Virgin in ageist slur on DBS fleet - Shocker

Someone at Virgin clearly has a sense of humour.

This Tyrell posting by Virgin on Friday...


So how would Virgin choose to describe the even older Mk3s they use on their Pretendolino?

UPDATE: This from a Mr Brooks...

60010 is also a ‘Streak’ (A4 Pacific built by Sir Nigel Gresley) which is presumably where the ‘heritage’ label presumably comes in.

However, as its currently residing in Canada, it might be a bit extreme to suggest that its being towed in a consist over here - unless President O'Bama has included it in his entourage of many vehicles?

More piccies of celebrity loco 70012 'Powerfall'

These fine images from Captain Ahab...




Freightliner has apparently denied that this is a design mod in preparation for returning traffic to the Cromford and High Peak Railway.

70012 - Crash, bang, wallop....

Good news from Freightliner!

Apparently when unloading Ugly Sister number 12 the lifting equipment failed and the locomotive dropped back into the ship's hold.


Perhaps this one should be named Freightliner Banana?

UPDATE: This from The Cynic...

I notice Eye's suggestion that 70012 should be named ‘Freightliner Banana’.

However, I would suggest that in order to keep with the naming convention of the only named class member so far (70001 ‘PowerHaul’) perhaps ‘PowerFall’ would be more suitable?

Youth Plants Story - Good effort!

This from Harry (aged 14)...

Earlier in the year Eye carried a story about my campaign to get a locomotive named after Wolverhampton Wanderers.

I thought I would give you an update.

I now have over 1,000 supporters for my campaign and GBRf have challenged me to get Robert Plant to commit to attend the naming.

On Thursday 11th November, Led Zep's Robert Plant drove up from London for the home match against Arsenal.

When I met him before the game he posed with my replica nameplate and confirmed his support - if a naming is to take place and doesn't clash with his tour then he is up for attending it!


If any of your readers would like to support my campaign then please click here:

Good effort! Keep an eye on young Harry, he will go far!

Bankingballs - Financing the ugly sisters

Good to see that the state owned banking sector is not averse to a bit of historical airbrushing.

The latest issue of RAIL carries an ad celebrating the "solutions and expertise offered by Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets" in helping finance 20 Class 70 locos for Freightliner.


But what's this?

Eye's man in the red braces sneers:

"The GE/Freightliner deal was done by HBOS and by people who left HBOS before Lloyds took over."

Please remember the value of your marketing can go down as well as up.

Readers letters - First for Football

Dear Fact Compiler

I may be the youngest reader of Railway Eye!

This is Harry Cartwright (aged 13) of Wolverhampton and I have started a Facebook campaign to get the next member of the "Football Class" of First GBRf Class 66s named "Wolverhampton Wanderers".

I would be very grateful if you would encourage all readers of Railway Eye who have a Facebook account to join my group and encourage footy fan Director John Smith of First GBRf to name his next "Football Class" loco "Wolverhampton Wanderers".

I would like to get 100 members of my group by the final whistle after the Blackburn game tomorrow (Sat 24-Apr-10 16:50).

Thanks for your help.

Cheers Harry

Go on then - link here.

Freightliner Ugly Sisters - What not to wear

UPDATE: This from The Water Baby...

Enough slating of the PowerHauls please!

Surely we live in a society already spoilt enough by pressure to conform to visual stereotypes of a certain body[shell] image?

I have a hunch the distinctive '70's will one day be regarded as cult classics.

So, in keeping with the Eye's recent pop penchant, allow me to paraphrase an excellent Sugababes track: 'if they're ugly, then so are we...'

Freightliner to name the Ugly sisters

***Driver Potter has the full list of names to be applied to Freightliner Cl70s***

UPDATE: This from TonyVeitchUK via Twitter...

Tell Potter Debbie Harry doesn't qualify... American interloper... oh, I get it.

Ugly, ugly, ugly - Part II

Via Twitter

@PowerHaul: Video footage of the first two PowerHaul locomotives being unveiled

With a bowler tip to @RailwayGazette

Lookalike XXVI

Ugly, ugly, ugly

Behold Frightliner's behemoth!



Presumably its front end will be redesigned before it graces our shores?

UPDATE: This from our International Correspondent...

Size may not be everything, but FL's "behemoth" looks both a bit challenged in the nose end design but also very squat next to the Union Pacific 15ft 9in locos.

I don't remember Flying Scotsman looking quite so inadequate when it was in the US.

Greater reich

So farewell English, Welsh & Scottish.

From today you are known as DB Schenker.

Catchy - not.

Back to the future?

Telegrammed by our man at 222 Marylebone Road
It's good to see the owlish Robert Wright maintaining the long tradition of Financial Times transport correspondents passing on technical press releases uncritically.

In today's paper he writes, of Freightliners' new General Electric locomotive that it will include 'several innovations for the European market. The electric motors that drive the vehicle will use alternating rather than direct current as is becoming increasingly common on both GE and EMD's North American locomotives'

We presume that by 'European Market' Robert is referring to the market for imported American antiques, since AC traction has been near universal on locos built by Alstom, Bombardier, Siemens et al for approaching two decades to the extent that no one in Europe makes DC traction motors for new locomotives or trains any more. .

Making the best of obsolete technology, as ever, EMD's European sales manager told the FT that lighter European trains did not require the power of AC traction.

To crib from Hitachi 'Inspire the last'.