham loco-hauled". RailExpress.co.uk. Rail Express. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  20. ^ "Chiltern introduces its new 'Mainline' timetable" (PDF). Railway Herald. No. 282. 5 September 2011. p. 4.
  21. ^ "Chiltern Railways Launch 'Mainline' Silver Service Between London, Banbury and Birmingham". rail.co.uk. 2011.
  22. ^ "Chiltern to lease six Class 68 locomotives from DRS". Railway Herald. 10 April 2014.
  23. ^ "Chiltern leases six Class 68 locos for Mainline services in £15m deal". RailTechnologyMagazine.com. 15 April 2014.
  24. ^ Clark, Rhodri (May 2012). "Class 67 Haulage in Wales". Modern Railways. p. 84.
  25. ^ "Disposals". uk.dbcargo.com. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  26. ^ "Issues with ex-Colas Class 67s". WNXX.
  27. ^ "First Sleeper runs for GBRf 67023". WNXX.
  28. ^ a b "67023 returned to Colas". Rail Express (328): 16.
  29. ^ "Power by the Hour" Rail Express April 2017
  30. ^ "Bright outlook for Colas Class 67s released by Toton". The Railway Magazine. April 2017. p. 91.
  31. ^ "Beacon Rail buys Colas fleet". Railway Gazette.
  32. ^ a b c "Livery Changes". Railways Illustrated. No. 239. January 2023. p. 23.
  33. ^ "Naming Update". Railways Illustrated. No. 239. January 2023. p. 22.
  34. ^ "Queen names 67005 Queen's Messenger" Rail issue 399 27 December 2000 page 13
  35. ^ Rail Magazine. No. 499. 27 October 2004. p. 22. {{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  36. ^ Rail Magazine. No. 577. 24 October 2007. p. 17. {{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  37. ^ "[wnxx] News Archive: March 2008". 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  38. ^ "[wnxx] News Archive: April 2008". 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  39. ^ Rail Magazine. No. 597. 30 July 2008. p. 68. {{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. ^ "[wnxx] News Archive: March 2009". 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  41. ^ "First DB-Schenker liveried Class 67 named Keith Heller" (PDF). Railway Herald. No. 208. January 2010. p. 4.
  42. ^ Derek Porter. "Old Pictures of the Day – October 2011". therailwaycentre.com. Picture of the Day 6 October 2011. Archived from the original on 13 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  43. ^ "Sturgeon unveils new look Caledonian Sleeper at Inverness". www.railmagazine.com.
  44. ^ "Notes and News". Cardiff and Avonside Railway Society. January 2001. Retrieved 15 October 2015. 01/11 Disaster at Lawrence Hill! Services already affected by the weather were subject to further delays when the previous nights 5V17 23.48 Bristol Parkway-Barton Hill formed of 8 RES empty vans and top n' tailed by 67002 Special Delivery and 67012...
  45. ^ a b Marston, Paul; Savill, Richard (2 November 2000). "Runaway mail train hits coal wagons". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  46. ^ "Driver escapes unhurt in Bristol train crash". The Guardian. 1 November 2000. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  47. ^ "Hornby BR Class 67". Hornby Railways Collector Guide. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  48. ^ "T Gauge Locomotives". T Gauge Website. Retrieved 28 November 2021.

Sources[edit]

  • Fox, Peter; Hall, Peter; Pritchard, Robert (2004). British Railways Locomotives & coaching stock 2004. Sheffield: Platform 5. ISBN 1-902336-39-9.
  • Waller, Mike (December 2010). "Skips for Hire" (PDF). The Marlow Donkey. No. 131. Marlow & District Railway Society. pp. 13–16. (some minor inaccuracies in article)

Further reading[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 67.
  • Holley, Mel (19 November – 2 December 1997). "EWSR's 125mph Class 67 locomotive revealed!". Rail. No. 318. EMAP Apex Publications. pp. 20–22. ISSN 0953-4563. OCLC 49953699.
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