At around 0950 hrs on Thursday November 13, 2025, the BBC Chartering heavy lift vessel BBC St Petersburg arrived into Port Hedland harbour and part of the cargo was two Wabtec built FLXdrive™ locomotives for BHP. These battery electric locomotives have been a couple of years in the making.
And after a number of hours the first of the two Wabtec battery electric [BEL] locomotives, 9002 and built for BHP, was unloaded and transported to the Pilbara Ports Authority 'Gobi' hardstand area on a 128 wheel Tutt-Bryant platform hauled by a Volvo FH16 prime mover a little before 1800 hrs.
9002 is still gift wrapped in the protective tarpaulin which is also stencilled for LI-ION BATTERIES, as an early Christmas present for BHP's WA Iron Ore division and is seen here early evening, Thursday November 13, 2025, on the rear platform, the front empty platform would collect 9001 the following day.
These battery electric locomotives were built in December 2023 at Wabtec's Erie, Pennsylvania, USA facility and weigh in at 452,000 pounds or 205 tonnes, with a model designation of FXH70C and a power rating of 4240 horse power or 3162 kW. The two BHP units, numbered 9001 and 9002 carry the serial numbers 66453 and 66454 respectively.
On Friday November 14, 2025, the class leader of the two Wabtec FLXdrive™ locomotives for BHP, 9001, was unloaded and is seen here arriving into the Gobi hardstand area on a 128 wheel Tutt-Bryant float being hauled by a Volvo Globetrotter FH700XXL prime mover at 0830 hrs.
Both units with tarpaulins removed now await the completion of the Loco Lift hardware to be setup at BHP's Nelson Point hard stand trackage so they can be transferred to BHP's rails.
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