58040 was released to traffic on 16th March 1986. This locomotive is typical of the second batch of 15 Class 58s and has many differences from the earlier 35. The engine room doors were now fitted with proper handles, cab ventilation had been improved with the fitting of cab side vents, and the tall cab access handrails had changed to a full-height version. Underneath, the bogies had been revised to a new design: the CP3A type with external sandboxes.
58040 was notable in that it had a wider exhaust silencer fitted with experimental round exhaust ports that were located at the opposite end to normal. Because this was only a trial, they were later changed to a standard wide exhaust with standard exhaust ports. Our model has the option of both types.
The locomotive gained the name “Cottam Power Station” soon after construction, after the power station located in North Nottinghamshire, near Retford. The name stuck with the locomotive until withdrawal. These were not the only plates carried on the locomotive; 58040 was one of the few Class 58s to receive a cast “Railfreight” nameplate on the cab front. 58040 was repainted into Triple Grey during 1991 and carried Coal Sector branding until 1994, when Mainline logos took its place. It remained in this condition until it was withdrawn and placed in store. The locomotive was later reactivated and exported to France, where it worked for a number of years before finally being cut up at Alizay Depot in 2023.