Great Western Coffee Shop

The Bromsgrove Standard (https://bromsgrovestandard.co.uk/news/british-railways-first-ever-tri-mode-locomotive-graces-bromsgrove-with-its-presence/) brings us news of the first tri-mode locomotive - Electric, Diesel and Battery - on its way to or from the West Country.

With battery weight added and just being a Bo-Bo, I wondered what that would do to axle weight and did a comparison (using Tonnes as my measure rather than long or short tons.

16.7 - 50 tonnes - 6 wheels - class 08
17.5 - 70 tonnes - 8 wheels - class 43 (HST)
18.7 - 75 tonnes - 8 wheels - class 33
19.0 - 76 tonnes - 8 wheels - class 73
20.0 - 80 tonnes - 8 wheels - class 43 (Warship)
21.5 - 86 tonnes - 8 wheels - class 88
21.5 - 86 tonnes - 8 wheels - class 93
16.7 - 100 tonnes - 12 wheels - class 37
21.2 - 127 tonnes - 12 wheels - class 66

There is a lot to be said for electric freight but gaps in electrification - perhaps this and the class 88 at the same reported weight will be seen a lot more in future.   

And the next step in the "mine's bigger than yours" challenge is due next year - Class 99. Reported to match the 66 on diesel, but with only 123 tonnes (18.8 t axle load), and with 6 MW when the wires can supply it.

Class 99 is re-used ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_99_(ships)


Err - is that a 1Co-Co1 then? 

Perhaps this link to rail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_99_(locomotive)

No, a typo - should read 113 tonnes.