www.gbrailfreight.com
GBRf news of work for 99s:
GB Railfreight to haul Britain’s newest luxury sleeper train - The Britannic Explorer - GBRf
GB Railfreight (GBRf), has announced that it will haul the Britannic Explorer, a new Belmond train and the first luxury sleeper service to journey across England and Wales.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Just because the train runs with a mk3 generator coach now doesnt mean it will stay in the rake forever. If you replace the generator coach with a normal coach then that's more tickets you can sell per train.
Indeed, currently the 66 is used as the generator car is available but in the future running a 99/4 gives more flexibility. What if the generator car has a fault or something?
Is the generator car not also the brake vehicle?....in which case it will still be required; unless of course all the ex-IÉ Mark 3s are fitted with handbrakes, as is the norm in the continent.
The Britannic Explorer uses the Irish standard train supply system, hence why an Irish generator van is used. Are GBRf really going to fit a completely different train supply system to their locos for one train, which would be utterly useless on any other potential operation? I think not.
AFAIK that's correct. The IÉ 201 class locos were originally equipped to supply 3-phase ETS to the Mk 3 and Enterprise stock. Essentially a North American 'Head End Power' setup but running at European spec 230/400V 50Hz.
So the closest thing to supplying the stock in Britain would be an HST power car (415V three phase)?
I suspect that they will!
If it stops in the same place every week for an overnight stay, would it be worth them installing a shore supply? Suppose that’s getting a bit off topic!
After the locomotives arrive into Leicester tomorrow (assuming they reach there), there's a 5Q** ECS move to Euston and back. The train service code is different to the light loco movements mentioned above, so these could be unrelated. If they run and are 99-related, I'm wondering if this is more ride quality testing or if these are something more.As promised, here are the next moves for either one or both of 99001+99002. They're heading to Leicester via Peterborough yard on Monday morning.
0Q92 Whitemoor - Peterborough:
Realtime Trains | 0Q92 0745 Whitemoor Yard L.D.C Gbrf to Peterboro Maint Shed Gbrf | 14/07/2025
Real-time train running information for 0Q92 0745 departure from Whitemoor Yard L.D.C Gbrf to Peterboro Maint Shed Gbrf on 14/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
0Q93 Peterborough - Leicester:
Realtime Trains | 0Q93 0849 Peterboro Maint Shed Gbrf to Leicester L.I.P. | 14/07/2025
Real-time train running information for 0Q93 0849 departure from Peterboro Maint Shed Gbrf to Leicester L.I.P. on 14/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Note that, for some reason, 0Q93 to Leicester is shown as running MFO (Monday and/or Friday only).
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
I reckon this is more likely to be the GBRf class 769/5s, but anything is possible!After the locomotives arrive into Leicester tomorrow (assuming they reach there), there's a 5Q** ECS move to Euston and back. The train service code is different to the light loco movements mentioned above, so these could be unrelated. If they run and are 99-related, I'm wondering if this is more ride quality testing or if these are something more.
Realtime Trains | 5Q03 2002 Leicester L.I.P. to London Euston | 14/07/2025
Real-time train running information for 5Q03 2002 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to London Euston on 14/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.Realtime Trains | 5Q04 0013 London Euston to Leicester L.I.P. | 15/07/2025
Real-time train running information for 5Q04 0013 departure from London Euston to Leicester L.I.P. on 15/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Ahh yes that would make more sense. Anyhow, we hope for the best and prepare for the worst
I’m selfishly hoping it’s not the 99s as I’m away and don’t want to have missed themAhh yes that would make more sense. Anyhow, we hope for the best and prepare for the worst
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Yes, probably - whether the ETS connectors would be compatible is another matter though, I suspect.
Possibly in connection with launch event at Peterborough?Looks like the locomotives returned to Leicester today. I can see an outbound move for them to go back to Peterborough (L.I.P. this time) on Wednesday:
Realtime Trains | 0Q94 1048 Leicester L.I.P. to Peterborough L.I.P. | 16/07/2025
Real-time train running information for 0Q94 1048 departure from Leicester L.I.P. to Peterborough L.I.P. on 16/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
And then a return to Leicester on Friday:
Realtime Trains | 0Q93 0849 Peterboro Maint Shed Gbrf to Leicester L.I.P. | 18/07/2025
Real-time train running information for 0Q93 0849 departure from Peterboro Maint Shed Gbrf to Leicester L.I.P. on 18/07/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Something that won't be mentioned in the press releases about the eco credentials of moving to class 99 haulage.
And also the additional cost to the customer for switching to a class 99. That leasing cost difference from a class 66 hauled service has to be paid somehow.
One presumes that Ford will be willing to pay this for their GBRf services, considering that they have traditionally been one of the best users of electric traction in the post-privatisation era. Is the car terminal at Dagenham still electrified? (It was in 2018 but I wouldn’t be surprised if they took the wires down since)
They'll only pay if the price is right. Ford won't be using electric traction for sentimental reasons.
Looking on google aerial and SV imagery the connection to Ripple Lane Exchange Sidings appears to be electrified (or at least have OLE Structures) to Kent Ave bridge or shortly after it, but there's no suggestion that the 'yard' area itself, nor any connections into the factory itself, were ever wired. Which section was wired in 2018? (Always possible for things to have been redeveloped in the meantime, some of the sidings looks to have reasonably fresh ballast). ORM shows no electrification beyond the crossovers connecting to the Up Ripple Lane Chord from HS1.
I rather meant that they seemed to be a good user and there’s no reason why that wouldn’t still be the case.
Interesting, the Class 90s worked the 6L35/6X77 circuit regularly during that period into Dagenham. Maybe only the reception sidings were wired?
Other than the relative prices of electricity and diesel... I agree though for Ford's long distance routes a Class 99 would be very attractive.
Kent Avenue Bridge is basically where the sidings start to fan out, and the Sectional Appendix does not say anything about the connecting line being non-electrified. It's very possible that the electrics worked up to the limit of OLE and then shunted off, letting the 08 take it the last hundred yards of so. On the 2009 Street View photo from Kent Avenue there's definitely no OLE into the sidings themselves.
