GB Railfreight confirms Class 99 testing set for September
The 30 bi-mode locomotives will succeed Class 66s, bringing improved tractive effort and environmental performance.
GB RAILFREIGHT has told The RM it expects the first of its 30 bi-mode Class 99 locomotives to be in service before the end of next year.
The company also confirmed that a nine-month period of testing and commissioning is due to take place from September 2024. It was reluctant to elaborate on progress with the order for the locomotives, but it is understood that the bodyshell of No. 99001 had been completed by late January at Stadler’s Valencia factory. It and No. 99002 are expected to be completed in May, with
No. 99003 being finished shortly afterwards.
The predicted time frame for testing fits with suggestions that the first of the locomotives, which will be leased from Beacon Rail, could arrive in the UK in April 2025 for main line trials.
‘Eurodual’variant
Stadler will maintain the Class 99s at UK Rail Leasing’s new
£1.5 million Leicester depot.
Weighing 113 tonnes and with a top speed of 75 miles per hour, they are part of the ‘Eurodual’ family, originally developed by Vossloh, which was taken over by Stadler at the beginning of 2016. Other UK variants of this six-axle brand of locomotives are the Class 93s currently being produced for Rail Operations Group and the Direct Rail Services Class 88s.
Able to take power from 25kV overhead electric lines as well as a Cummins QSK50 Stage V emissions compliant diesel engine, they are designed as a successor to the Class 66. As well as delivering superior tractive effort (up to 500 kilonewtons and opposed to 409 for the Class 66), GBRf expects the Class 99s to make a major difference to its environmental credentials.
Figures previously quoted by the company suggest that, based on working intermodal trains on partially-electrified routes, the fleet could reduce its carbon footprint by 428 tonnes each working day. They are expected to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil rather than conventional diesel.