Class 70
Welcome to scot-rail.co.uk, Scotland's online railway community. The group is for any rail enthusiast interested in the railways and trains of Scotland. It not only consists of the wiki that you're reading now, but a busy online forum and mailing list, which is accessible to anyone who registers. If you would like to join in, all you have to do is register with us for free.
Breadcrumb navigation
Class 70s are 3690hp diesel locomotives operated by Freightliner and Colas Rail.
Built by General Electric at Erie, Pennsylvania, and delivered by ship from the USA to Newport, Wales. The first two locos, arrived in the UK on 7 November 2009.
The first appearance of the class in Scotland was made by 70005 on 16 April 2010, when it ran light engine from Leeds Midland Road to Mossend (via ECML and Edinburgh Waverley), for driver training to start.
Two other Class 70s visited Longannet Power Station during 2010.
70003 was next on 24th May on 6G05/4C07 and 6G10/4D12, then the same trains for the next few day until its last appearance on 4C07 on 27/5/10.
70004 first appeared on 13th September and worked both 6G05 and 6G10 daily until 18/9/10.
Class 70s also began to be used on coal trains from Killoch and Chalmerston to English power Stations.
The following locos had been seen on coal trains in SW Scotland between 2010 and 2012:
70002 / 003 / 004 / 005 / 006 / 010 / 011 / 013 / 014 / 015 / 016.
Their use on coal trains in Scotland seemed to have ended in May 2012.
Class 70s were also trialled on container trains to & from Coatbridge Freightliner terminal. The first occasion was on the evening of Monday 16th August 2010, with 70001 hauling 4S59 Crewe Basford Hall - Coatbridge, then returning south on Tuesday 17th on 4M74 Coatbridge - Crewe.
70007 came north with 4S59 to Coatbridge on Wednesday 17th November 2010, returning south on 4M74 the following day.
On Monday 12th December 2010, 70007 worked a special 4Z70 Coatbridge -Elderslie and return.
70008 was seen hauling the 4M74 Coatbridge - Crewe on 7th February 2011
70007 worked several trains in March 2011. On 23rd March, it was shown allocated to 4M80 Coatbridge - Crewe, then 4S88 back to Coatbridge. Then on 24th, it was on 4M74 Coatbridge - Crewe, with next duty shown as 4S88.
70005 hauled the 4S59 Crewe Basford Hall - Coatbridge on 18th May 2011, returning south on 4M74 Coatbridge - Crewe Basford Hall on 19th May.
The exercise was repeated on Friday 31st of December, again with 70006 and five Freightliner electrics (90041 90043 86604 86621 86609). The return 0Z87 working was on 5th January 2011.
The first (and only?) use on an engineer's train in Scotland occurred on the night of Monday 27th February 2012. 70010 hauled the 6Y83 17:20 Carlisle Yard - Arkleston Jn (via Motherwell) with 15 loaded Autoballaster wagons. The return working early next day was 6Y83 05:05 Paisley Gilmour Street - Carlisle Yard (via Annbank). <Youtube video>.
70006 was noted on a 0Z70 Carlisle - Mossend on 26th June 2013.
On 30th June 2015 70009 came north on 4S56 20:50 Crewe Basford Hall - Coatbridge FLT container train.
It returned south on Thursday 2nd July, dead in train behind a pair of Class 86 locos on 4M11 1734 Coatbridge FLT to Crewe BH.
70810 (with 70806 on the rear) hauled a 6K14 engineer's train of coalfish and salmon wagons from Tyne Yard (dep 05:00) to Oxwellmains early in the morning of Saturday 11/10/14. By the Sunday morning the train had moved through the worksite to Dunbar station.
On Monday 13th the Class 70s returned south on separate trains, 70806 on 6K13 04:10 Innerwick to Tyne Yard, and 70810 on a very late running 6K14 03:50 Innerwick to Tyne Yard.
In 2016, an additional 7 class 70s were ordered for Colas rail, they are expected to arrive in the UK in early 2017
Loco 70010 running round its train at Ravenstruther, as it loads for Drax Power Station Photo by johnsniegon
Built by General Electric at Erie, Pennsylvania, and delivered by ship from the USA to Newport, Wales. The first two locos, arrived in the UK on 7 November 2009.
The first appearance of the class in Scotland was made by 70005 on 16 April 2010, when it ran light engine from Leeds Midland Road to Mossend (via ECML and Edinburgh Waverley), for driver training to start.
Freightliner Heavyhaul - Coal
70005 started use on freight trains on 20 April 2010, with 0858 6G05 Ravenstruther - Longannet (coal), then the 4C07 return empties as far as Mossend. 70005 also worked to Longannet on April 22nd, 27th and 29th. On the 2nd of May it ran light engine to Carlisle.Two other Class 70s visited Longannet Power Station during 2010.
70003 was next on 24th May on 6G05/4C07 and 6G10/4D12, then the same trains for the next few day until its last appearance on 4C07 on 27/5/10.
70004 first appeared on 13th September and worked both 6G05 and 6G10 daily until 18/9/10.
70003 at Kincardine, on 4C07 empties to Ravenstuther after departure from Longannet. Photo by Roy_The_Mouth
Class 70s also began to be used on coal trains from Killoch and Chalmerston to English power Stations.
The following locos had been seen on coal trains in SW Scotland between 2010 and 2012:
70002 / 003 / 004 / 005 / 006 / 010 / 011 / 013 / 014 / 015 / 016.
Their use on coal trains in Scotland seemed to have ended in May 2012.
70013 on 6M32 Killoch to Drax PS failed on the up line on approach to Troon on 9 February 2012. 70002 from 4Z34 Barassie Yard to Killoch was taken off and used as the assisting loco. They are seen here leaving Barassie Junction at 1339 running 129 minutes late Photo by BarassieBoy
Freightliner Intermodal
70001 4M74 Coatbridge-Crewe on 17/8/2010. Photographed from Summerlee Museum Car Park Photo by jimbo42
Class 70s were also trialled on container trains to & from Coatbridge Freightliner terminal. The first occasion was on the evening of Monday 16th August 2010, with 70001 hauling 4S59 Crewe Basford Hall - Coatbridge, then returning south on Tuesday 17th on 4M74 Coatbridge - Crewe.
70007 came north with 4S59 to Coatbridge on Wednesday 17th November 2010, returning south on 4M74 the following day.
On Monday 12th December 2010, 70007 worked a special 4Z70 Coatbridge -Elderslie and return.
70008 was seen hauling the 4M74 Coatbridge - Crewe on 7th February 2011
70007 worked several trains in March 2011. On 23rd March, it was shown allocated to 4M80 Coatbridge - Crewe, then 4S88 back to Coatbridge. Then on 24th, it was on 4M74 Coatbridge - Crewe, with next duty shown as 4S88.
70005 hauled the 4S59 Crewe Basford Hall - Coatbridge on 18th May 2011, returning south on 4M74 Coatbridge - Crewe Basford Hall on 19th May.
Class 70 at Glasgow Works
On Friday 24 December 2010, 70006 hauled five electric locos 90041, 86612, 86621, 86609, 86613) as 0Z86 from Mossend to the RailCare works at Springburn, for 'warm storage' during Christmas. The six locos returned to Mossend (as 0Z87) on the morning of 29th December (Photo).The exercise was repeated on Friday 31st of December, again with 70006 and five Freightliner electrics (90041 90043 86604 86621 86609). The return 0Z87 working was on 5th January 2011.
Engineers/Ballast
Freightliner Class 70s were regularly used on ballast trains from Crewe to Carlisle Yard Virtual Quarry.The first (and only?) use on an engineer's train in Scotland occurred on the night of Monday 27th February 2012. 70010 hauled the 6Y83 17:20 Carlisle Yard - Arkleston Jn (via Motherwell) with 15 loaded Autoballaster wagons. The return working early next day was 6Y83 05:05 Paisley Gilmour Street - Carlisle Yard (via Annbank). <Youtube video>.
After 2012
Since May 2012 sighting in Scotland have been scarce. Locos have visited Mossend for driver training/refreshing.70006 was noted on a 0Z70 Carlisle - Mossend on 26th June 2013.
On 30th June 2015 70009 came north on 4S56 20:50 Crewe Basford Hall - Coatbridge FLT container train.
It returned south on Thursday 2nd July, dead in train behind a pair of Class 86 locos on 4M11 1734 Coatbridge FLT to Crewe BH.
Colas Rail
A pair of Colas Class 70s worked into Scotland in October 2014, in use for a track renewal job.70810 (with 70806 on the rear) hauled a 6K14 engineer's train of coalfish and salmon wagons from Tyne Yard (dep 05:00) to Oxwellmains early in the morning of Saturday 11/10/14. By the Sunday morning the train had moved through the worksite to Dunbar station.
On Monday 13th the Class 70s returned south on separate trains, 70806 on 6K13 04:10 Innerwick to Tyne Yard, and 70810 on a very late running 6K14 03:50 Innerwick to Tyne Yard.
In 2016, an additional 7 class 70s were ordered for Colas rail, they are expected to arrive in the UK in early 2017
70806 Dunbar station 12/10/2014 ยป 6K14 0500 Tyne Yard- Innerwick engineers at 1200 with 70810, first Colas 70s in Scotland Photo by tmz06003