"The prototype bogie did not come with the same durability warranty as the production version. For this reason, it was always planned to update the prototype bogies to the ‘passed’ version at an early stage."
Still almost brand new in summer 2000, No. 66220 scales the Lickey Incline with a long rake of loaded coal hoppers, and some distant rear-end assistance from triple-grey 60068.
The arrival of the EWS (history of EWS here) Class 66 locomotives is widely remembered by the UK motive power enthusiast as a launching pad for the biggest cull in the history of British-built diesel freight traction. But for those more focused on the prosperity of the railway, the Class 66’s grand entrance was a bravura performance. From speed of delivery, through whirlwind, pre-approved acceptance, to the unprecedented streamlining of inventory and maintenance, the birth and roll-out of the Class 66 was a masterclass in efficiency.
The £350,000,000 order for 250 brand new freight locomotives was placed almost immediately after the EWS brand came into being in spring 1996. Idealistically, EWS would have bought secondhand to reduce costs, but it’s not an ideal world, and there was no high-quantity secondhand market for a GB-compatible loco with the operational improvements EWS required. So they approached General Motors to talk about an upgrade on the GB-proven Class 59/2, with a modernised engine, ‘self-steering’ bogies, and highly advanced computer control.