Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Thanks for the info. How come there are so many at Midland Road? Are they undergoing maintenance or modifications? With coal trains being a rare occurrence these days I imagine that the 70's are now heavily used on Freightliner intermodal duties around the country? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Does anyone know the current fate of 70012 in the US? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DRS Crewe On A Mission Posted November 23, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 23, 2015 You are very welcome. All of the 8 mentioned in the previous post were on Midland Road earlier either having repairs, awaiting parts for repairs or undergoing routine exams and maintenance. To my knowledge all of the modifications have been completed on the Freightliner Class 70 fleet. Yes just recently 70002, 70006, 70010, 70011, 70013, 70014, 70015 and 70016 have all been transferred from the DFGH Heavy Haul pool to the DFGI Intermodal pool. This just leaves 70003, 70004 and 70005 in the Heavy Haul pool, of which currently all three are out of service at Basford Hall and Midland Road respectively. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray M Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 For anyone wanting any of the Freightliner 70s for sight or for photos Leeds Midland Road is currently the place to be. 70004, 70005, 70006, 70007, 70013, 70015, 70018, 70020 according to TOPS were present on the depot at 06:00 this morning. So that's 8 in total, 9 if you include 70008 working to Leeds FLT. At 15:40 I sighted 70005, 70006, 70013 and 70015 from a passing train and two more were in the new sidings next to the wheel lathe shed. 66416 in it's recently applied Powerhaul livery was also present. Hope this helps. Did you not spot a certain green class 03, from the NRM. Twas there on Friday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 I believe 70012 was sent back to the US, with a bent frame. I have heard that it has since been straightened, and is in use as a shunter at the manufacturing plant. Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted November 26, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2015 (edited) . Edited November 14, 2016 by 4630 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DRS Crewe On A Mission Posted November 26, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 26, 2015 I did happen to see the 03 actually. It was stabled next to 66951 when I saw it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HitchinLoco Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Hi Guys, Just wondered if any of you knew if the 70 runs on the Grantham Line often? I saw one for the first time on Monday 14 Dec. 11 am ish going North with wagons! I would like to photo one so info would be nice. many thanks, Gordon W. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted December 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) . Edited November 15, 2016 by 4630 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Wonder if Freightliner have any to spare Russ, with the downturn in coal traffic? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted December 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) . Edited November 15, 2016 by 4630 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 70016 (originally in the Heavy Haul pool, but now Intermodal) approaches Mount Pleasant Crossing with a Garston - Southampton Freightliner. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
black and decker boy Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Wonder if Freightliner have any to spare Russ, with the downturn in coal traffic? Freightliner are exporting more 66s to Poland, (66530 is first and currently being prepared) so perhaps the slack is in that class? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DRS Crewe On A Mission Posted December 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 21, 2015 Just to add (even if it is slightly off topic) I passed Midland Road last Monday (21st December) and there was a Freightliner 66 with no numbers on the side. I am assuming it is 66530 which is now Poland bound. The Freightliner and Colas Class 70s all seem to very busy and the majority only seem to be out of traffic when under repair, maintenance and when having exams. Whereas the Freightliner 66 fleet seem to be sidelined even when not under repair. Don't forget Freightliner did take on the ex DRS batch 66411-66420. 411, 412 and 417 are all already in Poland but this does leave seven additional Freightliner 66s in the UK. What with a downturn in coal traffic also throughout the majority of FOCs this is bound to leave some sidelined with no work. It was the same a few years ago when Freightliner stored 66507 and 66526 which are both Heavy Haul registered 66s. This was because of a downturn in coal traffic and both were duly stored at Midland Road. This way the operator saves money because they aren't running on the main line. This could also be related to why Freightliner are exporting more 66s to Poland. Why pay for them to be registered on the mainline over here in the UK when they are not required for as much, if any work at all when they could be supporting Freightliner abroad? It will be interesting to see if anymore after 66530 go to Poland and what pool they come from. If from Heavy Haul it would suggest it is because of a downturn in coal traffic. If from the intermodal pool it would suggest that the sixteen strong DFGI registered Class 70s and remaining 66s are capable of supporting the intermodal division within the UK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lochinvar Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 (edited) It's being reported on a couple of gen sites that Colas has ordered a further 7 new class 70s. That Colas might have a need to augment their loco. pool is no surprise. They have been adding to their portfolio of haulage contracts - recently displacing DB on most of the Inneos (ex-BP) work out of Grangemouth,for example. And they are being tipped widely to be on the point of taking over from FHH on the cement traffic out of Oxwellmains (typically 2 trains a day). DR Edited December 22, 2015 by Lochinvar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Is there any rhyme or reason about whether a Freightliner Cl.66 or a Cl.70 appears on any particular Intermodal working? Most seemed to be timed for 75mph / 1235 tonnes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DRS Crewe On A Mission Posted December 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 22, 2015 With the DFGI (Intermodal) registered Freightliner 70s and Intermodal registered Freightliner 66s I think it just depends on the availability. The Freightliner Class 66 fleet are going through heavy G Exams and are requiring repaints and new LED lights fitting. This has already been done to a number of 66/5s the repaints to the cab ends more than the lighting though. Consequently this means that these locos will be out of service for a long period of time typically at Midland Road. This means that they aren't available for traffic, meaning that another 66 or 70 has to be drafted in. I suspect this is why the Leeds FLT intermodal trains have reverted to the majority been Class 70 operated. I would say 80% of the time the 4O54 and 4O55 trains off Leeds FLT to Southampton are Class 70 hauled but sometimes can be Class 66 hauled when out of traffic for repairs, maintenance and exams. At the moment I think it just depends on what is available as to what works what. In recent weeks 70001 and 70010 both DFGI/Intermodal Class 70s were working coal trains off of Stoke Grifford. You normally wouldn't see that but with Heavy Haul 66s out of traffic it's just about making use of what's available from what I can see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steadfast Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Some of the Southampton trains have been increased in length since the 70s came along, 4M99 for one. When they were newer it was regular for one 70 to do Wentloog and back in the day the drop onto M99 in the evening. Not sure if it still happens now there's more of them. As for the timing loads, that'll be based on the maximum permissible load. Just because a train is timed at that, it doesn't mean it'll load to it. A 70 with 1235 tons will perform similarly to a 66 with a lesser load. It's noticeable there are two paths from Wentloog, 4O70 has the train passing Wootton Bassett a good 25 or so mins earlier than 4O51, a clear indicator of the extra grunt of the 70 at work on what is quite a short train. Faster acceleration means it doesn't need to be looped as often, hence accelerates less often away from stops, this virtuous circle giving the improved timings Jo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Thanks for the info guys. Soton MCT seems to be working to capacity at the moment, with trains having to wait entry, eg RT at Soton Central, but an hour late at Maritime. Sometimes it's difficult to work out which container terminal is being used on Realtime Trains, as that system seems to use the abbreviation MCT for either Maritime Container Terminal or Millbrook Container Terminal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted December 22, 2015 Share Posted December 22, 2015 Hopefully the weather will be less dull tomorrow but this is today's shot of Freightliner 70010 on the Felixstowe to Ditton containers passing through Acton Bridge this morning just after 10:30am. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DRS Crewe On A Mission Posted December 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 22, 2015 If you want to you could buy Freightlocate. It's £25 per year but it's fantastic. If you enter Southampton MCT it brings up the trains that are travelling into and out of Southampton Maritime. If you enter Millbrook Hants FLT it brings up the trains that are travelling into and out of Millbrook. So on a Freightlocate there is a clear difference between the two. This allows separate pages of results to be displayed depending upon the location entered. This way you will be two separate the trains going into and out of the two different locations. Maritime has many freight trains listed as runners for today, all of which are Freightliner. These tend to be Freightliner Class 66 and Class 70 operated. Millbrook has 4E01, 4M55 and 4M04 listed as runners for today, all of which are Freightliner operated. These three trains tend to be Freightliner Class 66 operated. So Maritime is the place to be for 70s on the intermodal trains. Passing Midland Road tonight I saw three Freightliner Class 70s. Four are currently there, these been 70003, 015, 017 and 019. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted December 22, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 22, 2015 Millbrook Hants FLT also works as a location on Realtime Trains Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Two 70's from yesterday the first was 70018 photo taken at Acton Bridge with a Garston Container Terminal in Liverpool to Crewe Basford Hall. With a 30 minute gap in the timetable and my 5 year old son starting to ask when we were going home because it was cold we had a 10 minute drive to the next station south on the WCML which was Hartford. Never been here before, the station is in a deep cutting which makes photos a challenge at this time of year. Here 70007 was in charge of the Felixstowe to Ditton train. Would have preferred the photo to be on the other platform off the footbridge but that would have made the photo even darker! Not the best photos as photography for a novice like me is such a challenge, especially this time of year with either overcast skies or clear with low sun. Plus the trains are usually travelling at maximum speed through these two stations. Have a good Christmas everyone!! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhaul 70 Pey Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 There is a Freightliner class 70 currently working the Daventry to Coatbridge container trains. Here is 70004 passing Golborne (between Warrington and Wigan) on the WCML at 14:53. Nice to see a 70 closer to home rather that having to go to Acton Bridge. I missed the morning working by a couple of minutes at Winwick Junction when the weather was a lot better than this afternoon. I don't know how long 70's are going to be used. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty11 Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 My favourite 70 photo, (of which I only have 2!!) 70010 4L92 Acton Bridge, Cheshire 21/12/15 Wasn't expecting a 70 on L92 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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