Grids and Beyond:
Class 56s become Class 69s
Guy Vincent
Attention has recently been focused on the now depleted class 56 fleet and the conversion of 16 locos to class 69s by by GB Railfreight.
Originally 135 strong, the class 56s were built between 1976 and 1984 by: 1. Electroputere of Craiova, Romania as sub-contractors for Brush Traction, Loughborough (56001 - 56030); 2. BREL Doncaster (56031 - 56115) and 3. BREL Crewe (56116 - 56135).
The first 30 locos suffered from various issues related to poor build quality and despite remedial work were always considered inferior to UK built locos. On the whole the class are generally thought of as less successful than other types of diesel loco and EWS / DB had dispensed with their services by 2004. A reprieve was given to 30 class members when they were hired by Fertis and moved to France in 2004-06 for use on construction traffic.
From 2012 Colas Rail bought and returned to use eight locos from scrap metal merchants who had purchased them from DB Schenker. These were 56049 051 078 087 090 094 105 113. In addition, they purchased 56124 (56302) from the assets of the former Fastline Freight business and, finally, 56096 from Europhoenix. Alas, 2025 has seen the removal from service of several of the Colas 'Grids' as they become due for major exams.
Eight locos, 56003 56006 56040 56045 56086 56097 56098 and 56101 found new homes in preservation although this has now reduced to just two, 56006 and 56045 (56301). The latter, main line registered, is now set to move to DC Rail. Of the remainder 56040 and 56086 were scrapped, 56003 (56312) is now 69013 with 56097 undergoing conversion to become 69016. 56101 is now working in Hungary. Being air-braked only, their use is limited on heritage lines.
Further class 56s used on the main line in recent years and that still survive are 56081 56091 56098 and 56103.
56115 and 56117 are in Hungary with 56101.
To date a total of 98 class 56s have been broken up for scrap. The class 47 to 57 rebuild and conversion programme (1998 - 2004) required a minimum of 33 alternators from the class 56 fleet plus any extra needed for spares.
Class 69 Locomotive Donor Fleet
69001 - 56031 First UK-built 56 at BREL Doncaster Works in 1976. For several years outbased at Westbury for Mendip Rail traffic, named Merehead.
69002 - 56057 (56311) BREL Doncaster 1979 Formerly preserved, then sold on for re-use on Network Rail.
69003 - 56018 Built by Electroputere at Craiova, Romania, 1976.
69004 - 56069 BREL Doncaster 1979.
69005 - 56007 Electroputere, 1976.
69006 - 56128 BREL Crewe Works 1983.
69007 - 56037 BREL Doncaster 1977. One-time class member outbased at Westbury for aggregates traffic.
69008 - 56038 BREL Doncaster 1977. One-time class member outbased at Westbury for aggregates traffic.
69009 - 56060 BREL Doncaster 1979.
69010 - 56065 BREL Doncaster 1979.
69011 - 56032 BREL Doncaster 1977. Former Cardiff Canton loco outbased at Westbury for several years.
69012 - 56077 BREL Doncaster 1980. Spent many years derelict at Crewe Diesel Depot in Loadhaul livery.
69013 - 56003 (56312) Electroputere, 1976. Left preservation for re use on main line.
69014 - 56104 BREL Doncaster 1981. Taken into rebuild programme as a working loco.
69015 - 56009 (56201, number not carried). Electroputere, 1976. Bought from EWS by Brush Traction for evaluation purposes for possible re-engineering but not used.
69016 - 56097 Built at BREL Doncaster 1981. Reprieved from Wigan C&RDC for preservation along with the remains of 56080 (spares). Returned to working order and used on the Nottingham Heritage Railway / GCR (N), Ruddington.
Former Fertis donor locos:
56007 018 031 032 037 038 060 065 069 104
The two surprise survivors must be 56009 and 56128. Both spent close to two decades out of use and were little more than gutted shells. 56128 was actually at C F Booth's yard in Rotherham for scrapping but they held onto it long enough for a sale to be agreed. 56077 in faded Load Haul livery also managed to cling on to life in derelict condition at Crewe Diesel depot before being added to the programme.
If memory serves me correctly, the first class 56 to arrive on the Western Region was 56043 in the spring of 1978, to Reading for crew training. The class worked MGR trains from the Midlands to Didcot Power Station and later took over South Wales coal and steel workings. In February 1982 two locos, 56013 and 56091, arrived at Westbury for crew training and the class then spent over a decade on the heavy Mendips aggregate traffic, unfortunately dogged by poor availability leading to Foster Yeoman ordering their first four GM class 59s which arrived in early 1986. During the period of the miner's strike in 1984-85 many rare class members, including some then recently built examples found their way to Wiltshire due to lack of work in the Yorkshire coalfields.
Following the purchase by EWS of the former three BR Trainload freight companies and assets in 1997, class 56s again became common user and returned in large numbers to South Wales, chiefly working from Cardiff Canton and Margam depots. They often worked to Westbury Cement Works with coal from Parc Slip opencast mine and brought flyash tankers across from Newport Alexandra Dock Jcn yard until replaced by new class 66s from 1999.
With recent crew training and route clearance trials being undertaken in Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall it is to be hoped that the colourful and charismatic class 69s will see regular use in the west of England where they will be a welcome sight for enthusiasts, as evidenced by the extensive coverage on CRS of the first series of workings.
Originally 135 strong, the class 56s were built between 1976 and 1984 by: 1. Electroputere of Craiova, Romania as sub-contractors for Brush Traction, Loughborough (56001 - 56030); 2. BREL Doncaster (56031 - 56115) and 3. BREL Crewe (56116 - 56135).
The first 30 locos suffered from various issues related to poor build quality and despite remedial work were always considered inferior to UK built locos. On the whole the class are generally thought of as less successful than other types of diesel loco and EWS / DB had dispensed with their services by 2004. A reprieve was given to 30 class members when they were hired by Fertis and moved to France in 2004-06 for use on construction traffic.
From 2012 Colas Rail bought and returned to use eight locos from scrap metal merchants who had purchased them from DB Schenker. These were 56049 051 078 087 090 094 105 113. In addition, they purchased 56124 (56302) from the assets of the former Fastline Freight business and, finally, 56096 from Europhoenix. Alas, 2025 has seen the removal from service of several of the Colas 'Grids' as they become due for major exams.
Eight locos, 56003 56006 56040 56045 56086 56097 56098 and 56101 found new homes in preservation although this has now reduced to just two, 56006 and 56045 (56301). The latter, main line registered, is now set to move to DC Rail. Of the remainder 56040 and 56086 were scrapped, 56003 (56312) is now 69013 with 56097 undergoing conversion to become 69016. 56101 is now working in Hungary. Being air-braked only, their use is limited on heritage lines.
Further class 56s used on the main line in recent years and that still survive are 56081 56091 56098 and 56103.
56115 and 56117 are in Hungary with 56101.
To date a total of 98 class 56s have been broken up for scrap. The class 47 to 57 rebuild and conversion programme (1998 - 2004) required a minimum of 33 alternators from the class 56 fleet plus any extra needed for spares.
Class 69 Locomotive Donor Fleet
69001 - 56031 First UK-built 56 at BREL Doncaster Works in 1976. For several years outbased at Westbury for Mendip Rail traffic, named Merehead.
69002 - 56057 (56311) BREL Doncaster 1979 Formerly preserved, then sold on for re-use on Network Rail.
69003 - 56018 Built by Electroputere at Craiova, Romania, 1976.
69004 - 56069 BREL Doncaster 1979.
69005 - 56007 Electroputere, 1976.
69006 - 56128 BREL Crewe Works 1983.
69007 - 56037 BREL Doncaster 1977. One-time class member outbased at Westbury for aggregates traffic.
69008 - 56038 BREL Doncaster 1977. One-time class member outbased at Westbury for aggregates traffic.
69009 - 56060 BREL Doncaster 1979.
69010 - 56065 BREL Doncaster 1979.
69011 - 56032 BREL Doncaster 1977. Former Cardiff Canton loco outbased at Westbury for several years.
69012 - 56077 BREL Doncaster 1980. Spent many years derelict at Crewe Diesel Depot in Loadhaul livery.
69013 - 56003 (56312) Electroputere, 1976. Left preservation for re use on main line.
69014 - 56104 BREL Doncaster 1981. Taken into rebuild programme as a working loco.
69015 - 56009 (56201, number not carried). Electroputere, 1976. Bought from EWS by Brush Traction for evaluation purposes for possible re-engineering but not used.
69016 - 56097 Built at BREL Doncaster 1981. Reprieved from Wigan C&RDC for preservation along with the remains of 56080 (spares). Returned to working order and used on the Nottingham Heritage Railway / GCR (N), Ruddington.
Former Fertis donor locos:
56007 018 031 032 037 038 060 065 069 104
The two surprise survivors must be 56009 and 56128. Both spent close to two decades out of use and were little more than gutted shells. 56128 was actually at C F Booth's yard in Rotherham for scrapping but they held onto it long enough for a sale to be agreed. 56077 in faded Load Haul livery also managed to cling on to life in derelict condition at Crewe Diesel depot before being added to the programme.
If memory serves me correctly, the first class 56 to arrive on the Western Region was 56043 in the spring of 1978, to Reading for crew training. The class worked MGR trains from the Midlands to Didcot Power Station and later took over South Wales coal and steel workings. In February 1982 two locos, 56013 and 56091, arrived at Westbury for crew training and the class then spent over a decade on the heavy Mendips aggregate traffic, unfortunately dogged by poor availability leading to Foster Yeoman ordering their first four GM class 59s which arrived in early 1986. During the period of the miner's strike in 1984-85 many rare class members, including some then recently built examples found their way to Wiltshire due to lack of work in the Yorkshire coalfields.
Following the purchase by EWS of the former three BR Trainload freight companies and assets in 1997, class 56s again became common user and returned in large numbers to South Wales, chiefly working from Cardiff Canton and Margam depots. They often worked to Westbury Cement Works with coal from Parc Slip opencast mine and brought flyash tankers across from Newport Alexandra Dock Jcn yard until replaced by new class 66s from 1999.
With recent crew training and route clearance trials being undertaken in Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall it is to be hoped that the colourful and charismatic class 69s will see regular use in the west of England where they will be a welcome sight for enthusiasts, as evidenced by the extensive coverage on CRS of the first series of workings.
56005 passing Bradford on Avon on Pathfinder Tours 'DC GreenFlasher' railtour on 17th July 1993. Copyright Guy Vincent.
The cut remains of 56043 at Rotherham. 28th February 2009. Copyright Guy Vincent.
56312 the former 56003 approaching Westbury with 6Z76 0735 Tavistock Jcn - West Ealing. 20th January 2011. This loco has recently been rebuilt and is now 69013. 47739 is at the rear of this formation. Copyright Guy Vincent.
56091 and 56103 at Westbury 24th June 2019. Copyright Guy Vincent.
69001, the former 56031 'Merehead', a long-time Westbury based loco, being hauled through Westbury by 66704 with then recently imported 66794 en-route from Longport to Eastleigh works for painting. 4th May 2021. Copyright Guy Vincent.
69006, rebuilt from the stripped, gutted bodyshell of 56128, at Eastleigh on 4Y19 1230 Mountfield Sidings - Southampton Western Docks Gypsum empties. 17th October 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent.
69009 'Western Consort', the former 56060, passing light through Kemble station, Glos as 0Z69 0845 Honeybourne Sidings -Wembley. 26th March 2025. Copyright Guy Vincent.
69009 'Western Consort', the former 56060, passing light through Kemble station, Glos as 0Z69 0845 Honeybourne Sidings -Wembley. 26th March 2025. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Many thanks indeed Guy, a very interesting and well-researched article. Much appreciated!
Full sun all day
Jon Hird
66127 climbs away from Par, passing Treesmill with 6G09, the Goonbarrow - Fowey china clay. 31.03.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
In the evening, a trip over to Respryn was made to catch 57312 working light loco to Penzance to work the up ‘sleeper’, 57305 at Long Rock apparently requiring some attention. 31.03.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
On the way home from Respryn I saw that the returning empty JIA’s were running early, so I called in at Treverrin to grab a shot. The farmers busy in the fields preparing for the seasons crops to go in. 31.03.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
57312 'down west'
Andrew Triggs
As the light fades, 57312 slowing to stop for crew pick up at St Erth, working 0Z79 13.58 Reading Traincare Depot-Longrock T&RSMD. 31.03.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
Restarting 0Z79 at St Erth following crew pick up and departing for Longrock T&RSMD. 31.03.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
Great job Andrew, thanks for sending them in.
Early years of railway preservation in Cornwall
By Roger Winnen
Part 1
30.04.1970 - 1363 at Bodmin General Station.Copyright Roger Winnen
30.04.1970 - Devonport Dockyard No 19 at Bodmin General. Copyright Roger Winnen
02.05.1970 - St. Blazey Open Day in May 1970 with Alfred Copyright Roger Winnen
02.05.1970 - 1363 at the St. Blazey Open Day. Copyright Roger Winnen
02.05.1970 - 1363 at the Coal Stage during the St. Blazey Open Day. Copyright Roger Winnen
More from this collection to come over the next few days - 'stay tuned'!