In the late 1990s, English, Welsh & Scottish Railway (EWS) was having great success with its Class 66s, and Freightliner, who at the time was using dated forms of traction for its operations, took the decision to place an order for some.
Freightliner's first purchase was for the standard Class 66/5 locos, which have mostly been used for intermodal trains and other light services. Soon after Freightliner decided that it needed a version that could handle heavier loads, such as coal and aggregates, so an order was placed for six Class 66/6 variants, which have a lower top speed and modified gearing. Lastly, the company placed an order for the low-emission Class 66/9s. These locomotives have now been in service for more than two decades and can boast a very low failure rate, so it seems they will be around for some years to come. In Class 66 5/6/9 Mark V. Pike presents a collection of previously unpublished images showing the three sub-classes at work in the UK. 228 photographs. 96 pages.