February testing for TPE-bound Class 68s

Two Class 68s are expected to begin testing with CAF-built Mk 5s in the Czech Republic from February.

Direct Rail Services’ 6801968032 are to be leased by TransPennine Express to operate locomotive-hauled trains between Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Airport and Middlesbrough/ Scarborough. These services start running from August next year.

TPE has 66 Mk 5 coaches on order from CAF, and these are currently being built in northern Spain. The first rake will move to the Velim test track in the Czech Republic for testing at the start of 2018, with two ‘68s’ to be sent to the country for testing with the Mk 5s.

So far, TPE has leased 6801968027 from DRS. Of these, 68019/021 have been modified to operate with the Mk 5s, including the fitting of interlocking for the doors and the relevant pushpull equipment. This has been described by sources as similar to the Chiltern Railways system as fitted to 68008-68015. They have also been reliveried into TPE’s colour scheme.

Two more (68020/022) are at Crewe Gresty Bridge in DRS blue undergoing modifications, while 68023-025 have returned to the Cheshire depot for modification work having been stored at Barrow Hill for a few weeks.

One of the locomotives (68025 Superb) collected a rake of five Mk 3 coaches from Laira on November 1. These will be used for driver training ahead of the introduction of the new stock.

The introduction of the new trains will enable TPE to increase train length from three to five coaches, and use displaced Class 185 diesel multiple units to operate in pairs - turning some three-car trains into six-car formations. TPE is also returning 21 Class 185s to their owner Eversholt Rail, with no new home yet found for the DMUs delivered in 2006-07.