FORMER HHPI No. CB1001 arrived at Immingham Docks on December 16, the first of a new batch of ex-European locomotives to be added to the GB Railfreight fleet over the next 18 months.
No. CB1001 was moved by road from Immingham to Doncaster Roberts Road on December 18, although it had yet to be unloaded by the end of the month.
The 11 Type 5 locomotives comprise the entirety of Akiem’s European fleet of Electro Motive Diesel-built machines and includes, for the first time, examples of the Class 77 variant that were specifically designed for operation in mainland Europe and include out-of-gauge (for the United Kingdom) cab roof air-conditioning equipment as well as other features.
Sixty Class 77s were delivered to EWS subsidiary Euro Cargo Rail from 2007, with Akiem, previously a subsidiary of SNCF Geodis but recently acquired by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (Headline News, p12), buying seven
