Class 68 Progress, what's the latest?

[fowler9]

Haha well I don't think 68's look too bad body shape wise (well from the front they look a bit ugly but from the sides they look good) unlike class 70's which are a bit of an eyesore all round, but I'm sure with time they'll grow on most people!
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Good to see it's finally arrived! Has anyone any ideas as to when it will be getting its first run on UK soil form Kingmoor?

Ha ha, apologies mate. I think I'm doing what I always thought I would never do, thinking things were much better back when I was a lad! Ha ha. I still don't think it is the prettiest though. I really have no taste, I love that loco in my profile pick and the ones that run the commuter trains in Auckland.

 

[SGS]

A mangled wreck looks better than a Class 70.

A mangled wreck quite often IS a Class 70.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I think it looks more like somebody attempted to improve the looks of a 67...

That sounds like a rather rather naive and parochial view.
The 67 is just a small run product from a long line of similarly styled diesels from what was once the Meinfesa division of Alstom in Spain and since 2005, now Vossloh-España.

 

[fowler9]

That sounds like a rather rather naive and parochial view.
The 67 is just a small run product from a long line of similarly styled diesels from what was once the Meinfesa division of Alstom in Spain and since 2005, now Vossloh-España.

Its not a naive or parochial view. Its just what someone thinks it looks like. I don't think that the person who posted it was saying that it is what the designer categorically tried to do.

 

[simon.exd]

A mangled wreck quite often IS a Class 70.

I wish there was a like button...
quality comment friend, quality

 

[Beveridges]

Shedz are the worst of the lot

 

[Photohunter71]

Sheds (or Harleys) killed the interest for me when the variety of locos were reduced significantly and 66's were all I saw.Good to see 70's and 68's coming to these shores,and I hope it won't stop with the 88's either.

 

[fowler9]

Sheds (or Harleys) killed the interest for me when the variety of locos were reduced significantly and 66's were all I saw.Good to see 70's and 68's coming to these shores,and I hope it won't stop with the 88's either.

It does make it a bit more interesting and no doubt.

 

[Beveridges]

The 66 is also a very unappealing locomotive. The 68 and 70 have more character.

 

[Photohunter71]

I wouldn't have minded the 66's as much if there had been just the 250 of them.I see Tasmania are getting a variant of the Sheds too! The new TR class locomotive for Tasmania looks remarkably similar to our Sheds as they too are built by Progress Rail.However back to UK raiways,I do prefer a bit of variety having grown up with 20's/25's/26's/27's/37's/45's/47's/55's etc.

 

[Oswyntail]

The 66 is also a very unappealing locomotive. The 68 and 70 have more character.

...I do prefer a bit of variety having grown up with 20's/25's/26's/27's/37's/45's/47's/55's etc.

And I preferred the steam age!
I have to disagree, though, about the 68. It looks corporate and unimaginative, much like 90s, 56s, 37s, 55s in their time. 66s are functional and unpretentious. But for character, I look for the 60s, 92s and, far and away the best looking of recent locos, 70s.

 

[bronzeonion]

Still puzzled at how the driver is meant to see the shunter when coupling up or look out whilst driving if propelling in a shunt on the 68. What are the advantages of a central driving position like on the 68 apart from possibly being more crash worthy

 

[ModernRailways]

Still puzzled at how the driver is meant to see the shunter when coupling up or look out whilst driving if propelling in a shunt on the 68. What are the advantages of a central driving position like on the 68 apart from possibly being more crash worthy

I imagine they will have a slow speed set. It will no doubt be just the same as a Class 67 is right now. Since we haven't really seen them we don't really know what you can see out of the front if you were a driver.

Isn't the central driving position put in because it's basically a copy of a mainland European loco?

 

[Sunbird24]

Another as yet unidentified 68 was partially visible in the yard today looking far from complete.
Picture will be added to this album later: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...130.1073741830.1192973669&type=1&l=4d65098acc
Pictures are now posted.

 

[The Citadel]

Most shunting done with radios these days. Not keen, but it's how it is so have to get on with it. Just have to judge it when buffering up without a shunter.

Intrepid is a lovely lovely machine, very well built and driver friendly. Can't wait to get her out on mainline.

 

[Photohunter71]

The shunting aspect will no doubt have been taken into consideration when the locomotive was at the design stage.

I didn't realise that Intrepid was 68 002's official name! I thought the naming may have been done by DRS when all manner of testing etc had been completed. Still can't wait to see one,hopefully they'll pay the Lothians a visit soon!

 

[Sunbird24]

The shunting aspect will no doubt have been taken into consideration when the locomotive was at the design stage.

I didn't realise that Intrepid was 68 002's official name! I thought the naming may have been done by DRS when all manner of testing etc had been completed. Still can't wait to see one,hopefully they'll pay the Lothians a visit soon!

I was surprised it wasn't done before the unveiling last month, but perhaps the nameplate was presented to the factory by DRS at the unveiling so they could fit it before delivery.
Interestingly a picture (artists impression) has been posted on DRS website depicting 68001 in its full livery with a nameplate "Evolution".
It would not surprise me if the locos are fitted with video cameras and sensors nowadays to assist with coupling and uncoupling as well as reversing, just as many cars are. If not, then perhaps they should be!

PS It has been suggested to me that the Euro 4000 lookalike in the Vossloh yard may be the first Euro Dual. There are some pictures of it here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...130.1073741830.1192973669&type=1&l=4d65098acc

 

[The Citadel]

no sensors or cameras fitted. Its a loco and doesn't need em.:roll:

 

[Beveridges]

I wouldn't have minded the 66's as much if there had been just the 250 of them.I see Tasmania are getting a variant of the Sheds too! The new TR class locomotive for Tasmania looks remarkably similar to our Sheds as they too are built by Progress Rail.However back to UK raiways,I do prefer a bit of variety having grown up with 20's/25's/26's/27's/37's/45's/47's/55's etc.

Oh God I thought we'd seen the last of new build 66s but they just keep coming even after 16 years after the original ones were delivered.

 

[Photohunter71]

From that I understand you'll not be having any holidays in Tasmania then Beveridges?

 

[Martin nx]

PS It has been suggested to me that the Euro 4000 lookalike in the Vossloh yard may be the first Euro Dual. There are some pictures of it here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...130.1073741830.1192973669&type=1&l=4d65098acc

That is a possibility as it has the single top headlight as per 68's, that may well be an 88! hock:

 

[ModernRailways]

PS It has been suggested to me that the Euro 4000 lookalike in the Vossloh yard may be the first Euro Dual. There are some pictures of it here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...130.1073741830.1192973669&type=1&l=4d65098acc

That is a possibility as it has the single top headlight as per 68's, that may well be an 88! hock:

Have you got a direct link to the image? It's not loading all the images properly.

 

[anthony263]

Had a browse through the photos linked above and I do admit one of the locos looks like it also has a pantograph at the end of the loco closest to the camera

 

[Loki]

Can you tell me which image you are referring to? You can seen the numbers below when you click a picture.

 

[anthony263]

Picture 50 of 67

 

[Loki]

Picture 50 of 67

It's not an 88 unfortunately. This is the Co-Co version.

 

[The Citadel]

They havn't finished the 68's yet and even they havn't passed all the tests required of them yet.

88's not due to 15/16

 

[Sunbird24]

Apologies to all, the link only applies to the first 67 photographs in the series, I added more later but need to get a new link to cover the added pictures, in which there are more photographs of it next to an Israeli 3200 and it can clearly be seen to be built to a much larger loading gauge, as per the Euro 4000. I will try to rectify this and add a new link here.
It has been suggested that it is an actual prototype for the full-size EuroDual (Renfe 334 001 was used for the initial testing of the concept).
The 88's (and also South African Locos probably) will be built with the same bodyshell as the 68's. The first of the African ones is due for shipment in 2014 Q2 so will already be well underway.
I would not rule out the possibility of one bodyshell already being used to figure out where to put all the extra equipment in actual practice and this would not be done on the production lines but in a separate facility. Producing a production loco from scratch takes around 7 months (that was the figure for the Israeli 1400s), with a maximum output of 150 a year but producing a first prototype can take far longer.
I think this is what is in the yard: http://www.vossloh-espana.com/media/downloads/pdfs/flyer/EURO_DUAL-_EN_July_2012.pdf
Actually the link does still work, the pictures I added were 65-67 and the details were written in picture 65!

 

[Photohunter71]

68 003 should be almost completed by now with 004 well under way?

 

[The Citadel]

'Intrepid' might be out and about Mon/Tue