EWS livery is slowly heading for the history books as more locos are repainted

The latest DB Cargo Class 66s to be repainted are 66003 and 66106, which are now in the company’s red.

It means there are now just 54 Class 66s in English, Welsh and Scottish Railway’s (EWS) original maroon and gold livery left in the UK, of which five are out of traffic long-term.

The oldest still in its original livery is 66006, which was delivered to the UK in October 1998, so still sporting its original paint applied some 26 years ago.

Two locomotives have lost their EWS branding (66028/179, both recently returned for use in France), while 66040/043/053/ 080/095/096/098, 66103/111/ 121/127/145/158/172/176/ 188/200 have lost their EWS lettering and had DB Cargo logos applied to their cabsides.

This leaves just 31 of the fleet of 250 Class 66/0s built that remain in traffic in the UK in their original livery. DB Class 66s are being repainted at Toton at a rate of around one or two a month.

DBC has ten locomotives in customer/special liveries - 66004 is in a green ‘Climate Hero’ livery and 66023 in a blue livery to celebrate the King’s Coronation. Those repainted for customers are 66005/047/051/090/142/148/162 (in Maritime blue) and 66109 (in PD Ports blue). It means 94 of the UK fleet are now repainted into the DB red livery.

Of the 69 ex-EWS Class 66s now in Europe, 17 are in Poland, seven of which have been repainted in DB red.

The rest remain in EWS livery, with ‘three beasties’ EWS logo and English, Welsh and Scottish Railway branding.

Of the 52 in use with Euro Cargo Rail in France, all remain in EWS colours but with the EWS branding replaced by the ECR logo. Most retain the EWS logos, but at least two locomotives (66218/223) now have the DB logo instead of the ‘three beasties’.

Following the repainting of 67016 into Transport for Wales black, there are no Class 67s left in traffic in EWS livery. Just withdrawn 67009/011/019/030 retain the colours, albeit very faded now.

Thirty-eight withdrawn Class 60s, owned by GB Railfreight, DB Cargo, Land Recovery and DC Rail, also carry EWS colours.