DB Cargo UK has agreed a multi-million-pound deal to sell 25 Class 66 locomotives to Grup Feroviar Roman (GFR), Romania’s largest private railway company.
The first locomotive, 66014, is scheduled to depart DB Cargo UK’s Toton traction maintenance depot in Nottinghamshire at the end of January 2026, with all 25 units expected to be delivered by mid-2028. Before export to mainland Europe, each locomotive will be reinstated to current UK operational standards and repainted blue.
DB Cargo UK’s Engineering Director, Wayne Miller, said the transaction forms part of an ongoing optimisation of the company’s fleet.
“These locomotives are surplus to DB’s requirements and their sale will still leave us with ample capacity to support predicted traffic growth in the years ahead,” he said. “We’re proud to be carrying out the reinstatement work at our centre of excellence in Toton and look forward to further developing our partnership with GFR.”
Grup Feroviar Roman is the flagship business of the GRAMPET Group, the largest private rail freight and logistics operator in Central and South-Eastern Europe. The group employs more than 7,500 people and operates across ten countries, including Romania, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary and Greece.
With almost 25 years of experience, GFR operates a fleet of more than 15,000 wagons and 350 locomotives, delivering integrated rail freight services to customers across Europe.
Sorin Chinde, Chairman of GFR and Vice President of the GRAMPET Group, said the acquisition supports the group’s long-term fleet strategy.
“This investment aligns with our focus on high-performance rolling stock that improves operational efficiency,” he said. “The Class 66 locomotives will become the backbone of our diesel fleet in the years ahead.
“They will enable us to retire a significant number of ageing 2,100 horsepower locomotives, which are becoming increasingly costly to maintain and difficult to support. The higher power and availability of the Class 66 fleet will strengthen our capability across the network.”
The deal reflects continued international demand for the Class 66 platform and highlights the role of UK expertise in supporting freight operations across the European rail market.
