More Class 66s for GBRf in 2015?

The 21 American-built Class 66s that have now all been delivered to GB Railfreight from Electro-Motive Diesel in Muncie (Indiana) may not be the final examples of the class after all.

GBRf has confirmed that it has seven ‘66’ engines available for new locomotives, although the operator added that no order has yet been placed for further locomotives.

The original order for 21 ‘66s’ had to arrive in the UK by the end of this year to comply with European Commission regulations on emissions (RAIL 754, 755, 756).

Under the EC Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) directive, 26 locomotives that do not meet Stage IIIB emissions standards could be placed on the market from a single manufacturer, provided they were delivered into the UK before 2015, when the regulations change. That means that five of the class are still allowed under the rules.

• For the full story, read RAIL 764, published on December 24.
  
• One of the seven Class 66/7s delivered to the UK this month, 66771, stands at Doncaster Roberts Road on December 12. RICHARD TUPLIN.