Class 86s being exported to Bulgaria

[centenary]

Vids shows an 86 on the back of a lowloader ready for export with others potentially lined up to follow. Seems crazy these will be sent by road \ ship rather than use the metals?

https://youtu.be/LOSIODW2IzY

[Bigmet]

I suspect that one issue would be gauge, as the former Soviet bloc countries are 5' gauge,and that includes Bulgaria.

[Richard08]

They probably require 'type approval' for each different country rather than just the destination, so possibly rail is an expensive option. As an example, sleeper cars (from a video on YT) intended to be used on cross Europe trains have to be certified for each country/rail system they cross and are removed from the train if not so certificated - as a budget Polish train operator found out the hard way. They may also have been/need to be re-gauged.

[Lofty]

I saw three in convoy on the M180 this afternoon, nothing worth capturing from the dashcam as they were on the opposite carriageway and it was raining heavily.