British Rail Class 60

British Rail Class 60

EWS 60068 passing through Castleton East Junction

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Brush Traction Build date 1989–1993 Total produced 100

Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte Co-Co  • AAR C-C  • UIC Co'Co' Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge Wheelbase 15.3 m (50.2 ft) Length 21.34 m (70 ft 0 in) Width 2.64 m (8 ft 8 in) Height 3.95 m (13 ft 0 in) Loco weight 129 t (127 long tons; 142 short tons) or 131 t (129 long tons; 144 short tons) Fuel capacity 5,900 litres (1,300 imp gal; 1,560 US gal) Prime mover Mirrlees MB275T MU working Within own class only Train heating None Train brakes Air

Performance figures Maximum speed 60 mph (97 km/h) Power output Engine: 3,100 bhp (2,300 kW) at rail: 2,415 bhp (1,801 kW) Tractive effort Maximum: 106,500 lbf (474 kN) Brakeforce 62 kN (13,900 lbf) or 74 kN (16,600 lbf)

Career Operators British Rail DB Cargo UK Colas Rail Numbers 60001-60015, 60017-60100, 60500 Axle load class RA 7

The British Rail Class 60 is a class of Co-Co heavy freight diesel-electric locomotives built by Brush Traction. They are nicknamed Tugs by rail enthusiasts.

In the 1980s, British Rail decided it had a requirement for a high powered Type 5 diesel locomotive for use on its Trainload Freight sector. On 10 August 1987, the British Railways Board issued a competitive tender for response by 7 November, for a fleet of 100 locomotives. Of the six companies invited to tender, only three bid responses were received:

Of the three bidders, Brush was selected, and an order was placed for 100 locomotives in a deal worth around £120 million.

Brush sub-contracted parts construction, with final construction at Brush's erecting shops at Loughborough. The bodyshells, shared with the Class 92 electric locomotives, were fabricated by Procor (UK) of Wakefield. The engine was a higher-powered development of the Mirrlees engine previously fitted experimentally to British Rail Class 37 nos. 37901-37904.

The first locomotive was delivered in June 1989 and sent to Derby for testing, which revealed a number of teething problems. Parts requiring modifications included the axle box suspension and the Mirlees engine cylinder head.

Unlike the Classes 59 and 66 (solid girder underframe) the Class 60s have a monocoque stressed skin construction with diagonal trusses - with the external bodywork providing support for the internal components.

Two different cab designs were considered and full size mock-ups were made in wood, plastic and metal by the Engineering Development Unit at the Railway Technical Centre in Derby. One of these had a French-style raked-forward cab end, similar to the SNCF Class CC 72000, but this was rejected in favour of a more conventional cab.