Class 93 Tri-mode Loco

[92002]

I believe this has been touched on before, but now Rail Magazine reporting Class 93s are to be part of a high-speed freight trial:

High-speed freight trial planned using Class 93s

A plan for a high-speed freight operation has received some funding from the Department for Transport.

www.railmagazine.com

Always thought high speed parcels were called Red Star. Before the brand was binned.

Their business was to carry parcels on passenger trains and was a success but still was binned.

Very few secured areas on trains now. It used to be called a Guards Van .

 

[Spaceship323]

Always thought high speed parcels were called Red Star. Before the brand was binned.

Their business was to carry parcels on passenger trains and was a success but still was binned.

Very few secured areas on trains now. It used to be called a Guards Van .

This is freight on freight trains, not parcels on passenger trains - it's a very different model

 

[BRX]

It's hard to see how a hauled operation would work where EMU-based trials have failed ... what advantage would it have?

 

[Trainman40083]

It's hard to see how a hauled operation would work where EMU-based trials have failed ... what advantage would it have?

I guess it could go, where EMUs can't. But what will said locos haul, in terms of rolling stick?

 

[brad465]

I guess it could go, where EMUs can't. But what will said locos haul, in terms of rolling stick?

Are there any existing wagons that could be modified to run above 75mph? I'm guessing new wagons are not under construction and won't be committed to unless a trial succeeds.

 

[Trainman40083]

Are there any existing wagons that could be modified to run above 75mph? I'm guessing new wagons are not under construction and won't be committed to unless a trial succeeds.

Maybe they will haul redundant Class 350 units. I think we shall have to wait and see..

 

[92002]

Are there any existing wagons that could be modified to run above 75mph? I'm guessing new wagons are not under construction and won't be committed to unless a trial succeeds.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Dec 2025 ==

Think there are 160kph or 100 mph trains in France However the wagon would need a UK approval to run.

As said above plenty of EMUs in store looking for work.

 

[BRX]

I guess it could go, where EMUs can't.

Do you mean off the wires? I thought that was the point of ROG's previous bimode unit trial, which does not seem to have been successful.

 

[Trainman40083]

Do you mean off the wires? I thought that was the point of ROG's previous bimode unit trial, which does not seem to have been successful.

Wasn't that trial with "super reliable" Class 869s or was it something else?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Dec 2025 ==

Wasn't that trial with "super reliable" Class 869s or was it something else?

769s

 

[92002]

Do you mean off the wires? I thought that was the point of ROG's previous bimode unit trial, which does not seem to have been successful.

Could go all the way back to the Class 325. Now withdrawan but still around.

 

[ac6000cw]

Are there any existing wagons that could be modified to run above 75mph? I'm guessing new wagons are not under construction and won't be committed to unless a trial succeeds.

Think there are 160kph or 100 mph trains in France However the wagon would need a UK approval to run.

As said above plenty of EMUs in store looking for work.

See these earlier posts re. the FIA 'Multifret' wagons that have a design speed of 140 km/h (87 mph), of which there are some in the UK but may have never been approved for use at that speed here:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/class-93-tri-mode-loco.210779/post-6376529

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/class-93-tri-mode-loco.210779/post-6377544

The Touax datasheet for them: http://www.touaxrail.com/sites/touax/files/Sffggmrrss 106'_2.pdf

 

[Iskra]

Maybe they will haul redundant Class 350 units. I think we shall have to wait and see..

Or 325’s, would make more sense.

 

[Trainman40083]

Or 325’s, would make more sense.

Indeed, providing they are up to scratch, mechanically

 

[92002]

See these earlier posts re. the FIA 'Multifret' wagons that have a design speed of 140 km/h (87 mph), of which there are some in the UK but may have never been approved for use at that speed here:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/class-93-tri-mode-loco.210779/post-6376529

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/class-93-tri-mode-loco.210779/post-6377544

The Touax datasheet for them: http://www.touaxrail.com/sites/touax/files/Sffggmrrss 106'_2.pdf

From a closed thread on French Freight speeds.

Does anyone remember an SNCF freight operation in the '80s or '90s that ran intermodal trains at up to 160kph? I thought it was called Chronofret but I can't find anything on Google (not helped by a freight forwarder having the same name!).

 

[ac6000cw]

From a closed thread on French Freight speeds.

Does anyone remember an SNCF freight operation in the '80s or '90s that ran intermodal trains at up to 160kph? I thought it was called Chronofret but I can't find anything on Google (not helped by a freight forwarder having the same name!).

Based on the caption for one of the photos here - https://docrail.fr/les-trains-de-marchandises-et-la-grande-vitesse-les-mv-160/ - it may have been Chrono-Froid

 

[ExRes]

Is there a nickname for this class yet?

How about 'Mondeos', it was (19)93 when they were introduced to the UK market

Out of interest, I understood that they were fitted with Dellners for unit haulage, if so why were they out yesterday using barrier vans?

 

[hwl]

Out of interest, I understood that they were fitted with Dellners for unit haulage, if so why were they out yesterday using barrier vans?

The autocouplers reduced the minimum curvature negotiable.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Out of interest, I understood that they were fitted with Dellners for unit haulage, if so why were they out yesterday using barrier vans?

Unless 334024 is broken I'm unsure why they were used at all. ScotRail units to/from Wolverton are normally just driven.

 

[themiller]

Is there a nickname for this class yet?

Why do they need a nickname? The only locos of my youth with nicknames were the A4s - Streaks! The remainder that we saw were just referred to by their class numbers. I saw class 25s being built at Darlington but never heard them called Rats until many, many years later.

 

[Pete_uk]

Tribbles (as in the star trek episode 'The Trouble with Tribbles' )

Has the tri of tri-mode.

 

[Roger B]

Tribbles (as in the star trek episode 'The Trouble with Tribbles' )

Has the tri of tri-mode.

So loved that spisode .... utterly bizarre!

 

[47286Dan]

Friday afternoon class 93 movement

93008 GROG BCSTMODGB 740Q571K19 F DERBY RTC N

Dan

 

[furnessvale]

Why do they need a nickname? The only locos of my youth with nicknames were the A4s - Streaks! The remainder that we saw were just referred to by their class numbers. I saw class 25s being built at Darlington but never heard them called Rats until many, many years later.

"Baby Sulzers" to footplate men in the north west.

 

[50002Superb]

They remind me of Iron Man if you look at them face on

 

[Class15]

Does anyone know why these locos still need 0Qxx headcodes when running light, yet one was allowed to haul a revenue earning freight as 4S48? It doesn’t make great sense to me.

 

[zwk500]

Does anyone know why these locos still need 0Qxx headcodes when running light, yet one was allowed to haul a revenue earning freight as 4S48? It doesn’t make great sense to me.

2 most likely reasons are either than the 0Qxx movements are mileage accumulation or fault-free running movements so deemed as 'test' runs, or that they have only been given limited route clearance to operate service trains and any movements running on special authority are running as 0Qxx to highlight to signallers not to divert the train on to a potentially uncleared track.

Q in the TID means 'not to be diverted from booked route without prior permission'.

Other reasons are also possible.

 

[47286Dan]

Tuesday afternoon 93 movement

93007 GROG ATTRCFDBC 250Q571M23 F WORKSP DY N

Dan

 

[popeter45]

Tuesday afternoon 93 movement

93007 GROG ATTRCFDBC 250Q571M23 F WORKSP DY N

Dan

Think I just saw that one, reversing in platform 3 at Sheffield

First time seeing a 93 in real life

 

[wickham]

93003 ran light engine from Worksop to Bicester on 06.01.26 and RTT does not show it leaving again. Anyone know why it is there, revenue earning shunting perhaps ? If so, this would probably be 93003's first revenue earning job.

 

[47286Dan]

Wednesday movements

93007 GROG PETERBORO 450Q231E14 F DONCASTER N
93010 GROG PETERBORO 450Q231E14 F DONCASTER N

Dan

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Jan 2026 ==

Friday movement

93003 GROG BCSTMODGB 740Q271I16 F WORKSP DY N

All 10 class 93s will be back at Worksop

93001 GROG NEWARKNGT WORKSP DY N
93002 GROG WORKSP DY WORKSP DY F N
93004 GROG WORKSP UR WORKSP UR F N
93005 GROG WORKSP DY WORKSP DY F N
93006 GROG WORKSP DY WORKSP DY F N
93007 GROG RETFDECML WORKSP DY N
93008 GROG WORKSP UR WORKSP UR F N
93009 GROG WORKSP DY WORKSP DY F N
93010 GROG RETFDECML WORKSP DY N

Dan