British Rail Class 68 Locomotive Introduction
UK · 2014–present (introduction) · Approximately £4m per locomotive (reported rough cost)
The judgement call
Account-gated at launch* The Class 68 was introduced as a versatile mixed-traffic locomotive, filling a gap in the UK market for powerful and reliable diesel-electrics. * Adoption of hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) as a fuel to reduce emissions, showcasing a commitment to environmental performance. * Initial teething issues related to noise and reliability were addressed through ongoing maintenance and operational adjustments.
Key engineering challenges
* Integration of new European-designed locomotives into the UK rail network, including signalling and operational procedures. * Addressing noise and emissions concerns, particularly in station environments. * Ensuring reliability and performance for both freight and passenger services.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Direct Rail Services (DRS), ScotRail, Chiltern Railways, TransPennine Express
- Lead contractor
- Stadler Rail (formerly Vossloh)
- Lead designers
- Stadler Rail
- Project type
- Vehicle/fleet programme
- Scale
- Initial order of 15 locomotives, expanded fleet; mixed-traffic diesel-electric locomotives.
- Disciplines
- Mechanical; Electrical; Systems
- Standards & frameworks
- RSSB; Network Rail standards
Sources: * British Rail Class 68 (Wikipedia) * Key Model World (keymodelworld.com) * Anonw.com (The Anonymous Widower blog) * Rail Magazine (railmagazine.com) * Scribd (for overview document)