BRITAIN’S largest freight operator, DB Cargo UK, has stored its final five operational Class 90s, Nos. 90021/026/028/035/039. From an operational pool of 12 locomotives at the end of 2022, the operator has removed the final ‘90s’ from service with CEO Andrea Rossi citing high energy costs that cannot be passed on to customers as the reason for their withdrawal.
Nos. 90021/026 were in the WEAC pool and Nos. 90028/035/039 were in the WEDC pool. All five electrics have moved to the WQBA Level 2 storage group. Nos. 90035/039 had previously been stored in mid-April, although the former was reactivated a few weeks later. The Class 90 diagrams will be covered by Class 66s.
The previously stored members of the class were also downgraded during the same period, Nos. 90019/020/024/034/036/037 moving from WQAA to WQBA, Nos. 90018/040 to WQBA from WQCA, and Nos. 90017/022/023/025/027/030-033/038 from WQCA to WQDA. DBC has indicated that it will be looking at disposal options for these locomotives, through scrapping or selling them.
Mr Rossi insisted that the removal of the Class 90s from service did not reflect a change of DBC’s commitment towards decarbonisation, although this will primarily be achieved through the continued move towards bio or synthetic fuels as well as alternative ways of managing its assets.
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