File:66140 Margam to Dollands Moor 6O32 (then to Rotterdam Botlek for Broekman Group, the Netherlands or to Myriad in Maubeuge France) (18439838546).jpg

66140 WBAT MARGAM TC 796O32CG04 4 * DOLLANDSM N 6M14

DB Schenker Rail (UK) Ltd's class 66 (JT42CWR) number 66140 in English, Welsh and Scottish Railway maroon livery with zigzag gold band, large number and EWS logo working 6O32 hauling loaded (GE Rail Services?) IHA bogie covered steel coil carrier wagons on 4 June 2015 transporting steel from Tata Steel Limited's Port Talbot steelworks to Dollands Moor ultimately destined for Rotterdam Botlek for Broekman Group or Myriad in Maubeuge France via Calais Fréthun (for a map of the route taken <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/99279135@N05/14092887923/">click here</a>). For just over half the year 6O32 is timetabled to reach here in the twilight or dark so cant be photographed easily. From Dollands Moor the wagons continue through the Channel Tunnel to Calais Fréthun hauled by a class 92. From Calais-Fréthun they are thought to continue to Broekman Group in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays or to Myriad in Maubeuge France on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Nicolas B photographed class 66 number 052 passing <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jobiwannn/14454791461/">Staple</a> (department 59 France) heading to Maubeuge on 19 June 2014 (including two wagons <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jobiwannn/14271918247/in/photostream/">numbers 37 84 4667 127 and 37 84 4667 184-4</a>), Laurent Knop photographed a similar set of wagons at Landas (department 59 France) hauled by two locomotives including class 77 number 008 (previously HLD 5709) also working from (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/x4644/13983513315/in/faves-99279135@N05/">Calais Fréthun to Maubeuge</a>) on 17 April 2014 and another similar set of wagons was photographed by Tarek Marouane at La Chapell D'Armentieres France returning to the UK from Maubeuge being hauled by class 66 number 062 on 5 April 2014 (photo and account now removed from Flickr).

The service from Calais Fréthun to Rotterdam Botlek was photographed by Laurent Knop at (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/x4644/13376721024/in/photolist-mo4c87-6TKfHN-mRuxU6-efEd4W-eUPAWR-niFaka-f7Ebnf-cXCV2s-e6hGdj-e6c3Ng-e6c3Mn-e6c3NM-7p7y2n-5RJ8oH-eemxF6-5SUyMK-9wfo6t-9wfp7r-efEnRb-eHWMoe-db1s5G-k432Uv-daUQHj-8RqgW5-6TFecK-fBc53p-nnfY9h-njNTt9-d9g7W5-npPZMM-no4p3H-8a19qx-dpmTB4-5H3TjQ-nrjkBX-njNZUf-nmz2yt-nmRva2-nr5dxn-npiuzR-e5UdcY-nfvdEL-ahJaQZ-9wfmvn-ciQA9A-fKAcPm-8RnaDD-8RnaHr-8RqgY3-8RnaBM">Merris</a>) (department 59 France) going via Mouscron Belgium. Trainspotter gilliam photographed class 77 ECR number 006 on 46446 hauling empty steel wagons (staalwagens) between Antwerp Schijnpoort and Calais on 31 January 2015, it also being photographed by Treinfoto Belgie at <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/124228356@N06/16223677970/">Kortrijk Belgium</a>. Treinfoto Belgie has also photographed the service at <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/124228356@N06/16831114529/">Harelbeke railway station</a> on 1 April 2015, while trainspotter gilliam has photographed it at <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/80559116@N06/16669301128/in/photostream/">Berchem railway station</a> on 18 March 2015, at <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/80559116@N06/16476515046/">West Berchem</a>, at <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/80559116@N06/16200690018/">Melsele</a> on 27 January 2015 and at <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/80559116@N06/16147848600/">Zwijndrecht station</a> on 21 January 2015. 66140 (works number 968702-140) was built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division, London, Ontario, Canada in 1998 and unloaded from the Heavy Lift Ship MV "Gajah Borneo" at Newport Docks on 18 August 1999.

The steel flow from South Wales to Maubeuge (France) and to Broekman (Holland) stopped running through the Channel tunnel at the end of November 2015. The flow to Maubeuge was cancelled as the cold mill which produced this material was mothballed as part of the Tata Steel strip downsizing programme. Instead Maubeuge is supplied from Tata Steels Limuiden plant (Holland). 2 grades of steel were also supplied by Tata Steel to Broekman Group to make oil drums. With one grade being sourced from elsewhere the remaining 700 tonnes per week of the second grade was not sufficient to run a block train.

According to Realtime Trains the route and timings were; Margam Terminal Complex...1000..................0949........................11E Margam Moors Junction........1005..................0956 1/2...................8E Stormy.........................................1014...................1005 3/4...................8E Bridgend [BGN] 2.....................1020..................1012 1/4.....................7E Pontyclun [PYC]........................1033..................1021 3/4...................11E Cardiff Central [CDF] UML.....1057..................1039........................17E Marshfield..................................1108...................1050........................17E Ebbw Junction..........................1113.....................1054 3/4.................18E Newport [NWP] URL................1116....................1102 1/2...................13E Maindee West Junction..........1118....................1103 3/4..................14E Llanwern West Junction.........1122...................1108 1/2...................13E Llanwern Exchange Sdgs......1137/1237..........1120/1225...............12E Llanwern Steelworks East......1247...................1242 3/4...................4E Severn Tunnel Junction 4......1300..................1302..........................2L Severn Tunnel West................1301...................1304 3/4...................3L Severn Tunnel East..................1307...................1309 3/4...................2L Pilning [PIL] 1..............................1310...................1312 3/4....................2L Patchway [PWY] 1.....................1319 1/2.............1320.........................RT Bristol Parkway [BPW] 3.........1322..................1322.........................RT Westerleigh Junction..............1328 1/2............1331............................2L Chipping Sodbury UDG..........1335 1/2/1342..NoRep/1343 3/4......1L Badmington...............................1350..................1350 1/2...................RT Hullavington UGL.....................1400/1416.........NoRep/1356 1/2....19E Little Somerford........................1424 1/2............1402 1/2.................22E Wootton Bassett Junction......1437...................1407 3/4................29E Rushey Platt...............................1443 1/2............1414 3/4.................28E Swindon [SWI] UML.................1445...................1431 1/2...................13E Uffington (Oxfordshire) U........1529..................1444 1/2.................44E Challow.......................................1532..................1446 1/4.................45E At platform.................................1537/1557.........1452 3/4/1453......63E Didcot Parkway [DID] 4...........1609/1614.........1607 3/4/1608.........5E Didcot East Junction...............1616...................1608 1/2....................7E Moreton Cutting.......................1617 1/2.............1610 1/2.....................6E Goring & Streatley [GOR] 4....1624..................1620 1/2....................3E Reading West Junction..........1634...................1636..........................2L Reading [RDG] 15.....................1635..................1638..........................3L Kennet Bridge Junction..........1636 1/2............1640 1/4....................3L Twyford [TWY] 4.......................1644 1/2............1647...........................2L Maidenhead [MAI] 4................1652 1/2............1655 1/2....................3L Slough [SLO] 5..........................1702..................1703 1/2.....................1L Heathrow Airport Junction....1713....................1715............................2L Hayes & Harlington 4..............1713 1/2.............1715 3/4....................2L Southall West Junction...........1716....................1716 3/4...................RT Southall [STL] 4.........................1718....................1719 1/4......................1L Southall East Junction............1719 1/2.............1719 1/4....................RT Hanwell Bridge Loop LP.........1721/1735..........1719 1/2/1741............6L Ealing Broadway [EAL]............1742...................1746 1/2....................4L Acton West................................1744...................1748...........................4L Acton Main Line [AML] DG.....1749/1751..........NoRep/1752 1/4.......1L Acton Wells Junction..............1757...................1758 1/4.....................1L Mitre Bridge Junction..............1811....................1809 1/4.....................1E North Pole Signal Vc818.........1812...................1811.............................1E North Pole Junction.................1812 1/2.............1812..........................RT Shepherds Bush [SPB] 1.........1815...................1815..........................RT Kensington Olympia 3............1816...................1817.............................1L West Brompton [WBP] 3.........1819...................1821 1/4.....................2L Imperial Wharf [IMW] 1.............1820 1/2............1823 3/4...................3L Latchmere Junction.................1823 1/2............1827...........................3L Voltaire Road Junction...........1832..................1837 1/4....................5L Brixton [BRX].............................1835..................1841...........................6L Herne Hill [HNH] 3...................1836 1/2............1842 1/2....................6L Kent House [KTH] 3.................1843 1/2............1849 3/4...................6L Beckenham Junction 3...........1845..................1851...........................6L Shortlands Junction.................1847 1/2............1852..........................4L Shortlands [SRT].......................1848 1/2............1853 1/4....................4L Bromley South [BMS] 3...........1852..................1854..........................2L Petts Wood Junction...............1914...................1913............................1E Orpington [ORP] 3....................1916 1/2.............1917 3/4.....................1L Chelsfield [CLD]........................1919...................1920 1/2.....................1L Sevenoaks [SEV] 3...................1929..................1931...........................2L Tonbridge [TON] DF................1937...................1939..........................2L Paddock Wood DM.................1943...................1944 1/2.....................1L Headcorn [HCN] DM...............1954..................1955...........................1L Ashford International 6...........2009.................2007 3/4...................1E