GBRf Class 99 - 30 locomotives now ordered

[fgwrich]

From the Stadler Facebook Page

Well, they're certainly powerful enough for 100mph or even more.

One thing I did notice while reading through this press release though, and what may quash the TPE / Caley Sleeper and GWR rumours, is that these GB locos will have a maximum speed of 120kph / 75MPH. So that presumes that these will predominantly be for freight purposes.

 

[D821]

How fast does the sleeper travel?

 

[59CosG95]

How fast does the sleeper travel?

The electric leg is pathed at 80mph (although the top speed of the 92s is 87mph).

 

[Spartacus]

One thing I did notice while reading through this press release though, and what may quash the TPE / Caley Sleeper and GWR rumours, is that these GB locos will have a maximum speed of 120kph / 75MPH. So that presumes that these will predominantly be for freight purposes.

I think the Co-Co wheel arrangement might more or less rule that out anyway, at least for TPE. I guess if TPE use something similar it'll be the 93s, or a similar variant of.

How fast does the sleeper travel?

I don't know about the Night Riviera, but the Cale Sleeper's normally only 80mph, but used to be authorised faster to gain back time (or get early in anticipation of delays further along the line), not that there's much difference when it's Class 92 hauled.

 

[pdeaves]

Here is an artists impression of the new locos

View attachment 113775

Very continental looking. That is neither a good nor a bad thing, it's a machine to do a job, and given the pedigree it's probably not surprising, either!

 

[westcoaster]

Guess these will be used on the Aggregate traffic, as we recently saw with the new trial at Wellingborough.

 

[Iskra]

Could this loco eradicate the class 73’s and reduce the swapping of loco’s on the Highland Sleepers?

 

[Bald Rick]

Whilst I don’t know, I’d expect these to be fully employed shifting train loads of containers and other commercial freight around the country on services that run on predominantly electrified lines. I can’t see them being used on the Highlander sleeper portions, for which a loco change is necessary anyway.

they will also be useful for engineering trains - electric up to the isolation, then switch over.

 

[grumpyoldman01]

Is there any information on how much power they will have on diesel?

The report on the Modern Railways website isn't really clear. One sentence talks about the diesel engine, the next one says it will have a maximum tractive effort of 500knN and says that the equivalent for a class 66 is 409kN, and the next sentence says that it will produce power at rail of 6000kW when operating under 25kv. Elsewhere in the article it says that the design is based on the Eurodual six-axle design, adapted to "UK loading gauge and specifications".

The article also states that the 99s will replace 66s

 

[43096]

Could this loco eradicate the class 73’s and reduce the swapping of loco’s on the Highland Sleepers?

Isn’t it obvious from the specification that it is a heavy freight loco?

 

[Speed43125]

“Stadler has extensive experience in the UK locomotive market. Over recent years, we have introduced the Class 68 diesel-electric locomotive, the Class 88 bi-mode locomotive and Europe's first tri-mode locomotive, the Class 93, in line with our commitment to decarbonising rail transport”, said Iñigo Parra, CEO of Stadler Valencia

What experience do they have of Class 93s given that those don't appear to have begun their build yet?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Apr 2022 ==

Is there any information on how much power they will have on diesel?

Perhaps if someone knows the length of these when compared with 68s/93s that would give us a clue of what scope there was for packaging a bigger engine?

Obviously Stage V will detract more space given the need for extra emissions equipment than the 68s and 88s, but the comparison may still be useful.

 

[the sniper]

What experience do they have of Class 93s given that those don't appear to have begun their build yet?

Aren't the 93s essentially what have been supplied to the Spanish infrastructure owner Adif, so presumably they're counting them.

[ES / Expert] Stadler begins tests with Adif's UKlight locos - Railcolor News

As a reader of Railcolor News, you have the unique opportunity to follow the manufacture of new rolling stock for Europe going through all stages – from tendering to commercial […]

railcolornews.com

EDIT: They're not really, as the Adif ones are bi rather than tri-mode and have a larger engine instead of batteries, seemingly.

 

[matchmaker]

Could this loco eradicate the class 73’s and reduce the swapping of loco’s on the Highland Sleepers?

I doubt it - looks like they are purely a freight loco so won't have ETS.

 

[train_lover]

Is there any information on how much power they will have on diesel?

7000hp on electric
2750hp on diesel

 

[43301]

I doubt it - looks like they are purely a freight loco so won't have ETS.

Has it been stated that they won't have ETS? Mixed-traffic locos might have uses.

 

[43096]

7000hp on electric
2750hp on diesel

6MW on electric is quoted by Stadler, which is just over 8,000hp.

What’s your source for the diesel, as there’s nothing in the Stadler press release that gives details of the engine?

 

[Iskra]

Isn’t it obvious from the specification that it is a heavy freight loco?

66’s work the sleeper sometimes…

92’s aren’t exactly express passenger locomotives either…

 

[Roast Veg]

66’s work the sleeper sometimes…

92’s aren’t exactly express passenger locomotives either…

There's next to no chance these will replace 92s. Why would they bother fitting either the mechanical coupler or the massive ETS load? 92s are perfect for the service and have had their own very expensive treatment.

As Bald Rick says - nice long shipping container flows are what these will be ideal for, using all the wires on the GEML/NLL/WCML etc.

 

[D365]

the gist is that these are very much a heavy freight electrodiesel in the Cl66 mould. In direct contrast to Cl93, which is more like a modern day Cl90.

 

[Doomotron]

92’s aren’t exactly express passenger locomotives either…

Which is ironic, considering they were built for sleeper services originally and only ran them years later.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

6MW on electric is quoted by Stadler, which is just over 8,000hp.

What’s your source for the diesel, as there’s nothing in the Stadler press release that gives details of the engine?

Stadler EuroDual currently has a 2800kW Cat175-16 but the press release is quoting a a Stage 5 engine which that engine isn't. Assuming they are sticking with Caterpilliar then they do a 2100hp stage V but as they've not stated engine supplier would suggest options are still under review for that element.
Nice to see the investment but potentially is another negative against "no regret" freight electrification schemes.

 

[D365]

Nice to see the investment but potentially is another negative against "no regret" freight electrification schemes.

How do you mean?

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

How do you mean?

Why would Dept for T invest in electrifying down to Tilbury Gateway or Felixstowe if the freight operators have electric traction with adequate diesel power.

 

[fgwrich]

Why would Dept for T invest in electrifying down to Tilbury Gateway or Felixstowe if the freight operators have electric traction with adequate diesel power.

I hate to say it, but I was thinking this too. It's a little close to the idea of the DfT's beloved Bi-Modes. Why should we complete GWEP when we can just order more Bi-modes and kick the can down the road for a little longer for instance, (or short infills such as Acton etc)

That said, it's good to see further investment by GBRf / Beacon and, until we see more full scale electrification, then this is perhaps the best way to go for now.

 

[MattRat]

Could this loco eradicate the class 73’s and reduce the swapping of loco’s on the Highland Sleepers?

66’s work the sleeper sometimes…

92’s aren’t exactly express passenger locomotives either…

When TPE get the 93s, I see 68s taking over the diesel portion of highland sleepers. Why waste a heavy freight loco on sleepers when an easy alternative already exists.

 

[Wyrleybart]

When TPE get the 93s, I see 68s taking over the diesel portion of highland sleepers. Why waste a heavy freight loco on sleepers when an easy alternative already exists.

Ask yourself who is contracted to "hook and haul" the Caley sleepers until 2030. then ask yourself who owns and who leases the TPE 68s. Do those two match ?

 

[43096]

When TPE get the 93s, I see 68s taking over the diesel portion of highland sleepers. Why waste a heavy freight loco on sleepers when an easy alternative already exists.

Since when have TPE been getting 93s?

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

According to the 2019 volume I consulted, "....carriages may still carry numbers in the 99xxx number range of the former private owner number series, which is no longer in general use"

There then follows a list of 72 vehicles with numbers ranging from 99025 to 99974.

Whether those numbers are available for re-use as locomotives or not, the point I was trying to make was that the 94, 95, 96 and 97 ranges are emptier.

Don't forget wagon / OTM numbers.
950xx - 957xx;
967xx;
969xx;
970xx to 978xx;
99019.
That doesn't preclude duplication (or hasn't in the past). For example, (I believe both in existence) TIPH92200 (TDA) and DRP9220 (track relayer).
Pat

 

[matchmaker]

66’s work the sleeper sometimes…

92’s aren’t exactly express passenger locomotives either…

66s don't/can't work the sleeper alone!

 

[D365]

Since when have TPE been getting 93s?

Karl Watts has been making noises but nothing confirmed in the public domain yet.