This week sees me working 4Y19 from Tonbridge to Southampton, returning back to Tonbridge as 6Y83. It’s booked to be a class 69 this week 69003 to be exact.
Today will be my 3rd turn of duty working a class 69 on this train. Despite being unergonomic, leaky and noisy they drive really well. I particularly like the brake controller, a Davies and Metcalf 8 step electrical controller. They are pretty capable locos and handle the heavy gypsum train with relative ease on some of the steep gradients on the line.
It’s fair to say they have had their teething troubles but it looks like the faults are being ironed out and the EMD 710 engine is proving itself once again to be workhorse.
