The re-gearing of Class 66/0s to ‘66/6s’ by DB Cargo at Toton is in full swing, with the programme extended from nine to 15 locomotives.
The re-gearing of Class 66/0s to ‘66/6s’ by DB Cargo at Toton is in full swing, with the programme extended from nine to 15 locomotives.
66659 (ex-66171) is the latest to be converted, with 66161/172/181 identified as likely to be the three next in line.
DB Cargo has added 66155/165/ 197 into the WBHT pool for the ‘66/6s’, which will take the conversion programme up to 66665.
Those converted to 66651-659 (in order) were 66221, 66164, 66194, 66149, 66167, 66156, 66183, 66147 and 66161. The work entails the gearing changed to 83:18 to allow the locomotives to pull heavier loads, and their creation is in direct response to the company withdrawing its ‘60s’.
Freightliner and GB Railfreight also have regeared locomotives - 66601-625 for the former and 66793-796 for the latter.
Meanwhile, Direct Rail Services has confirmed that the five Class 66s it has had on long-term lease from DB Cargo will be returned to their owner by March.
The locomotives (66031/091/ 108/122/126) were repainted into DRS blue when they transferred to the Kingmoor operation in January 2021.
DRS confirmed that three have been returned (66091/ 122/126), with the other two (66031/108) set to follow at the end of March.
66126 has entered the Toton paint shop and should emerge in DB Cargo red. The other four are expected to will follow suit as and when time allows.
By Pip Dunn
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Rmw - 27/02/2025 23:16
It would be interesting to know just what 're-gearing' of the traction motors actually involves. I assume 66171 will now lose its EWS livery...