66 Unbelievable Facts About the Class 66 Locomotive!
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- čas přidán 14. 02. 2023
- 🔴 Here, we take a look at 66 Facts about the Class 66!
🚆 These workhorses are the backbone of the modern freight industry.
🟥 Why are they 'sheds'? What did they cost? Where do they come from?
🛤️ We inspect the class, its past, present its future of pulling trains!
=MORE CHANNEL VIDEO LINKS=
🔮 101 Facts - The Elizabeth line: • Elizabeth line | 101 F...
🛤️ EVENING STAR/FREIGHT at ELY: • EVENING STAR + Lots of...
🚢 The Angerstein Wharf freight line: • London's Unique Freigh...
=FUTHER READING=
🚆 Class 66 Wikipedia: bit.ly/3jQmINZ
📰 Rail Revisted article: bit.ly/3jSBZxT
📜 History of the Class 66 by Adrian Booth: bit.ly/3JYFEoB
🗞️ Rail Magazine article on the class: bit.ly/3K4FbRS
🙌 Transport fandom Wiki: bit.ly/3IiAMZZ
=SPECIAL THANKS=
🤝 Mike Wilcock for permission to use his incredible docks clips!
🤝 Colin Prosser for permission to use his railtour clip.
🤝 HSTHoward for permission to use his clips of the 66s in Egypt.
🤝 Leigh Cauldwell for permission to use a Class 66 cab photo.
🤝 Cool man is so cool for permission to use an early 66001 clip!
=ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE SOURCES=
🟥 Xtrain24 mit TV-Sendung: • Fahrten von und mit de...
🔴 Deltic SP Class 59s: • Class 43,59,66,70 and ...
🟥 Cool man is so cool - 66001: • class 66001 brand span...
🟥 Colin Prosser - Evening Star tour: • 66779 Evening Star wit...
🏴 Scotland's Railway - 66004: • Scotland's Climate Wee...
🇪🇺 Bahnhof Güsten - 66/77s in Europe: • Die Class 66 und 77 in...
🟢 Lea Road & Old Hall lectures - 66/9: • 66955 4L87 Leeds F.L.T...
🔵 Mezzie's Clips - 66/4 - • A DRS Class 66 on a TE...
🟦 steeler_uk: 66/4 RHTT - • 358N tears though Chap...
🔵 92009DBS: 66/4 - • DRS 66431 on 4M71 Purf...
🔻 gekovideo - Hafen/Guterverker: • HGK. Häfen und Güterve...
🔵 HSTHoward - 66s in Egypt: • (HD) Egyptian Railways...
🔴 Mike Wilcock - EWS 66s arrive: • 8 x 66s unloaded at Ne...
🔴 Mike Wilcock - FLR 66s arrive: • Freightliners 1st deli...
🔴 Mike Wilcock - GBRf 66s arrive: • GBRf 66701-07, 1st del...
🔴 Mike Wilcock - Fastline 66s Docks: • Rails in Wales. "Fastl...
🔴 Mike Wilcock - Last GBRf 66s : • Last 66779 pus 708/773...
🛤️ HS2 - Green Progressor: • Painting ‘The Green Pr...
🟥 beast66606/Dave & John Skipsey: • 66001, 755417, 755326 ...
🟥 beast66606/Dave & John Skipsey: • 66002 and 755405 on 5P...
🤝 All used with written permission or Creative Commons License
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=DISCLAIMERS=
⚠️ All footage is own work and property of TrainsOnTheBrain unless otherwise stated and should not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
⚠️ Some footage/photos are repurposed from other sources under the assumption of CZcams's terms and conditions of Fair Use.
⚠️ Some footage is repurposed from CZcams from videos with the 'Create Commons' license applied, again used under the assumption of Fair Use.
⚠️ Some royalty-free stock footage used from Pexels and Pixabay.
⚠️ This is a self-funded project. No money has been taken from any of the train operating companies or freight operators featured.
🙏 In memory of driver Steve 'George' Dunn 🙏
📝 What's your favourite Class 66 fact or memory? Comment below👇
I kind of like that the class 66 diesel has as much attention and affection over it to the point that they’ve given individual names for some of them. Maybe it’s different in America where I live but it’s pretty rare that diesel locomotives get that kind of attention on par with some steam engines. The only example I can think of that got that popular in the public consciousness at least in that way were some of the earliest streamliner diesels from the 1930s like the Pioneer Zephyr, the flying Yankee or the M 10,000 “city of San Francisco”
@@lucasquintanilla1673 Totally agree - we do love to name our trains over here. I think it's such an easy win from a publicity perspective, I'm amazed more operators don't do it. HNY!
@@trainsonthebrain happy new year to you too!
Anyway, what do you think are some diesel locomotives that are as popular and famous as steam engines? I think they’re only a handful of diesel locomotives that can compete or even surpass the romance of the steam engine, and in my opinion, the pioneer zephyr, the British BR deltics, and American Alco PA long nosed diesels are some of the few that can come anywhere close.
@@lucasquintanilla1673 I think that’s a pretty strong list! I think the 66’s do hold up well and will be celebrated more in the years to come when they start getting withdrawn. The Deltic’s over here take some beating I think. The UK Class 37 is a much heralded machine too. I like them all!
@@trainsonthebrain are the class 37 diesels known as the westerns? Or am I confusing locomotive classes here?
In the United States, usually on mainline excursions over long distances, steam locomotives have to have a diesel engine behind them for safety insurance and braking reasons. There are many people who don’t like this although I personally don’t mind as I think I am one of the few people who like diesel engines just as much as steam locomotives especially since I think it’s possible that by the time I’m an old man (I’m in my 20s right now) diesel engines might not be nearly as common anymore due to the possible rise of hydrogen locomotives and climate change concerns. Not only that, but I especially like it when the diesel locomotive behind the steam engine is a vintage one like how the tour of a Canadian pacific steam engine across Canada, the United States and Mexico is apparently going to have a vintage Canadian pacific diesel locomotive behind it. I guess I have just thought of stuff like that as a doubleheading like how it is with steam engines especially for older diesel locomotives doing that.
As a train enthusiast, I'm absolutely in love with the rail culture of the British. The amount of love and caring people have for these beautiful machines which are a work of art, and the respect for such a rich railway haritage. I still find glimpses of British rail haritage here in India.
Political attitudes towards rail are pretty poor... Fuelled by greed, reported corruption and a car centric attitude.
Thanks to the Car lobby to be honest
@@alanlittle4589 True but even Maggie Thatcher wasn't allowed realise her dream of selling every railway and converting them to motorways or nothing at all. When a war comes they need to deliver all them vans and supplies by rail. Everytime I see brand new cars going through Warrington I think and imagine how much extra fuel it would take to drive them all to their destination. and you need a driver for every vechille. Each driver will need to be put up in a hotel before making their way back to base.
I drove 66’s from their introduction until 2017. My basic traction knowledge was Class 37’s which were usually in multi to work the Ayrshire coal trains. After the switch to 56’s and 60’s due to frequent Class 37’s failing, the 66’s came along and reliability shot up. In the many journeys I made from Ayr to Carlisle with those 2,200 tonne coal trains, I think I sat down once. Even going over the Settle/Carlisle the 66’s would get you up to Ais Gil summit no problem.
They are NOISY.
I wonder how many driver have lost a large percentage of their hearing capacity? The 66 was OK for a nap. That’s their main asset, sleep quality. 😂
😂 It’s been a varied response - some say the noise was quite loud but not unbearable, others have told me they hated them and had mild tinnitus. I think that despite some problems though, it’s like you said, the reliability levels shot up. Must have been fun driving them since their introduction!
More and more drivers are now being fitted with hearing aids. Usually guys who have been driving from the 1990s onwards.
Eric spoke like a true railway man. I’m in North America and have run most EMD models made since the 1950s.
Our company used class66 for very long time. We have many drivers that need hearing aids or have tinnitus. Recently we got a different locomotive and I was in shock how quiet diesel locomotives could be. Sadly enough in our company the class isn’t leaving soon. Noisy, Hot in the summer, cold in winter (cab1), annoying for shunting with cabine change,…
But very powerful at low speeds. For hill climbing its very strong and continues to pull. Only managed to get stuck once in 14years.
The Class 66 was based on the EMD SD40-2, as used by most of the railroad companies in North America and those in Canada. A chap from Wisconsin Central at the early formation of EWS was in Canada when he was offered a ride in the cab of a Canadian Pacific Dash-2, and being impressed by what the engine offered with power and control asked what could be done to take the motive power unit and fit it to the UK loading gauge. The rest as they is history.
I'm guessing that "chap" was Ed Burkhardt.
It funny because they where based on the 40-2 yet have the trucks of HTCR trucks of an ACe or MAC
Not quite. The actual derivative of the SD40-2 is the Class 59, particularly as they share the same EMD 16-645 power plant. The 66's have the same bodyshell as the 59's, true, but the mechanics are a tad more modern, particularly with the newer EMD 12-710 prime mover, so it's mechanically closer to a GP59 than an SD40
Interestingly, the 12N-710G3B-EC engines used in the 66's not only saw other applications in Europe, but also some domestic use. The Long Island Rail Road's DE30AC and DM30AC locomotives use these same engines, likely because of the tight clearances. At 14' 6", they are the shortest EMD passenger diesels ever built
Yep
@@russellgxy2905 EMD started a repowering program for older locomotives. Canadian Pacific Railway, among others have had SD40-2 models have sent to EMD. The 16-645 was replaced by a 12-710 diesel, along with EM2000 computer control. It would be the same as if the Class 59 was upgraded to a 66.
I drive 66s. The early ones are noisy, and with age and use there’s quite a few rattles and squeaks.
The “Euro spec” ones have thicker windows, proper A/C and seemingly greater sound proofing.
But, they’re good, solid and in my opinion somewhat endearing. I like driving them.
I’m a new driver.
66734 used the cabs as state of the art simulators. Great bits of kit and have used them. I drove the new 734 last week.
And Evening Star, I did a little bit of my traction course on 😊
Amazing! Thanks for commenting James, glad they’re endearing and fun to drive! Must have been fun to work on Evening Star relatively early on in your career! Keep fighting the good fight and happy driving!
I was a young apprentices in 1999 and would go home at the weekends. While waiting for my connection at Ipswich station I would see one of these operated by EWS pulling the mail train . I'm not a rail fan but loved the look and more importantly the sound. I must confess that I thought it must be at least 20/30 years old, I've just found out it was brand new.
Ha! I remember seeing them for the first time in my youth when they started pulling the sand trains out of King’s Lynn and thinking ‘…What on Earth is that?!’
Where were you commuting to/from? I’m from Norfolk originally 👍
@@trainsonthebrain I'm a Suffolk lad, I was working in Maldon ( Essex ) and changed for the Lowestoft train ( class 150 if i remember ) at Ipswich.
That's the EMD 710 for you.
Personally i think the class 66's are beautiful looking diesel's!
There’s quite a lot to appreciate with the Class 66. They may be one of the most popular modern diesels.
Indeed! It’s nice that they are appreciated more now - not so much in their introduction - but definitely these days!
I Literally Want To Go To England Just To See A Class 66
Very informative video! Thank you for posting! Years ago I used to watch the new orders of class 66s from GMDD in Ontario pass through the yards and docks here in Halifax, Nova Scotia to be loaded on ships for the trans-Atlantic crossing to the UK and Africa. The early orders were always under tarpaulins, but later they were shipped uncovered. It was a treat to see the UK and other liveries briefly on Canadian rails. Finally, I'm not a dedicated rail modeller, but I have an N-scale Freightliner class 66 and short ore train consist sitting on a shelf in my office just for fun. Perhaps I should move it to a shelf our back garden shed! 🙂 Thank you again for the vid and greetings from Canada! 🇨🇦
Lovely to read this comment my friend! Must have been quite a sight to see them in transit off to their new homes back then, who knew that they’d go on to make such a massive impact! I’ve got a couple of models as well - sadly not quite enough space to build a layout yet but they make for lovely features on the office shelf for now! Thank you again for the comment, my old man spent a lot of time in Canada, lived in Toronto and Vancouver for a bit. Never been myself but hope to tick it off one day!
It's a bit of a swim, so you should start limbering up to be ready when the water is warmer 😉
The late David Othen posted a compilation video a number of years ago of loco exports through Halifax, including 66s: czcams.com/video/a1ogo7795mw/video.html
David caught many more shipments than I saw, but I remember in particular nearly driving off the road when I saw the string of Freightliners. It was nice when they dropped the tarps; in the 70s-80s, there were a lot of G22 exports headed overseas, and we had to guess where they were destined by deciphering the spray-painted order numbers.
I live near London Ontario where these were built. I remember seeing them from time to time sitting on the tracks by the plant. Unfortunately they have shutdown locomotive production.
Those things are an integral part of my neighborhood for over a decade now. In Poland they're quite a rarity, I think there hadn't been any two stroke V12 loco here since the early ST44.
Definitely the modern day Stanier black 5. Very informative video. Thank you.
Thank you Dave, much appreciated!
For lack of a better way to say it, I think the Class 66's are "cute", while at the same time "cool". It' s a shame they don't see service in the USA , for short line operations, or passenger commuter trains.
I see several Class 66s every day. There is a freight line that runs directly behind my house leading to Dow Silicones UK. Most of the 66s are EWS, some are Freightline and a few are Colas. I've only ever seen one GBRf engine. I always enjoy hearing their ying-ying-ying-ying as they sit idle in the siding waiting for the signals to change.
Are you looking for a lodger? That sounds delightful! I’ve just come back from Ely station today where there have been a few waiting for paths up and down to and from Felixstowe while works have been carried out. Always nice to see the variety!
@@trainsonthebrain Haha. I wish I had a spare room. From my window, I look straight up at the train, it's that close. I should have documented the numbers, but it didn't occur to me before. I just love seeing them roll in with the raw materials and roll back out with medical supplies etc.
@@tardismole You should set up a webcam or something outside your window and leave it running on a CZcams live stream. I gaurentee if you just leave it running people will subscribe and your views will shoot up!
@@trainsonthebrain Great idea. One problem, though. The track bed is literally straight up from my window. The embankment begins just two metres from my front door and is covered with bat-habitat trees. Since Platform 3 was removed, the best place to see the trains is Platform 1. You can see the trains approaching from both directions, but there is a tree-lined curve looking east.
Very interesting,lots of facts I never knew,thanks for producing!
Thanks Mister B! Really fun video to put together - took a while to get over the line but happy with the end result and learned a great deal about these beasts! Thanks for sending this comment to brighten up my Monday morning - have a great week! 👍
CZcams really wanted me to watch this video and I'm glad I finally got around to it; as this was exceptionally well made, editted and researched. I can not wait to see what other videos you do like this.
Really appreciate the comment, thanks very much 🙌
There used to be a stabling yard at Newport Station and at weekends you could see 66s there. The yard went when they built platform four. You can now see them parked on the yard between Newport and Cardiff. And of course whizzing through Cardiff Central! Wonderful engines! Thanks for uploading ❤
In the end, the Class 66 and its variations is an example of the "invasion" of American (predominantly EMD) locomotives which started in the 1970s when Foster Yeoman decided to import an SW1001 shunter (switcher in the US) to work in their yard. The rest is history.
One story I heard is that when Y44 (the locomotive's number) was ordered, Foster Yeoman wanted to buy two, to keep one for spare parts. However, EMD convinced them that the locomotive would be so reliable that they wouldn't need a spare, so they only ordered the one.
@@freebrickproductions and EMD was right.
@@kristoffermangila eh... kinda. Coulda used the spare for a new cab when it smashed into a tunnel, true story.
@@thestarlightalchemist7333 That was Hanson 120, not Yeoman 44.
And a great shame.
To me they'll always look like Bullieds "Leader" ....!
Pleased with this. It was nice of you to cover a comprehensive well-researched and presented analysis of a contemporary locomotive. I enjoyed the whole video. Regards, Samuel Farris.
Very kind words Samuel, thanks very much. It took a while to put together and even watching it back there’s a few things I wish I’d added, but I’ll keep collecting footage of these noble beasts and no doubt pull something else together of them down the line!
Regarding the cab environment on these....EWS/DB don't have air-con , except for trial units that were installed to ascertain whether it was feasible. I don't think much happened after this, as I've been retired since 2018 , but none of the blokes I keep in contact with have told me air-con has been rolled out class-wide. They can get terribly hot, but for me , not usually a problem as I'm a coldarse. But what happens ,is that when the loco is stationary, on a hot day , the side facing towards the sun gets baked, and radiates into the cab . I've recorded temps of well into the high 30's to mid 40's with my clip-on thermometer . The exposed metalwork inside the roof and bodysides becomes hot enough to burn exposed forearms, elbows and hands etc. , if you're not careful . The ambient noise level is purely subjective- it never really bothered me , except the piercing shriek when 'creeping' , wbich no doubt a sound level meter would have fits at , but a 60 is much worse in this regard . The constant revving is tiresome, tho ' . They rev when they're cold. They rev when they're hot. They rev when any air is used . They rev just for the hell of it . However, I personally like them , I've only ever had 2 failures in 20 years with 'em , although one was serious in that the brakes failed 'unsafe' when running light . A lot of my compatriots would never like thenm because they were'nt a 60 , and they eventually displaced the majority of 60 work . Even the ride quality seemed to improve with age . These , and ,it must be said, the 59's , were a big factor in my moving to EWS.
Superb post, thanks for commenting! I did wonder about the air con, in the summer months I always see them running with the doors open at the sides as drivers desperately try to let air in! I hadn’t even though about the cab and heating sides, must have been like playing a game of hot potato at times! Brilliant account of what driving them has been like. Thanks again!
Apparantly temperatures into the late 30's and low 40's have been recording in the cabs on a lot of the older Northern Rail Units during exceptionally hot Summer heatwaves such as July 2022. So this problem is not just exclusive to the class 66.
I have to say I am a big fan of these locomotives. Not as much as the Class 59s which technically changed the game for Diesel Locomotives in the UK. The 66s have certainly made their mark in Britain's railway history.
Well put sir 👍
I really enjoyed that 🙂 Hard not to like a 66 when you’ve heard one lifting a heavy train from rest at full chat 😎
Thanks Jim! Absolutely, they’re quite a sight and sound when they’re giving it some beans!
Great video , keep up the good work 😃
Cheers Luka!
I have seen lots of Class 66s out and about on the railways. And they still are the best locomotives to of ever been built in the UK. The Class 66 are such incredible locomotives.
Built in Canada mate !
Very informative, thanks for sharing
Thanks Del! Lots of fun to pull together, glad you enjoyed 👍
Excellent and informative!! Very helpful to us overseas British rail-fans!👍
Thanks John! Lovely comment to read this morning 🍻
What an excellent, informative and engaging video - brilliant work, thanks for posting it! New subscriber!
Thanks so much David, that comment has really made my day after a long shift! A bit of a monster of an edit to pull together but happy with the end result, comments like this make it all worthwhile too! And thanks for subscribing too - I never take any subscribers for granted and it always blows me away that people think the channel is even worth subscribing too. You take care and have a great rest of your week/weekend 👍
Awsome 👍👍👍
Excellent informative video.😊
Thanks John! Very kind!
Iconic and attractive. I always love them through Hereford interstitial tracks. REALLY good video with nice facts.
Thank you so much! A monster of an edit to pull together but had some great collaborations in bringing it to life. Was fun chasing a lot of 66's round my local stations too!
Excellent video, I was keeping my eyes on the counter on the left of the screen as the facts mounted up. The 66s have certainly made the mark.
Thanks very much Michelle! Admittedly a challenge to find 66 different facts I could include but I got there in the end after what felt like an eternity of research!
I drove them from 2002 with EWS (later DB Schenker) and then for Freightliner Heavy Haul for the second half of my railway career. I retired early a couple of years ago.
How were they to drive generally? Great to hear from an ex-driver!
@@trainsonthebrain I didn't have much experience with 47s, 56s and 37s as they were being phased out at the time by EWS. I enjoyed driving them. I did also drive 08/09s (which I loved), 60s, 70s (with FHH), 59s and 67s but never got to know the others apart from the shunters as well as I got to know the 66s. I enjoyed driving them all but you knew exactly what to expect from 66s. They were extremely good runners and hardly ever failed. They were noisy but you got used to that. They were simple enough unlike the 70s. Driving them at 75 mph with empties back from Crewe or Didcot was always fun!
@@Elvinley That’s brilliant! I’d love to do some cab turns one day. I’ve done a couple of cab turns on kettles before but not on diesels. One day!
@@trainsonthebrain It's fun until you are on them for hours on end!
Did an Eastleigh to Birmingham trip with a mate, it was a freightliner train and I drove apart from the shunting, and I enjoyed it a lot. It was a night job, and coming round to Didcot in first light was good. But that’s the novelty innit. Repetitive work is repetitive work regardless. I remember Rod Constable telling me, when I was younger and keen, ” all you want to do is drive Mart, then you get your key and you don’t want to anymore “
Sixty sixes are pretty noisy. 47s are better.
Great video 👍
Thank you my friend, and huge thanks again for permission to use the 66001 clip 👍
great train video sir
😃🙌
Great video thank you 66 times
If only it was possible to press the thumbs up button 66 times 😂 Thanks very much Tony!
Another fact: It's very very loud and very tiring driving this loco for 5h hours at max throttle... 😩😩
Wow that was excellent thanks really enjoyed it. But I must admit the 66 dosent really get me too excited yes it's a thoroughly reliable workhorse but I just love the BR class 56... A class 56 on Tanker duty or on the coal MGR is a sight and sound to behold.... That's great vlog 👍👍👍
Cheers Mark! I love the older classes too, especially the 56s. I may also have had a very different opinion on the 66s when they first arrived , especially displacing so many of the classics. Thankfully though I think those older classes have shown their class and quite a few are still around proving their worth, and they've all been able to live in harmony with the 66s. Long may that continue! Thanks for watching!
Hi yes I live in worksop on the Robin Hood line and the 56s used to be trundling along here through worksop on the MGR day in day out absolutely loved them sadly since the demise of the coal industry any freight locomotive is a very rare sight indeed on this line... But iam from Chesterfield originally so I regularly visit Chesterfield Station on the midland mainlane on you get a great variety of freight trundling though... Thanks again for a great vidio really appreciated 👍
@@markjosephbudgieridgard Ah brilliant, always wanted to visit that neck of the woods. There’s a couple of other creators I know who film in those parts and they try and seek out the variety, lots to discover! Thanks again for your comments, brightening up a chilly day here!
This is a modern locomotive that replaced many 31s, 37s, 47s, and 56s with their distinctive sounds. Diesel locomotives started appearing from the late 1950s replacing steam locomotives with class 40s, 45s, Deltics, Westerns etc and were dark green with no yellow painted nose.
Indeed! I’m glad many of the iconic classes still survive in one form or another - it’s nice that 37s etc are still going strong on the mainline or preserved. They’ve been able to live in harmony with the 66s in a lot of cases. I love them all!
I enjoyed that. Thanks. 👍🏻🚂
Thank you! This was a really enjoyable (if slightly maddening!) video to make. The collaborations for the archive footage really elevate it I think. Thanks again!
im from egypt and yea the class 66 works here so well and its my fav locomotive here!
These are one of the only locomotives I do not see regularly in the Netherlands, but still know their class. Therefore I hope they won't die out soon.
I think they’ll be going strong for a good while, possibly even rebuilt with new emission standards 👍
I think they're more found around Rotterdam
I often see them on the ‘havenspoorlijn’ in rotterdam, or the ‘betuweroute’. Very impressive machines.
Well, i drive the Class 66 here in Belgium for a german freight operator, amongst the fleet of BR186 Traxx, BR193 Vectron, euro 9000 (class99), type77 (belgian loco), ...
My opinion is that its interesting that fans are so enamoured with the class. It has a certain romanticism i guess with the noise and the presence, but after you spend 6 or so in the small, unergonomic and poorly ventilted cab with the huge 2 stroke screaming in your ears because you're almost constantly going flat out, the romance quickly fades away.
I don't dislike it at all, but i prefer the more modern comfortable electric locomotives from a driver point of view as they are way less tiring and demanding on me as a driver.
Can't beat the song of the big 2 stroke though 🤭
Really enjoyed this !!!!!. The class 66's have to be the most livered locomotive ever on British Rail..... A feat held before by the classic "Duffs" aka class 47's....
Cheers Mark! You may well be right there - especially when you look at the great work GBRf have done in terms of differentiating their fleet, giving a lot of the classes different names and special colour schemes. You could maybe look at something like the Class 37 as well as they seem to have worn every livery under the sun, but then the 66s have been painted in a lot of classic liveries too (Evening Star for instance). Chuffed you enjoyed it - it was a monster to make but all worth it in the end!
Very very very good video and sound ! EMD sound ! Great!
Greetings from Zagreb / Croatia
Thank you Tomislav! All the best to you over there, always wanted to visit Croatia!
@@trainsonthebrain I am also interested in locomotives in the UK and the rest of Europe. Class 66/77 is unique and I hope it will get homologation for Croatian railways. Because the sound of the EMD engine is FASCINATING. And there are still locomotives produced in EMD in La Grange in the territory of ex-Yugoslavia, including Croatia. And class 66/77 would be one logical sequence in that EMD sequence....except that it is no longer EMD, but in our minds and hearts it still exists....
top work lads, good video, great to see the ex KM models down Eastliegh way now, 300s
Top notch content!
Thanks Jason! Funnily enough I was chasing one of them recently to see if I could sneak an additional shot of them into the video before publishing - I missed two of them by seconds at different points due to traffic getting to the different stations! Gutting.
I work for Canadian Pacific Railway in Canada and we have many SD60 on our fleet and at idle and while revving in the yard they sound identical as the class 66 since they have the same engine
I love these locos
Me too, they’ve really grown on me!
Came across your channel while looking at other train/world-building games, I have been playing TSW2 & TSW3 and now TSW4, the class 66 is one of the trains in either of these sim games that I like a lot, from what I have learned and even more from your video and not being from the UK but a European living in the US. I have come to really like the class 66, even in the game it is a bit loud compared to other trains, and all I really have to go on is train sim games and videos I find like yours that are informative. Even watched a video of an engineer training simulator modeled after the class 66. It seems they are fairly easy to get going and stopping as well as not that complicated to drive. I would think that if more attention to sound deading was put into the cab area, these locomotives would have gootten a better reputation, but it sounds like that came down to an ROI decision and the cost cutting. Thank you for putting this vieo together.
Thanks so much for your comment! Was a really fun video to put together and it was great to uncover a bit more of the history about them. I’m told a lot of the sound issues are a lot better these days due to some modifications they’ve made - makes a few of the old timers that used to drive them a bit jealous! Thanks so much for watching, all the best to you across the pond!
@@trainsonthebrain Thank you and all the best to you :) across pond. Learning and having fun is my past time.
Very interesting do like the 66 👍
Thanks Ciaran!
15:57 full fkin circle, feom the leader to the tube maintenance locos to the 66 and its steam version 😂
Absolutely wild that a relatively poor US loco gained such popularity and success abroad
If the "Steamology" variants go ahead, they should be nicknamed "Leaders", in honour of the remarkably visually similar experimental steam locos of that name designed by Oliver Bulleid for the Southern Railway in 1946!
What a throwback!
I'm actually quite pleased to here a fair few of these are laready being considered for preservation. I still find them to be quite incredibly ugly personally, but they are undeniably one of the most succesful locomotives of the modern era and should be remembered as such
Indeed, I think companies like GBRf will likely put locos up for sale rather than wholesale scrapping, which I think will be great as it means they might get a new lease of life with other operators or even on preserved lines. I’d expect the ones actually named after preserved lines might even be donated to those places outright (i.e bluebell Railway etc). Hopefully they’ve got a long while to go on the mainline yet 👍
@@trainsonthebrain I wonder how the class 66 British American diesel shown in this video would compare to native British designs or two modern American diesels, such as the SD, 40-2 and the GE evolution series
Is the rolling stock fleet in UK wearing the most variety of liveries mostly thanks to GBRf's special liveries hugely applied in the past decade. One of my top favorite locomotives but toke me half a decade to find out something speciall on them after a visit to Carlisle Kingmoor depot charity public open day. This public interctions provided from railway industry and other companies whose operations and logistics are very hiden from the public, have given different views and perspectives to what actually they look like from the outside and i am amazed with the feedback from train drivers regarding to the class 66 as a very reliable engine compared to brand new Stadler class 68s and General Electric class 70s. Thank you for sharing your content.
Thanks for watching Buti! I definitely think GBRF have been fantastic in terms of mastering the publicity element - I get the feeling a lot of people working for the organisation have a real appreciation for rail heritage and that is reflected in their work. Since making the video I’ve had mixed reviews from drivers - some hate them, others like them. The most common response was that it can get really sticky in the summer! Thanks again for your lovely comment, take care 🍻
Am I the only one who thinks the 66s would sound good with EMD bronze bells?
Was at Immingham TMD in April 98 when first class 66 arrived , brings back memory's ,spent many years maintaining them and some driving ,can assure you they are very noisy the whole cab vibrates its like being in a spin dryer
There was at least one Db 66 fitted with air conditioning we had it at Imm for a while
Must have been quite a change when they arrived on the scene! I was very grateful that another CZcamsr very kindly let me use a clip of 66001 as part of the feature - a couple of days off the boat I believe!
@@trainsonthebrain Watched 66001 come through depo ,think it was parked on 4 road for little while , had good look round it . Your right it was quite a change engine was loads different , wiring with its multiplexing took some getting head round it , then them odd wiring schematics (books) but really useful once you get hang of them .Have just retired now (on health) Immingham TMD has all gone now but them EWS times were the best imo ,surprisingly much better than my many years under BR (did i really say that !)
9:22 um meme brasileiro em vídeo inglês! Uhuuuuu, excelent video!
😃😃
I know a guy who drives these for GBRf. He said that the noise is fine but the cab can get very stuffy
That ties in with what I thought - a lot of the locos I’ve filmed have had the side doors left open when I’ve seen them. Presumably to let more of a draft in!
I love ews and 66 .have so many models 😍
Very jealous, wish I had more space to build a layout here and build up a fleet of them!
Best locos built, worked on them from new
Wow thanx what an excellent vidio so enjoyable.... It would have been even better if you had mentioned the incident at Newport docks when a class 66 was dropped while being unloaded and written off if I remember correctly...... Wonder which unfortunate insurance company ended up with a huge bill 🤔😎.... Excellent thanks 👍
Thanks Mark! I believe that might have been a different class for Freightliner but you’re quite right, that would have been a fun bill to cover! I believe that loco was actually fixed and re-purposed in the States as a test vehicle. Interesting stuff!
The was a class 70
I love the Class 66, I see them all the time in Winchester.
I keep meaning to visit Winchester as a spot! I think 66s are much more fun to seek out today now there’s variety amongst the names and liveries etc.
I believe the quick turn around by EMD was due to the company modifying parts from the very successful SD38-2. A great loco still in service today here in Canada and in the USA.
Didn’t know it was still in service, that’s amazing! Do they still build locomotives from there?
The sd38-2 have gone on to have a very successful short line ( small length railroad) career. Through various acquisitions Catepiller's Progress Rail now owns all of EMD/GMD. And I haven't heard of them building any of the older GP or SD locomotive models.
I'm really sorry, I got my SDs mixed up, it was the SD40-2 that provided the starting point, not the SD38-2. Terribly sorry about that.
I saw two in Poland last week as Freightliner PL in familiar green livery.
Brilliant! I’ve seen a couple abroad in Holland before - very interesting to see their geographical spread.
Class 68 next please
Would love to put a piece together on those!
Great video. Is it true the class 59 on which they are based are actually more powerful than the class 66?
Thanks very much BL! I believe that they do have a slightly more powerful engine - it might vary between the sub-classes (i.e the lower emission variants).
…Maybe this should have been 59 facts about the Class 59. I’ve made a terrible mistake! 😂
@@trainsonthebrain That might make for an interesting video.
@@trainsonthebrain Quite a few differences between 59 and 66
EMDs in india are of 4000 to 4500 HP power rating and can speed up to 81 MPH in mainline duty.
Cant wait for 994 facts about the class 994
A sick, twisted part of me now wants to make this 😎
I can't wait for 800 facts about the class 800
🤣 There’s a sick part of me that wants to give that a go…
I live near peterborough i see lot of 66s i saw cap tom moor the other month
I've always thought that the EWS livery was drab. The colours being some old stock they found in the corner of the paint shop!
It does get mixed reviews! I think it looks smart when freshly applied. These days they look a bit warm having been out in the sun for a while!
Definetely have a lot of pulling power the class 66. Yes they have been beaten more recently by the Class 70s "on paper". But I'm not convinced, the class 70's often look like they're struggling to haul trains that 66's haul with ease
Interesting video, great captures! Thumbs Up and Subscribe 🚂🚂😉
All the best from Dublin
Andrew
Cheers Andrew, all the best from across the sea 👍
I live in the USA but this is interesting
Thanks!
So .. basically ... the Class 66 is the Vauxhaul of locomotives :)
You could say that 😄
@@trainsonthebrain Well, GM used to own Vauxhall, but they do not anymore. It was a tongue in cheek comment in fairness :P
I like to call the Class 66's, The SD40-2's of Britan because they are just reliable as the SD40-2 is in America
66001 is the only loco in the EWS/DB Fleet (or all?) that if you put the tail light switch on in No1 cab the tail lights on No2 cab come on. All the rest of the locos are for the same cabs.
I also think 66001 and 66002 are the only two without buckeye that the rest of the BD fleet have, and after 66144? the passenger/goods switch is electronic and not manually activated, like the previous locos.
Seeing a modified version of my favorite American diesel electric (the SD40-2, first built in the 1960s,) absolutely dominate Britain goes to show something
They’ve been a total revelation - effectively the backbone of our freight industry. They are literally everywhere. And they’re so efficient!
@@trainsonthebrain well yeah, just thought that somehow a engine from like the early days of diesel from here in America, modified to run in the UK, was able to just dominate the freight industry there, while the original model is now used for road switching on yards
@@Salvacottontail Very true, 66's and 69's are cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and more reliable to boot. They brought back and give their due major overhaul to about a third of the class 60's for a reason though. Pulling power.
They dominate freight operations in my neck of the woods where most traffic is ether inter-modals to-and-from Trafford Park or heavy aggregates from the Peak District. I like them because they have retained some traditional loco features. I mean, split windscreens instead of a single panel type windscreen, walk-though engine rooms etc. But they are very far from the refinement of some of our best UK built 1st gen locos. Think of all the embellishments, even on a class 47, chrome hand grips and nice engine compartment windows, working head-code panels, the bodywork contours of Hymeks and class 37s etc. In some ways pristine new class 47s and Hymek's looked more modern than class 66s.
They dominate my neck of the woods too and beyond - very common part of the UK landscape now when it comes to rail! I’m a big fan but you’re absolutely right, some of the bodywork on older classes on diesel to modernise and refine them do look the part in comparison.
A lot of people don't like them because they're everywhere. But I bet the same was said of the likes of 37s etc
Very good point - even new steam engines once upon a time were probably frowned upon when they were first introduced. Over time though, non-believers slowly grow to love them!
What about the one that was dropped during unloading from the ship’s hold? If my memory is correct, it was already liveried up for Freightliner.
I believe that was a Class 70 - this went back to the States and I believe is now used at a depot as a testing train of some sort. Imagine the horror of dropping a brand new locomotive on the docks though!
@@trainsonthebrain Collect ya P-45 😂
Sorry can't hear you been driving shed's since they arrived LOL, Our euro spec 66's as there called are less noisy, but for a rest on the ears most of Biomass trains from my depot are headed by 60's.
Ha! You’re not the only one who has mentioned the ears getting a pounding…think they should have all come with ear defenders!
IIRC, at least a couple of units were also built with locomotive bells, something required here in the US but not over in the UK.
I believe that’s right - would be quite interesting to see one applied. Evening Star has one but I don’t think it’s in regular use, still a cool feature!
The bell is non functional on the 2 66s so fitted. 1 is on 66779 Evening Star
An odd looking bit otherwiee excellent loco, very similar on the inside to NSW class 81 in Australia.
Think that sums up the class in a nutshell - they look odd but what a job they do! I hadn’t thought of an Australian comparison and have just looked up the 81s - they look menacing!
I've heard them called 'donuts' because you can see through them?
Ever thought about fitting some, if not all, class 66's with a pantograph and a 3rd rail pick-up? This way the locos will have no emisions on electrified routes.🙂
Plus in this way, they can stay in service even longer(!).
Funny you should mention this - a clip was doing the rounds on Twitter today of a Class 92 hauling freight via third rail power in Kent. It got me thinking that maybe, with a bit of investment, that could be a goer for the 66’s too! There will always be a need to switch between power currents due to where the start and end points of the freight routes are, but it might not be impossible. Great suggestion!
Third rail is out of the question. A 66 is a 3000hp locomotive, 1hp = 746 Watts, therefore 2.2 million Watts for 3000jp. At 750 Volts this would be around 3000 Amps which would require multiple large pickups to keep the contacts from melting and possibly welding themmselves to the rails when an arc occurred.
@@peterelvery I guess this further necessitates the need for the Class 99s coming in. Oh well, nice idea!
My dad used to be so I’ll ask him when he gets back from Melbourne ( I live in Australia ) but he used to work in England
Amazing!
What’s the source about the class 66s being sent to herstige railways?
As in 66001/66002? Or heritage Railway galas? If it’s the former, I’ve been told by a DB employee that there have been enquiries into those two - not for the immediate future, but as an enquiry for later down the line (they’ll be in service for a good while yet). For the latter, they’ve started popping up in a few galas over the years on heritage railways that have mainline connections. The NNR and Swanage lines have been two beneficiaries so far. Hope that helps 👍
@@trainsonthebrain 66001/002
Is EMD still in business in the UK as here in the US they have sold out to Catepillar (spelling?)?
I believe they have a subsidiary over here as well as an office base, but no workshop as I understand it 👍
Now waiting for 707 facts about the class 707
What mad task that would be!
An interesting trivia item is that the German examles are knownas die Klasse sixtysix - not sechsndsechzig.
Must admit I had to do several takes of the bit referencing the German company. Almost impossible to nail the pronunciation!
Hallo iam from Indonesia, what is the gauge of british railways? is class 66 only intended for transporting freight cars?
Hello! In the United Kingdom we use ‘standard gauge’
A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of 1,435 mm. The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge, international gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge and European gauge.
Thank you for your message - I am fascinated by Indonesia. I have seen your star badminton players playing in England a few times!
So pleased we've had 45K views is my cheque in the post !!
Madness isn’t it?! Thanks so much again Mike. Definitely owe you that coffee or pint if nothing else!
How big was the payment cheque from YT with 76K views?? I'm not joking
Hi Mike, YT doesn’t do payment cheques for individual videos.
Sorry, I didn't know that. I know some others I've sent clips to have done well.
No problem at all good sir, hope all’s well with you 👍
Class 92 pls...
92 facts? Could be interesting!
They look like they were built in the 1950s
Class 37.......
IN THE USA , THE GE DASH 8, AND LATER
MADE A MUCH TOUGHER LIFE FOR EMD!
WOULD LOVE TO SEE A GE BUILT TO BRIT AND EUROPEAN CLEARANCE SPECS!!
There has been! The Class 70
@@Schmalfie THANKS FOR INFO!!
I WORKED FOR AT&SF RR IN THE EARLY U-25 DAYS UNTIL 1995
WHEN I RETIRED!
OUR SHOP DID A LOT OF WORK
HELPNG TO PERFECT THE BEAST!
There is / was such a locomotive: the DE-AC33C, built by what was then ADtranz, in cooperation with GE. They are also named "Blue Tiger". They have the 12 cylinder version of the 7FDL engine. The Havelländische Eisenbahn in Germany has some. They definitively have the 7FDL sound.
czcams.com/video/cC9Hj_zSPUQ/video.html
Are some 66's fitted with the London Transport trip cocks, for use on the met line ?
I’m not 100% sure - I will endeavour to find out!
me waiting for the 810 facts about the class 810
😂