1989-2000

The delivery and subsequent outstanding performance and reliability of the Class 59 locomotives for Foster Yeoman to replace hired in Class 56s from Trainload Construction prompted the Trainload Freight companies to press British Rail for new locomotives. Consultation from all members of Trainload Freight (Coal, Construction, Metals andPetroleum) produced a specification for a locomotive which would be suitable for all four types of traffic and which would be a rival for the Class 59s.

The build process of the Class 60 was to be undertaken to exacting BR specifications to produce a locomotive of Class 59-like quality and each shortlisted contractor was expected to stick to these guidelines. The contract to manufacture 100 heavy freight locomotives was awarded to Brush Traction of Loughborough. who subcontracted many parts of the build out to other manufacturers such as the power unit which came from Mirrlees. This was a larger development of the power unit fitted to 37901-37903 during re-engineering which was on trial at the time. Bodyshells came from Procor (now Bombardier) at Wakefield and the first loco was delivered to for exhaustive testing on time in late June 1989, just 13 months from receipt of order from British Rail.

The first two locomotives were allocated for extensive type testing and commissioning which commenced at the Mickleover Test Track, later continuing at Old Dalby with the test programme also including main line running to specific locations for special tests. Running in parallel with the testing/acceptance process, 13 locomotives (60003-60016) were allocated across the Trainload Freight network for driver and fitter training at various depots. 60005 from Leicester Depot was the first loco to operate such a driver training run on the Mountsorrel to Radlett 'Redland' stone train in December 1989. Owing to the proximity of Leicester Depot in relation to the Brush plant at Loughborough, this train became the mileage accumulation run for newly delivered locomotives to complete 1000 miles of fault free running before acceptance by Trainload Freight.

During the testing process, there were number of issues with the locomotives which required resolving before acceptance by Trainload Freight. Software on the locomotives required significant modification before use, the first dozen locomotives required modification to the axlebox suspension and the Mirrlees engines had a number of modifications to solve cylinder head difficulties. A modification/reliability improvement programme was initiated which ran over the four year warranty period for the new locomotives. This contrasted starkly with the 'out of the box' operation of the General Motors Class 59s.

The first Class 60 to run in revenue earning service was 60019 working off Thornaby TMD in the North East. Subsequent mainstream introduction into traffic saw them split between the Trainload companies and the initial sphere of operation was very limited due to reliability issues. Increasing reliability saw them taking over top-link freight duties from older locomotives; mainly Classes 20/26/27/31/33 and 73 many of which were withdrawn and others were displaced to lower status work and often restricted work such as weekend engineering trains. The introduction of the Class 60s allowed each TLF sector to increase loadings per train and also provide traincrew with a far superior working environment compared to previous offerings.

Following the split of the Trainload Freight business ready for privatisation, the class was divided between Loadhaul, Transrail and Mainline (L-31, T-17, M-52) with the former gaining the largest allocation as a result of the heavier traffic flows operated centring around the North East and Humberside. Sale of the three companies to Wisconsin Central brought the Class 60 fleet back under one operator - English Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS). Initially unaffected by the delivery of 250 new Class 66s, the fleet of 100 locomotives continued to operate some of the heaviest trains on the UK network.

2000-present day

The appointment of a new CEO at EWS in 2003 signalled a change in direction for the company; a previously unseen desire to cut costs and improve the efficiency of the existing core fleet of locomotives - Classes 60, 66 amd 67. This saw the Class 47, 56 and 58 fleets eliminated and the Class 37 depleted. Continuing efficiency drives and traffic losses to competitors saw the Class 60 fleet - as the next eldest and most expensive to maintain type - succumb to storages with the first loco, 60098, taken out of traffic in May 2004 at Immingham after a working life of just 11 years. In the 15 months that followed since that date, another 74 locomotives (25% of the remaining fleet) were stored at various locations across the country.

This signalled the start of the seasonal storage roundabout with locomotives returning to service for the Winter traffic peak and being returned to storage during the traditionally quieter Summer period. Maintenance of the locomotives was cut back, something which began to show as the class, all by now over 10 years old and requiring an overhaul, begain to suffer poor reliability and catastrophic engine failures began to take place - something that been unknown up until this time. At EWS, continuing traffic losses have affected the Class 60 fleet and since 2004, only between 25 and 50 percent of the class have been in revenue earning traffic at any one time with locos sidelined with major faults replaced by another locomotive from storage.

Takeover of the company by Deutsche Bahn in late 2007 signalled a change in direction for the Class 60 fleet; an overhaul programme, initially for 30 locomotives, was devised to commence in January 2009. If successful, another 30 locomotives were to follow in 2010. This programme was put on hold in late 2008 due to the worsening gloabl economic conditions and the consequential severe decline in heavy freight traffic such as metals and petroleum.