European Railroad Discussion > Class 68s in service

As of the last couple of weeks all but one of Chiltern Railway's loco hauled diagrams are in the hands of the new DRS Vossloh/Caterpillar class 68s. On Monday I was working in Camden, North London so after work I headed to Neasden for some pictures.

The first, taken from the platform of Kilburn Jubilee Line station was a piece of luck; the ecs of the 18:15 Marylebone to Kidderminster being passed by a fast Metropolitan Line train to Chesham, in turn overtaking a Stanmore bound Jubilee Line service.

At Neasden the 17:50 Marylebone to Banbury, still formed of the distinctive Inter City liveried Mk 3 set, although I believe it will be repainted into Chiltern silver 'mainline' livery before very much longer.

The class 68 styling is not to everyone's taste, but they do make a very satisfactory noise.

---

---

Congratulations for a perfect shot with three interesting vehicles Nick!

I like the almost continental looks of of the new 68s. Any word when first of the hybrid ones, electric unit with small 700 kW Caterpillar inside, will arrive for testing?  
 

I like the comparison of tube trains in the first photo, Nik. I seen one class 68 so far, accelerating out of Marylebone. Impressive stuff! Chris uk.

It appears the color scheme is not what we saw at Innotrans 2014. Current one looks so much lighter than the all blue one.
 

---

Wow, some of those Underground trains are minuscule, even when compared to other Undergrounds! I presume the smaller ones run in the older tunnels? I read some report at some point about how the Underground is too small for most people, because the tunnels were dug at a time when people were, on average, shorter and therefore the trains need to be smaller. I don't know where the credibility is there.

Tor in Eugene

No credibility whatsoever. The larger trains run on the older sub surface lines which were originally steam powered and were constructed on the cut and cover method; dig a big trench, lay tracks, build stations, cover it all over. The smaller trains run on the deep level tube lines, built from the 1890s onward, using the shield method of construction which bores it's way through the soft London clay. They have always been electrically powered, with the exception of some modern exhaust free diesels used for engineering trains and a couple of condensing tank engines bought by the Central London Railway in the early days.

McKey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It appears the color scheme is not what we saw at
> Innotrans 2014. Current one looks so much lighter
> than the all blue one

That's the DRS corporate livery, those leased to Chiltern wear the latter's Mainline two tone grey, as did the DBS 67s that Chiltern used.

Oh, that explains! Yes, it is definitely roughly the same coloring.

86235 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> McKey Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It appears the color scheme is not what we saw
> at
> > Innotrans 2014. Current one looks so much
> lighter
> > than the all blue one
>
> That's the DRS corporate livery, those leased to
> Chiltern wear the latter's Mainline two tone grey,
> as did the DBS 67s that Chiltern used.

Torisgod Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I read some report at some
> point about how the Underground is too small for
> most people, because the tunnels were dug at a
> time when people were, on average, shorter and
> therefore the trains need to be smaller. I don't
> know where the credibility is there.
>
> Tor in Eugene

I'm 6'6" and 290lbs and I have no problems with the smaller tube stock.

...John Reay
Toronto, ON