Dapol 4D-005-005-000DSM ‘OO’ Class 59 59005 Kenneth J Painter - DCC Sound & Smoke

Dapol 4D-005-000 ‘OO’ Class 59 59005 Foster Yeoman Kenneth J Painter - DCC Sound & Smoke

The Class 59 is a Co-Co formation diesel locomotive and the first US-produced, privately-owned locomotive to operate regularly in the UK.

The ordering of the first Class 59 resulted from quarry company Foster Yeoman’s dissatisfaction with the performance of the BR Class 56. The first four locomotives built by GM’s Electromotive Division were delivered to Foster Yeoman in 1986 and 59005 in 1989.

Proving very successful; one locomotive setting a new UK haulage record for a single locomotive of 4639 tonnes. Foster Yeoman’s rivals, Amey Roadstone Corp. (ARC), also ordered four modified Class 59s (59/1), as did National Power, who ordered six (59/2).
GM invested in this initial UK success by extensively modifying Class 59 internally to produce Class 66, which was also hugely successful within the UK and continental Europe.

Besides 59003 (which, after return from loan to HHPI in Germany, is operated by GBRf), the Class 59 fleet is operated today by DB Schenker and Mendip Rail (an ARC and FY joint venture).