Bachmann 32-740SF

Class & Prototype

The British Rail Class 66, introduced in 1998, revolutionized UK freight operations with American EMD reliability. Built as the JT42CWR model with a 12-cylinder 710 engine producing 3,300 horsepower, these Co-Co diesels achieved 95% availability versus 65% for the Class 47s they replaced. Approximately 412 locomotives remain operational across DB Cargo UK, GB Railfreight, Freightliner, DRS and Colas Rail, dominating intermodal container services, aggregates, steel, biomass and infrastructure traffic. The class's 27-year production run ended in 2016 with 66779 "Evening Star" due to EU emissions regulations. No replacements are expected before the 2040s, ensuring continued prototype relevance. The Class 66 offers modellers exceptional livery diversity across all major operators, making it essential for any British layout from 1998 onwards.

No prototype found.

Operator & Livery

GB Railfreight (GBRf) is the UK's third-largest rail freight operator, established in 1999 and currently owned by Infracapital (M&G plc subsidiary). Operating over 2,000 trainloads weekly with an exceptional 99% reliability rate, the company moves approximately 23% of Britain's rail freight using a fleet of 170 locomotives and 1,800 wagons. GBRf serves major ports including Felixstowe, Southampton, and London Gateway with 54 daily intermodal services nationally, whilst also providing vital infrastructure services for Network Rail, London Underground, and major construction projects like HS2.

The company is renowned for pioneering the innovative Class 69 conversion programme, transforming redundant Class 56 locomotives with modern EMD 710 engines, and for operating diverse heritage livery schemes that celebrate British railway history. With headquarters and control centre in Peterborough and maintenance facilities at Tonbridge, GB Railfreight employs over 1,400 people and has committed to achieving net-zero operations by 2050, positioning itself as a leader in sustainable freight transport whilst maintaining strong partnerships with customers including Network Rail, Drax, Aggregate Industries, and major shipping lines.

The GBRf BR Blue (Large Logo) livery is a heritage tribute scheme carried by Class 69 locomotive 69002, named 'Bob Tiller CM&EE' in honour of GB Railfreight's Engineering Strategy Director. This distinctive livery was unveiled at Eastleigh in May 2021, marking a major milestone for the Class 69 conversion programme and representing the first locomotive to emerge in this particular heritage scheme. The locomotive was painted by Arlington Fleet Services in Eastleigh as part of GBRf's strategy to apply various retro-BR liveries to their innovative Class 69 fleet, celebrating Britain's railway heritage whilst showcasing modern engineering innovation.

The livery faithfully recreates the classic British Rail Large Logo blue scheme that was widely used on BR diesel locomotives during the 1970s and 1980s. The design features the characteristic rail blue base colour with prominent yellow warning panels on the cab ends, complemented by the distinctive large BR double-arrow logo and enlarged white fleet numbers on the locomotive sides - key elements that distinguished the "Large Logo" variant from earlier BR blue schemes. This tribute livery bridges nearly five decades of railway history, as the original Class 56 (from which 69002 was converted) would have worn similar BR blue livery during its original service life, making the heritage application particularly appropriate. The name 'Bob Tiller CM&EE' honours the GB Railfreight engineering director who championed the innovative Class 69 conversion programme, symbolising the company's commitment to both preserving railway heritage and advancing locomotive technology through creative engineering solutions.