Pan Up
Rail Operations (UK) Ltd orders the Class 93 from Stadler, potentially revolutionising the freight business
I hate the phrase ‘game changer’, but I’ll go with it for this loco. It was true of Tommy, Royal Scots Grey, the HST and the Pendolino, they really did change the rules of the game.
Mercury, the first Class 93 from a fleet of 30, will take its place in this hall of fame. You could argue that it is just an ‘88’ with a bigger engine and a big battery, but that is like saying the Mallard is just an A3 with streamlining. This is a big deal – prepare to drool, have some tissues handy.
ACCEPTABLE FACE OF BI-MODE
Is this a new level in hypocrisy too, since I criticise bi-mode passenger trains and hail this tri-mode traction (25kV electric/diesel/battery)? No, because electrification of the full freight network is decades away, and there are many places where overhead wires get in the way. Also, extra weight is good in a locomotive, up to the limit of 23.5 tonnes per axle. Weight gives you tractive effort, which decides how much load you can shift at low speed, so if you didn’t have an engine you might need a concrete block instead. That works, but it’s rubbish for power generation.
To understand th…
