Dapol - 2D-007-012 - Locomotive, Diesel, EMD Class 66 - GB Railfreight - 66731

Specific Item Information: The Class 66 is a type of Co-Co heavy freight locomotive and was originally ordered by EWS to replace and update the freight fleet post privatisation in 1996. 250 Class 66s were ordered from General Motors Electromotive Division (EMD) and these were built in London, Ontario, Canada. Subsequent freight operators, Freightliner, GB Railfreight and Direct Rail Services (DRS) also ordered batches of these locomotives. Overall the locomotive has been successful in service, offering improved reliability and performance over its predecessors. However the locomotive has also had its critics, partly due to the comfort the design offered drivers and staff and probably their ubiquity, ousting many different types of British built locomotives commonly seen prior to its commissioning. As a testament to the commercial success of the Class 66, it has been certified for use in many European countries (known as the Series 66) and can be seen commonly in Germany, Poland and Sweden amongst others. During its long service, the locomotive has been modified many times including low emission variants for greener running and highly geared models for hauling heavier loads albeit at slower speeds. The Class 66 is still in operation and is used by GBRf Europorte, Freightliner, DRS and Colas Rail.

Model Information: Detailed body with etched grills and separately fitted handrails. Finely detailed cast wheels. 5 pole Super creep motor with huge pulling power and incredible slow running speed. All wheel drive and pick up. Directional Lights. Accessory Bag with separate optional fittings.

DCC Information: Accepts NEM 651 / NMRA 6-pin decoders.

Prototype History: The BR Class 66 is a 2,420 kW (3,250 hp) six-axle Co'Co' diesel electric freight locomotive developed in part from the BR Class 59, for use on the railways of the UK. Since its introduction the class has been successful and has been sold to British and other European railway companies.
In Continental Europe it is marketed as the EMD Series 66 (JT42CWR).

Over four hundred and forty BR Class 66s have been produced since 1998, in various sub-classes for UK operators:

• Class 66/0 - EWS Ordered the inital two hundred and fifty Co-Co Diesel Freight Locomotives
• Class 66/3 - In 2008 a further five Class 66s were delivered for freight operator Fastline
• Class 66/4 - In 2002 DRS freight operator ordered ten Class 66s, further Class 66s were ordered later
• Class 66/5 - Freight operator Freightliner has order nearly one hundred Class 66s in small batches
• Class 66/6 - A small group off Class 66/5s were re-geared to cope with heavy aggregate trains
• Class 66/7 - GBRf freight operator has ordered many Class 66 since the original lease of thirty two in 2008, further orders have included low-emission types
• Class 66/8 - The initial five Class 66/8s were previously Advenza Freight (Cotswold Rail) locomotives now running for Colas Rail. Colas Rail has also taken over a number of ex-Freightliner Class 66s.
• Class 66/9s - A lower emission variant ordered by Freightliner.

Read more on Wikipedia: British Class 66 and EMD Class 66.

Road Name History: GB Railfreight is a rail freight company in the United Kingdom. It is owned by EQT Partners through its subsidiary holding company Hector Rail. GB Railfreight was founded in 1999 by GB Railways. Unlike competitors DB Cargo UK and Freightliner, the company was not formed from parts of the privatised British Rail freight sectors. In April 2000, after winning an eight-year contract to operate infrastructure trains for Railtrack, GB Railfreight ordered seven Class 66 locomotives. An operator's licence was granted in July 2000. Operations commenced on 1 April 2001. In February 2002, GBRf commenced operating its first Intermodal container contract from the Port of Felixstowe for MSC Mendite. Also in 2002, GBRf began its first bulk freight contract for British Gypsum.

From Wikipedia

Brand/Importer Information: Dapol Ltd is a Welsh model railway manufacturer based in Chirk, Wales. The factory where design and manufacturing take place is just over the border in England. The company is known for its model railway products in N gauge and OO gauge. Dapol's name is a play on its founders David and Pauline Boyle's names. He owned a model concern Highfield Birds & Models. In 1981 he first tried to buy the Airfix and Mainline ranges. The Dapol brand name was first used in a Railway Modeller advert of September 1983. The first Dapol wagons (for OO) were announced to become available on 20 November 1983. From 1 March 1984 ex Airfix railway kits became available.

Dapol manufactures a growing range of N gauge locomotives, coaches and wagons, and is the main competitor of Graham Farish in the British 'ready-to-run' market. Continuous improvement in model specifications has led to the introduction of 40:1 gearing in locomotive drive mechanisms, NEM couplings on all stock, and LED lighting strips for coaching stock (yellow for 'older' coaches, to represent incandescent illumination, and white for more modern coaches and EMUs to represent fluorescent fittings).