The Anonymous Widower

UK Rail Operations Group Gets The Keys To Their Tri-Mode Locomotive

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on RailFreight.com.

This is the sub-heading.

A Green Milestone, in every sense. Delivered in an eye-catching livery reminiscent of British Racing Green, Rail Operations Group may well have called the delivery of their first Class 93 tri-mode locomotive, a leap forward in reshaping the future of operations. It is certainly an environmental first strike on behalf of the rail industry in the race to a net-zero carbon economy.

Note.

1. There are thirty on order.
2. It can haul both freight and passenger trains.
3. It has a maximum speed of 110 mph.
4. The development history in the Wikipedia entry is a good read.

It certainly looks an impressive locomotive and the livery will get it noticed. But then you don’t hide your best light under a bushel!

Operations

This section in the Wiki9pedia entry is entitled Proposed Use, where this is said.

ROG intends to pair the locomotive with a new generation of freight wagons that would run at a maximum speed of 100 mph (160 km/h), comparable to that of contemporary passenger trains. Trains formed of such wagons would be easier to insert into timetables around and between existing passenger trains, increasing flexibility and potentially creating capacity for more freight trains on the national network.

In addition to freight, the Class 93 has also been designed to accommodate the haulage of passenger stock, including a variable-height Dellner coupling and a three-step Westcode brake in addition to its conventional two-pipe air brake.

The Class 93 locomotives will surely be very impressive hauling freight heavy trains to and from Felixstowe, on the electrified Great Eastern Main Line sandwiched between the 100 mph express passenger trains.

• What weight and length of train, these locomotives can haul in and out of Felixstowe?
• What destinations will they be able to reach using the electrification from Ipswich?
• Will they be able to take shorter trains to the Midlands via Ely and Leicester?

It will be interesting to see where these locomotives operate.

October 26, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Class 93 Locomotive, Decarbonisation, Freight, Great Eastern Main Line, Rail Operations (UK) Limited, Stadler