FORMER Railfreight Petroleum sector celebrity No. 60014, acquired by GB Railfreight in December 2018 along with Nos. 60004/018, moved from DB Cargo’s Toton depot to Progress Rail, Longport, on April 26 by road.
GBRf has extensive experience with Class 60s, having acquired the 10 Colas Rail locomotives in July and August 2018, which includes both standard range and extended range fuel tank examples, and fully understands the strengths and weaknesses of the Type 5s. The large body opens up many opportunities for conversion and Progress Rail will be exploring several possible repowering options, which could include hybrid alternatives.
No. 60014 was stored by EWS in December 2008 at the same time as No. 60043 (which is still owned by DB), starting a mass cull of the beleaguered locomotives that sidelined over 25% of the active fleet, leaving only 36 operating examples at the end of the year.
Classmate No. 60018, stored for the second and final time in 2009 in the May of that year, was also on the move in April, preceding No. 60014 by a day in its road move, to UK Rail Leasing, Loughborough. This joins 14 DCRail locomotives at the former Brush site and will be used for spares
