British Rail Class 60


The British Rail Class 60 is a class of Co-Co heavy freight diesel-electric locomotives built by Brush Traction. They are nicknamed Tugs by rail enthusiasts.

History

In the 1980s, British Rail determined there was a requirement for a high-powered Type 5 diesel locomotive for use on its Trainload Freight sector. On 10 August 1987, the British Railways Board issued a competitive tender for response by 7 November, for a fleet of 100 locomotives. Of the six companies invited to tender, only three bid responses were received:
Of the three bidders, Brush was selected, and an order was placed for 100 locomotives in a deal worth around £120 million.
Brush sub-contracted parts construction, with final construction at Brush's erecting shops at Loughborough. The bodyshells, shared with the Class 92 electric locomotives, were fabricated by Procor of Wakefield. The engine was a higher-powered development of the Mirrlees engine previously fitted experimentally to Class 37 nos. 37 901-37 904.
The first locomotive was delivered in June 1989 and sent to Derby for testing, which revealed a number of teething problems. Parts requiring modifications included the axle box suspension and the Mirlees engine cylinder head.

Design

Bodywork

Unlike the Classes 59 and 66 the Class 60s have a monocoque stressed skin construction with diagonal trusses - with the external bodywork providing support for the internal components.
Two different cab designs were considered and full size mock-ups were made in wood, plastic and metal by the Engineering Development Unit at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby. One of these had a French-style raked-forward cab end, similar to the SNCF Class CC 72000, but this was rejected in favour of a more conventional cab.

Electrical

The main alternator is a Brush BA1006A type, providing power for the traction motors via rectification circuits to DC, the auxiliary alternator is Brush BAA 702A Auxiliary Alternator, providing power for the radiator fans, lubrication and fuel oil pumps, traction motor cooling fans and air compressors amongst others. The main and auxiliary alternators are both driven by the main engine.
Each of the six axles is driven via a reduction gear by one nose suspended axle hung traction motor. Each motor has a separate microprocessor-controlled power supply, a system that was first tried on one Class 58, 58050. One feature of this system is that if one set of wheels/axle/motor starts to wheelslip their speed can be reduced without affecting the other motors.

Prime mover

The engine is an 8-cylinder, 145 litre Mirrlees Blackstone 8MB275T diesel traction engine ; the Mirrlees engine was one of the most fuel efficient available at the time, but relatively heavy. The engine was also successfully installed in marine applications such as small ships and passenger ferries. The low cylinder count for the rated power was expected to result in lower maintenance costs.
;Engine dimensions

DB Cargo UK

Following the privatisation of British Rail all 100 units came under the management of the English Welsh & Scottish, It was EWS's policy not to reduce the 100 strong fleet, with both fire and collision damaged locomotives receiving repairs. In 2003/04 a number of the fleet were stored, surplus to requirements. Between 2004 and 2007 typically between 50–75% of the fleet would be out of action at a given time. In 2007 the operational fleet was estimated to be 60 locomotives.
In June 2007 EWS was acquired by DB Schenker, a wholly owned subsidiary of the German railway company, Deutsche Bahn. Since working for EWS/DB Schenker, Class 60s have typically been employed on stone, aggregate, ballast and petroleum traffic and also on steel trains. By 2009 many Class 60s were in storage, with only fifteen in operation at any one time.
In September 2010 twenty of the class were offered for disposal by DB Schenker UK, whilst in November 2010 DBS announced that 20 units would be overhauled. In January 2011 DB Schenker announced that seven units would undergo an overhaul, with an option of an overhaul on a further fourteen units. In January 2013, the overhaul was described as an "upgrade" to create a new fleet of "Super 60's". DB Schenker gave no technical details but, according to Tugtracker, there were mechanical upgrades trialled on 60 099 and electrical upgrades trialled on 60 011. Tugtracker also gives a list of eighteen locomotives upgraded between 1 September 2011 and 1 October 2013.
Locomotives which had gone through the Super 60 program by September 2013 included ; 60 007, 010, 015, 017, 019, 020, 024, 039, 040, 054, 059, 062, 063, 074, 079, 091, 092, with another four programmed later that year; 60 001, 044, 066 and 60 100, although its unclear if all of these were completed.
In 2012 some Class 60s were offered for sale through Romic-Ace International Pte Ltd. In late 2013 DB Schenker Rail UK offered 20 locomotives for sale. These were to be purchased on 31 October 2013 by Doncaster-based Wabtec Rail in a £10m deal - the deal was reported to have fallen through in 2014.
In August 2017 DB Cargo UK offered a further 20 locomotives for sale, these being 60 003, 004, 005, 006, 008, 013, 014, 018, 022, 023, 025, 027, 030, 031, 032, 037, 042, 050, 051, and 052. They were sold to Wabtec Rail. However again this sale subsequently fell through. In late 2018 DB Cargo UK offered 3 Class 60's for sale, which caused the status of the previous sale of Class 60 locomotives to Wabtec to be uncertain, given all 3 locomotives had thought to have been included in the previous Wabtec sale.
On 1 December 2018 DB Cargo UK offered further Class 60s for sale - 60 008, 028, 029, 046, 055, 064, 070 and 098, which was the first time 60 064 had been put up for sale.
In 2019 DB Cargo UK offered 60 006, 050, 060, 081 and 086 for sale, stored at Toton. All found buyers with three, initially, sold to metal recyclers and 60 060 & 081 to 'Private Sales'. Subsequently, 60 086 was resold to a private owner and 60 050 was purchased by the same individual.
On 20 January 2020 60 006 was scrapped at Toton and was the first of the class to be scrapped.
On 10 February 2020 60 086 was transferred to the Wensleydale Railway and into preservation. This was followed by 60 050.

GB Railfreight

In July 2018 GB Railfreight bought all ten of Colas Rail’s Class 60 locomotives, Colas having replaced them with a further seven orders for Class 70 locomotives.

DCRail

In March 2019 DCRail acquired four locomotives from DB Cargo; 60 028, 029, 046, 055. These are being overhauled by DB Cargo at Toton TMD with 60 046 the first to enter service in November 2019.

Former operators

British Rail

By 1990, the class had started to be introduced onto the mainline, replacing previously double headed Class 33 Type 3s in the South East region, as well as Classes 20, 26, 27, 31 and 73. The first locos accepted into traffic were 60 017 and 60 018 in October 1990. The class 60s primarily worked on aggregate traffic also replacing Class 56s and Class 58s, some of which were withdrawn, others transferred. Their introduction replaced double-heading and also allowed longer and/or heavier trains to be worked.

Colas Rail

In June 2014 it was reported that 10 locos have been sold to Colas Rail. The numbers are 60 002/021/026/047/056/076/085/087/095/096. The first one to appear in the Colas yellow and orange livery was 60 087, which was photographed at Burton-on-Trent on 2 June 2014. In July 2018 Colas Rail sold all ten of its locomotives to GB Railfreight.

Accidents and incidents

In 1989 Railfreight named the Class 60s in traditional fashion; those locomotives attached to the construction and metals sectors were named after British mountains as were some attached to the coal sector. The others received the names of famous British citizens, with an emphasis on those whose contribution had been to science and engineering. Locomotives numbered 60 001 and 60 098 were exceptions, being named Steadfast and Charles Francis Brush respectively. The locomotives received the standard liveries of their respective sectors.
After coming into EWS's ownership, the Class 60 locomotives were repainted in the red and yellow EWS livery as and when repainting was necessary. Many others carried vinyl stickers on their sides over the former BR sector liveries, demonstrating EWS's ownership. A few locos received new names including 60 033: Tees Steel Express, painted in British Steel blue, and 60 081, repainted in a mock Great Western Railway green livery and renamed Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 2000.
In 2007/08, two locomotives received special liveries: 60 074 received a 'powder blue' livery and was named Teenage Spirit at the National Railway Museum in York as part of a charity event for the Teenage Cancer Trust. 60 040 was repainted in a red livery and named The Territorial Army Centenary as part of the celebration of that event. Both of these locos have since been repainted into standard DB Schenker livery.
In 2010 class 60 number 60 099 was repainted into a Tata Steel silver livery and logo at Toton TMD and unveiled at Tata's Scunthorpe plant on 27 September.
In January 2011 60 011 became the first member of the class to receive the standard DB Schenker livery, after a repaint at Toton TMD.
In late May 2014 60 087 emerged from Toton TMD in Colas livery. It was joined by 60 002, 021, 026, 047, 056, 076, 085, 095 and 096.
In 2019 DCR Cappagh acquired four former DB Cargo Class 60s, from store, which were overhauled and repainted by DB Cargo at Toton TMD. 60 046 and 60 055 were repainted in the DC Rail Freight corporate grey livery. 60 046 regained its original name, William Wilberforce, whilst 60 055 regained its original name, Thomas Barnardo. 60 028 was turned out in a blue livery, with large CAPPAGH logo. On 18 February 2020 the final locomotive of the quartet, 60 029, emerged from a repaint, at Toton TMD, in DC Rail Freight grey and carrying its original name, Ben Nevis.

Scrapping

On 20th January 2020 work began scrapping locomotive 60 006 at Toton depot, the first Class 60 to be dismantled.

Fleet summary

Fleet summary 2020.
OwnerNumberNumbersNotes
DB Cargo8160 001, 003-005, 007-015, 017-020, 022-025, 030-045, 048-049, 051-054, 057-059, 061-075, 077-080, 082-084, 088-094, 100, 500*Around 14 locomotives are operational at any one time all of which have received 'Super 60' upgrades. The remainder are stored, many in unserviceable condition at Toton. *Renumbered from 60 016
Stored in Toton Yard ; 60 003, 005, 023, 025, 027, 030, 031, 032, 037, 041, 042, 043, 048, 051, 053, 058, 067, 068, 069, 072, 078, 083, 088, 089, 093, 094, 097.
DCRail460 028, 029, 046, 055.Sold by DB Cargo UK in 2019 with 'Super Sixty' upgrade.
GB Railfreight1060 002, 021, 026, 047, 056, 076, 085, 087, 095, 096Acquired from Colas
Metal recyclers160 06060 060 to private scrap merchants, following component recovery at Toton TMD.
Scrapped160 00660 006 broken-up on site at Toton TMD, January 2020.
Preserved360 050, 60 081, 60 08660 050 and 60 086 initially purchased by Ron Hull before being resold for preservation. 60 081 purchased by Locomotive Services Limited for static exhibit at their Margate facility.
Total100

Class list

Preservation

Presently three members of the class have been preserved.
NumberNameLiveryStatusLocationNotes
60050Roseberry ToppingN/AWensleydale Railway
60081Bleaklow HillN/AStatic DisplayCrewe Diesel TMDPurchased by Locomotive Services Limited, for display at the Locomotive Storage Limited facility at Margate. Will undergo a cosmetic overhaul before being placed on display. At a later date it will be overhauled for use on LSL run railtours.
60086SchiehallionN/AUnder OverhaulWensleydale RailwayThe first class 60 to be preserved, arriving at the Wensleydale Railway on 10 February 2020, for restoration. 60 086 is notable, as it hauled the last limestone train on the Wensleydale Railway in 1992. It is currently unknown if the engine will stay after restoration.

Models

The locomotives have been reproduced in scale model form by Heljan in O scale, Lima and Hornby in OO scale and Graham Farish in British N scale.