UK Class 59 & 66 - Names, Liveries & Operators Complete List

[43096]

As an aside, what's the story behind this, please? If a company is prepared to pay big money for assets like these (and proven reliable ones), why not use them?

From memory, they were intended for Crossrail Benelux, but they did not have the funds to pay for them, or something like that.

 

[cj_1985]

As an aside, what's the story behind this, please? If a company is prepared to pay big money for assets like these (and proven reliable ones), why not use them?

I would need to check my reference books to verify, but from memory I think there was a change in requirements at the FOC/change in ownership at FOC. But memory could be playing tricks with me

Kind of like the 9 car class 222 Meridians ordered for STP to Leeds services, then once delivered they were surplus to requirements initially. There were even suggestions they (7x of the the 222s iirc) could move to Ireland and be re bogied/gauged

 

[wickham]

Was there not another batch of imported 66s for GBRF which became 66747-66751 ? I seem to remember them running around in grey at first.

Yes, 66747-749 were originally to be to be for DLC (based in Belgium/Holland) their order was for 7 locos (EMD 20078968 001 to 007) numbered DE6310-16 (the FIRST USE of some of these numbers - subsequently some used again with an F suffix - but some of both lots have eventually ended up in the UK - causing some confusion), but DLC only took 4 in the end leaving the other three spare, which ended up in the UK with GBRf as 66747-49 (Originally intended as DLC DE6316/6315/6313).
66750/51 were from a different source and came from Holland/Germany where I beleive they started off life with ERS (European Rail Shuttle), ERS 6606 & 6609.
As an aside, regarding EBA numbers, mentioned in yesterdays post - 66797 noted at Clapham Jn today on the Eastleigh-Hoo working confirmed as carrying EBA plate
"EBA 00L13C 036" (ie, it is the 36th locomotive of this specification):

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Feb 2026 ==

The numbering and history of the DLC Class 66 locos from DE6310 upwards is very complicated and has led to some confusion, especially as some from two different batches have come to the UK, I set out below the situation loco by loco:
EMD No. Year DLC No Subsequent Operator:
20078920-001 2008 DE6310F - AKIM 77504 - GBRf 66311*
20078920-002 2008 DE6311F - AKIM 77505 - GBRf 66315*
20078920-003 2008 DE6312F - AKIM 77506 - GBRf 66314*
20078920-004 2008 DE6313F - AKIM 77507 - GBRf 66310*

20078968-001 2008 DE6310 BLS CARGO
20078968-002 2008 DE6311 BLS CARGO
20078968-003 2008 DE6312 BLS CARGO
20078968-004 2008 DE6313 GBRf 66748*
20078968-005 2008 DE6314 BLS CARGO
20078968-006 2008 DE6315 GBRf 66749*
20078968-007 2008 DE6316 GBRf 66747*

20088076-001 2009 No DLC Number - HHPI 29001(2nd)* - now in France.
20088076-002 2009 No DLC Number - SETRAG CC401/402*
20088076-003 2009 No DLC Number - SETRAG CC401/402*
20088076-004 2009 No DLC Number - HHPI 29002 (2nd)* - now in France.

* Locomotives refused as not required by DLC (Total 11 locomotives):
If DLC had indeed taken ALL locomotives ordered it is understood that they would have been numbered as a complete run DE6310-6324 in the order shown above (causing a further point of confusion!).
Note: DE6310F-6313F were intended for use in France (hence the F suffix) but the intended work did not come about.
Regarding the two that went to SETRAG (Gambia), there are conflicting reports as to which loco carried which number - a further 4 locomotives were supplied direct to SETRAG from EMD in two further batches of two.
It should be noted that BLS Cargo took over DLC some years ago but that the DLC brand continued to operate under BLS and may still do so.

Three more locomotives can be brought into this story as having a similar history to the displaced DLC locos are those ordered by VEOLA for use in Belgium & France, but VEOLA failed to take them as they ceased trading:
20078941-001 2009 Veola 77501 - AKIM 77501 - GBRf 66309
20078941-002 2009 Veola 77502 - AKIM 77502 - GBRf 66307
20078941-003 2009 Veola 77503 - AKIM 77503 - GBRf 66308

 

[cj_1985]

Yes, 66747-749 were originally to be to be for DLC (based in Belgium/Holland) their order was for 7 locos (EMD 20078968 001 to 007) numbered DE6310-16 (the FIRST USE of some of these numbers - subsequently some used again with an F suffix - but some of both lots have eventually ended up in the UK - causing some confusion), but DLC only took 4 in the end leaving the other three spare, which ended up in the UK with GBRf as 66747-49 (Originally intended as DLC DE6316/6315/6313).
66750/51 were from a different source and came from Holland/Germany where I beleive they started off life with ERS (European Rail Shuttle), ERS 6606 & 6609.
As an aside, regarding EBA numbers, mentioned in yesterdays post - 66797 noted at Clapham Jn today on the Eastleigh-Hoo working confirmed as carrying EBA plate
"EBA 00L13C 036" (ie, it is the 36th locomotive of this specification):

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Feb 2026 ==

The numbering and history of the DLC Class 66 locos from DE6310 upwards is very complicated and has led to some confusion, especially as some from two different batches have come to the UK, I set out below the situation loco by loco:
EMD No. Year DLC No Subsequent Operator:
20078920-001 2008 DE6310F - AKIM 77504 - GBRf 66311*
20078920-002 2008 DE6311F - AKIM 77505 - GBRf 66315*
20078920-003 2008 DE6312F - AKIM 77506 - GBRf 66314*
20078920-004 2008 DE6313F - AKIM 77507 - GBRf 66310*

20078968-001 2008 DE6310 BLS CARGO
20078968-002 2008 DE6311 BLS CARGO
20078968-003 2008 DE6312 BLS CARGO
20078968-004 2008 DE6313 GBRf 66748*
20078968-005 2008 DE6314 BLS CARGO
20078968-006 2008 DE6315 GBRf 66749*
20078968-007 2008 DE6316 GBRf 66747*

20088076-001 2009 No DLC Number - HHPI 29001(2nd)* - now in France.
20088076-002 2009 No DLC Number - SETRAG CC401/402*
20088076-003 2009 No DLC Number - SETRAG CC401/402*
20088076-004 2009 No DLC Number - HHPI 29002 (2nd)* - now in France.

* Locomotives refused as not required by DLC (Total 11 locomotives):
If DLC had indeed taken ALL locomotives ordered it is understood that they would have been numbered as a complete run DE6310-6324 in the order shown above (causing a further point of confusion!).
Note: DE6310F-6313F were intended for use in France (hence the F suffix) but the intended work did not come about.
Regarding the two that went to SETRAG (Gambia), there are conflicting reports as to which loco carried which number - a further 4 locomotives were supplied direct to SETRAG from EMD in two further batches of two.
It should be noted that BLS Cargo took over DLC some years ago but that the DLC brand continued to operate under BLS and may still do so.

Three more locomotives can be brought into this story as having a similar history to the displaced DLC locos are those ordered by VEOLA for use in Belgium & France, but VEOLA failed to take them as they ceased trading:
20078941-001 2009 Veola 77501 - AKIM 77501 - GBRf 66309
20078941-002 2009 Veola 77502 - AKIM 77502 - GBRf 66307
20078941-003 2009 Veola 77503 - AKIM 77503 - GBRf 66308

Difference being that when Veola ceased trading, it's assets & contracts were split between Europorte (french ops) and VFLI (belgian & dutch ops), a SNCF subsidiary... those 77s went to VFLI and worked for several years

 

[RPM]

The move to builders stickers (with lots more information) was effectively a requirement US EPA emission control legalisation. Hence all ~2000 onwards US made/used locos have stickers like this (image grabbed from wikipedia as the first correct search result):

The loco serial numbers are in the format:
YYOOOO-xxx pre 2000
or
YYYYOOOO-xxx 2000 and afterwards

YY = year
YYYY = Year
OOOO = Order number - e.g. 1 batch of locomotives has 1 order number
xxx - the nth item in that order


e.g. EWS ordered 66s are 968702-1 to 968702-250
1996, order number 8702, item number in that order 1-250

The US example in the image below is 20046610-088 which is UP 8396

Builder's plate on 66203 for comparison.

 

[43096]

It should be noted that BLS Cargo took over DLC some years ago but that the DLC brand continued to operate under BLS and may still do so.

It’s a bit more complex than that as DLC was merged into Crossrail Benelux, with changing shareholders at various times afterwards. Crossrail Benelux was acquired by BLS Cargo in 2019 and was eventually rebranded last year as BLS Cargo Nord.

The DLC brand has not been used by BLS Cargo, it was dropped some time before the acquisition.

 

[co-tr-paul]

66537 now out in new Heavy Haul livery and maybe another gone blue for export ?

 

[D126]

Great work, one edit needed I think because plaques for 66689 - (Below Nameplate)
66 779 are the same claiming both were the last 66 to be built.

 

[43096]

Great work, one edit needed I think because plaques for 66689 - (Below Nameplate)
66 779 are the same claiming both were the last 66 to be built.

That's because 66689 has been re-geared and renumbered from 66779.

 

[Trainman40083]

Great work, one edit needed I think because plaques for 66689 - (Below Nameplate)
66 779 are the same claiming both were the last 66 to be built.

Good job it is the same loco.

 

[99009]

66303 is now named Preston North End and was unveiled by David Moyes at Preston station on Tuesday 31st March 2026.