DB Cargo sells more Class 90s for reuse - two go to rival freight operator

DB Cargo has sold three of the dozen Class 90s it offered for sale way back in December 2023, with 90026 moving to Locomotive Services Limited and 90021/039 being taken on by Freightliner.

The three 25k AC electrics have not been heavily robbed of parts as they were all withdrawn due to a change in traction policy rather than being classed as life expired.

The other ‘90s’ offered for sale in the same tender were 90019/020/024/028/029/034-037. As yet, no buyers have been identified for these vehicles, and they remain available for sale.

It appears to demonstrate a change in policy for the DB Cargo disposals, with the company keeping hold of better, reusable, locomotive until buyers come forward, rather then sending them for scrap.

Of the ten Class 67s also offered for sale at the same time, three have been sold – 67003 for scrap and 67026/028 to Transport for Wales.

However, it looks as if the stripped shell of 67030, which is resting on accommodation bogies, could make it the next of the class to be shipped off for cutting up.

Freightliner's decision to take two more Class 90s, after it acquired 90018/040 from DBC in April 2024 (with ten heavily stripped ‘90s’ being sold for scrap; 90017/022/023/025/027/030-033/038), demonstrates a move to more electric traction being used for its West Coast main Line intermodal trains, where pairs of the ex-BR locomotives are used on many turns

FL already has 90003-016/018/040-045/047-049 in its active fleet, with 90046 having been stored in November last year.

This is in direct contrast to DBC which stood down its last dozen ‘90s’ between February and July 2023, citing the high charges for electric power to operate on the WCML making it too costly to run them.

LSL's acquisition of 90026 from the recent DB Cargo list will mean it joins 90001/002 in the company’s fleet.

It was repainted Grand Central black in 2019 in readiness for use along with 90020/029/039 by the open access operator on a new Blackpool-Euston service with Mk 4 coaches, but that never got off the ground due to the pandemic.

90020/026/029 were painted in GC black but never used other than for crew training.

It is expected that 90026 will be repainted into a former BR livery, with InterCity Mainline or Railfreight Distribution European the two colour schemes it carried in BR ownership.

LSL might opt to paint it in InterCity ‘Swallow’ colours to match its two other Class 90s.