On March 6, Class 68 locos 68019 and 68021 were brought to the Dollands Moor Yard on the British side of the Channel Tunnel by the Rail Operations Group. Although further transfer through the tunnel did not go through (with the locos returning to the DRS depot at Crewe on the 9th), it shows that tests together with CAF Mark 5a stock at the Velim test ring are planned for the near future.
On March 21st, a second attempt was done with Rail Operations Group (ROG) bringing the locomotives to Dollands Moor, using Class 47 oldie 47813. The locos did make it to Frethun, on the French side of the tunnel, later on. Unfortunately, continuing issues regarding further transport through France resulted in the locomotives returning back to Dollands Moor.
Having a plan B in place, the locos were subsequently forwarded to Immingham for shipment to Cuxhaven, Germany, where they arrived on April 5th. From there, their journey to the Czech Republic will continue after they are put back on the rails from the transport trailers on which they arrived.
In the picture above you see RailAdventure 139 558 with DRS 68019 and 68021 in TPE livery passing through at Kurort Rathen (DE). The locomotives are on their way to the VUZ Velim test center, where they will be tested together with a rake of new CAF-built Mk.5a coaches. Recently we already saw the coaches making their first rounds behind Siemens Vectron no. 193 844.
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