 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "British Rail Class 56" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(December 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| British Rail Class 56 Electroputere LDE 3500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 A Class 56 atDoncaster Works in 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheBritish Rail Class 56 is a type ofdiesel locomotive designed for heavy freight work. It is aType 5 locomotive, with aRuston-Paxman power unit developing 3,250bhp (2,423kW), and has aCo-Co wheel arrangement. Enthusiasts nicknamed them "Gridirons" (or "Grids" for short), due to the grid-likehorn cover on the locomotive's cab ends fitted to nos. 56056 onwards. Under its Romanian railway factory nomenclature, the locomotive was namedElectroputere LDE 3500, with LDE coming fromLocomotivă Diesel-Electrică (Diesel-Electric Locomotive) and the 3500 being the planned horsepower output.[citation needed]
The Class 56 fleet was introduced between 1976 and 1984, a total of 135 examples were manufactured. The first 30 locomotives (56001 - 56030, factory classification LDE3500) were built byElectroputere inRomania, but these typically suffered from poor construction standards and many were withdrawn from service early for extensive rebuilding before re-entering revenue service.[3] The remaining 105 locomotives were built byBritish Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) atDoncaster Works (56031 to 56115) andCrewe Works (56116 to 56135).
During the early 1970s, it became clear toBritish Rail planners that a new Type 5 locomotive to handle heavy freight services would be needed. However, ambitions to produce such a fleet were somewhat hamstrung by cutbacks at many of Britain's major railway workshops, having lost many skilled staff through multiple restructurings and cost saving drives; according to railway author Rodger Bradley, such moves proved to have come at a substantial long term cost to the nation's railway engineering capabilities.[4]
Accordingly, in 1974, BR placed an order for 60 freight locomotives, which were originally intended to be separately constructed in two batches of 30 at BREL'sDoncaster Works andBrush Traction,Loughborough respectively.[5][6] However, Brush had already reached the maximum capacity of their Loughborough site via several unrelated projects, making it unrealistic to perform the work in-house as had been foreseen.[4] To overcome its constraints, the company's managers opted tosubcontract its batch to the Romanian locomotive manufacturerElectroputere.[7]
On 29 April 1977, the first Class 56 locomotive to be constructed by Electroputere was handed over to British Rail, having been transported from Romania by ship via the port ofHarwich.[4] At one point, it was reportedly planned to deliver 20 locomotives each year; however, this ambitious schedule did not come to pass without consequence. The 30 Romanian locomotives (Nos. 56 001 – 56 030) were found to have a relatively poor build quality; to effectively address this, the majority had to be withdrawn from service for extensive rebuilding within their first few years of operation, after which they were re-introduced to service with better performance.[4]
At an early stage of the programme, BR had indicated its intention to place a follow-on order for the type following the delivery of the first 30 locomotives.[4] Accordingly, the number ordered was increased to 135 and they were numbered as follows:
BREL's Doncaster Works were in heavy demand at this time and its resources would be stretched to meet these targets due to a lack of skilled personnel to manufacture mechanical components.[4] Instead the Ashford, Eastleigh and Swindon Works produced sub-assemblies; roofs, fuel tanks and cab frames were produced at Ashford, while cab desks were built at Eastleigh, and radiator housings were supplied from Swindon.[4] Final assembly was transferred from Doncaster Works toCrewe Works, allowing Doncaster to commence work on the newClass 58 heavy freight locomotive.[4]
As a consequence of poor experiences with the early Romanian-built members of the class, the subsequent locomotives featured significant modifications.[4] It had been largely due to the initially negative experiences with the Class 56, which had caused dissatisfaction amongst several of British Rail's freight customers,[8] that BR officials had initiated work on the Class 58 and then theClass 60.[9][10]
| This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(December 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Class 56 is a heavy freight-orientated diesel-electric locomotive. When specifying its requirements for the Class 56, BR stipulated that its bodyshell design and many mechanism parts would be fromBrush Traction's existingClass 47 design, minus some features such as the obsolete headcode panel.[4] Accordingly, it features a stress-skin manner of construction that was paired with an all-weldedmonocoque superstructure assembly.
The engine and electrical systems were new. The engine is a singleRuston-Paxman-built power unit, the final development of theEnglish Electric CSVT engine, following on from the 16CSVT used in theClass 50.[citation needed] Their changes included significantly upratedturbochargers, gear-driven camshafts in place of thetiming chain, and uprated cylinder heads, fuel pumps and injectors. The engine was nominally rated at 3,520 hp (2,620 kW), but was set at 3,250 hp (2,420 kW) for rail use.[citation needed]
One key advance in the Class 56 was the use of self-excitingalternators rather thandirect current (DC)generators for the generation of both traction current and auxiliary supply. This change reportedly results in the power unit being considerably more robust, as well as greatly reducing the risk of flash-overs and otherearth-related faults. Traction supply wasrectified since the type employs DCtraction motors. Much of the auxiliary apparatus, such as the compressors and traction motor blowers, were powered via the unrectified 3-phase AC output of the auxiliary alternator, and therefore run at a speed proportional to engine r.p.m.[citation needed]
Another key design change started on the Class 56 was its braking system; it was the first diesel locomotive operated by British Rail to be built only with air train brakes, specifically theDavies and Metcalfe E70 system. Earlier locomotives had variously been fitted with vacuum train brakes or an often complex dual-braking arrangement.[citation needed]
| This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(December 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
During its service life, the Class 56 has proved to be a strong and capable locomotive, being noticeably less prone towheelslip than the newerClass 58s. However, the type's maintenance needs were relatively high even amongst its contemporaries, such as the Class 58.[9] Notwithstanding bouts of significant investment into the Class 56 during the 1990s by operators such asTransrail andLoadhaul, the locomotive has proven to be somewhat uneconomic to operate in comparison to more modern types, such as theClass 66, in terms of availability or maintenance costs. This disadvantage led to the majority of the fleet being withdrawn during the early twenty-first century.[4]
On 4 August 1976, 56001 and 56002 were loaded for shipping fromZeebrugge toHarwich.[11] They were towed from Harwich toTinsley on 7 August.[11] Initial trials were conducted on theSettle-Carlisle Line.[12]Subsequent examples (of the Romanian deliveries) went toBarrow Hill depot for preparation and subsequent commissioning on test trains fromTinsley, usually toPeterborough West Yard. The test train consisted of a rake of rail-carrying flat wagons, with a former East Coast Metro-Cammell Pullman vehicle marshalled immediately behind the locomotive. Testing of Doncaster-built examples was completed using the traditional Doncaster works test train, running north along theEast Coast Main Line.
One class member, BREL-built no. 56042, was chosen to test the CP3 bogies that were fitted to theClass 58s. It was the first of the class to be withdrawn in 1991 after only 12 years service and scrapped three years later in 1994 atToton TMD.[citation needed]
The entire class passed toEnglish Welsh & Scottish (EWS) in 1995, when it purchased theLoadhaul,Mainline Freight andTransrail Freight companies from British Rail. Withdrawals commenced in the 1990s, with the last withdrawn on 31 March 2004.[13] Some were reinstated for use on construction trains connected with theLGV Est in France, although all such locomotives have now returned to the UK.[14]
In September 2011, DB Schenker (as EWS had become) placed its remaining 33 stored class 56s up for sale[15] with most expected to be sold for scrap.
UK-based locomotive providerEurophoenix[16] tendered for three of the DB Schenker locomotives (56018, 56115, 56117) for export toHungarian freight operator Floyd.[17] They finally bought 56101 (from preservation), 56115 and 56117. With 56101 moving to Europhoenix, 56018 has been sold to preservationist Ed Stevenson. 56101 arrived in Hungary on 19 June 2012 with 56115 and 56117 following later in the year. These have been renumbered 0659-001-5, 0659-002-3 and 0659-003-1 respectively.[citation needed]
In late 2011, DB Cargo UK sold 27 Class 56s for scrap toEuropean Metal Recycling. These were 56006, 031, 032, 037, 038, 046, 049, 051, 058, 060, 065, 069, 073, 074, 077, 078, 081, 087, 090, 094, 096, 104, 105, 106, 112, 113, 133.[18] Despite the mass sale of scrap, 56078, 087, 094, 105 and 113 were sold on toColas Rail whileUK Rail Leasing has bought a number of Class 56s, to form a pool of hire locomotives.
In 2006, three locomotives (56045, 56124 and 56125) were overhauled at Brush Traction and renumbered as 56301, 56302 and 56303 forFastline, the British freight company launched byJarvis. They were used on intermodal traffic. The small fleet never achieved particularly impressive availability, and there were significant problems with bogies, turbochargers, and low power. Fastline dispensed with Class 56 operation due to the loss of intermodal traffic and operated Class 66s on their coal traffic until March 2010 when the company went bankrupt.[citation needed]
56301 was put into store, and 56302 was purchased and run byColas Rail. 56301 was later purchased by the Class 56 Group as a replacement for their own 56040Oystermouth after the latter had suffered a catastrophic failure. 56040 was subsequently stripped of spares and scrapped at Barrow Hill.[citation needed]
Formerly preserved 56057 (renumbered 56311) and 56003 (renumbered 56312) were operated byBritish American Railway Services under theirDevon and Cornwall Railways subsidiary (formerlyHanson Traction), these were frequently hired toColas Rail to work their intermodal services between Dollands Moor and Hams Hall, steel diagrams between Boston and Washwood Heath and their Dagenham to Dollands Moor "Transfesa" workings in London, supplementing Colas Rail's own class 47/7 fleet. British American Railway Services currently use 56311 and 56312, along with 56303, on their own freight flows including scrap metal flows between Cardiff and the North-East, landfill flows between Wembley and Calvert and for stock moves. During 2011, 56312 was repainted into the same grey livery as 56311, but with advertising for the National Railway Museum's forthcoming 'Railfest 2012' event displayed on the body side (this has since been removed).
In December 2013 it was moved from Wansford (Nene Valley Railway) to their facility at Washwood Heath for evaluation for a possible mainline return but work has not been proceeded with. 56114 was stripped of usable parts and dispatched for scrapping during March 2012 and was cut up immediately after arrival at EMR Kingsbury. BARS 56091 returned to service in April 2013 but has since been sidelined due to power unit issues. 56103 was returned to service with BARS during July 2014. 56301 remains under long-term hire to BARS. In November 2017 all six remaining locomotives (56091, 103, 128, 303, 311, 312) were put up for sale.[19] Only 56303 was operational.
Leicester-basedUK Rail Leasing (UKRL) operates Class 56's on a spot-hire basis. Within two months of the company's founding in September 2013, a fleet of 16 former DB Schenker Class 56 and twoClass 37/9 diesel locomotives had been purchased.[20][21][22] In November 2014, UKRL's first locomotive (56081) was certified for main line use and hired toFreightliner.[22][23] By November 2015, a further two (56098 and 56104) had been certified for main line use.[24][25]
During mid-2014, UKRL were reportedly considering upgrading a Class 56 with new engines and electronics; the proposed arrangement involved two 1,900 hp engines for a combined output of 3,800 hp. However, this was emphasised to be "blue sky thinking" and not likely to happen soon.[26] Further information was published two years later. By then, three different options were being considered; these were: two main engines, a single main engine, or a single main engine plus an auxiliary engine. It is expected that a re-engined Class 56 would cost around £1.8 million, compared to £3 million for a new locomotive.[27]
In December 2017, two further locomotives (56311, 312) were acquired from BARS/DCR. However, in 2018, 16 locomotives, the majority of their fleet, were sold to GB Railfreight.[28][29][30]
In late 2008,Colas Rail commenced operating steel trains fromImmingham toWashwood Heath with Class 56s hired fromHanson Traction.[31] In 2012, Colas purchased four Class 56s.[32] By January 2014, Colas had purchased 11 of the type.[33] As of 2020, Colas Rail Freight operates 56049, 051, 078, 087, 090, 094, 096, 105, 113 and 302 on a rotating basis on all its freight movements.[34][35]
In June 2018,GB Railfreight acquired 16 of the Class 56 locomotives owned byUK Rail Leasing, together with various parts.[28] The locomotives were previously owned by EWS and subsequently hired to Fertis, for high speed rail construction trains in France, before returning to the UK and were later acquired by UK Rail Leasing in 2014 for spot hire. Only 56081, 098 and 104 had been made operational by UKRL, with the majority stored atLeicester Carriage Sidings.[36] Locomotive (56128) ex DCR/BARS was acquired fromCF Booth (scrapyard) and collected from there by GBRF directly. 56009, 031, 032, 037, 069, 311 subsequently moved to EMD Longport for re-engineering in July 2018.
In April 2019, GB Railfreight announced that it had awardedProgress Rail a contract to re-power the 16 locomotives that it bought from UK Rail Leasing. The locomotives will have their existing engines replaced byEMD 12-710 series engines, and will receive updated electronic controls. The work is being undertaken at Progress Rail'sLongport site with the first completed in 2021.[37] The rebuilt locomotives are to be redesignated asClass 69.[38][39]
In mid 2017, Devon & Cornwall Railways was bought by the waste contracting firm Cappagh Group. Branded as DCRail, the company acquired ex-Fertis locomotives 56103 and 56091 from its former parent BARS. Both locomotives are now in traffic.[citation needed]. In March 2025, the Class 56 Group announced that DC Rail had bought 56301 out of preservation for mainline use.[40]
DCRail are also current owners of the Willesden 'F' Sidings in London, just south of Wembley. Contracts out of the yard include loaded Spoil trains to Calvert land fill in Buckinghamshire. With more flows expected in the coming months.[citation needed]
Floyd Zrt. acquired three locomotives for use in Hungary. 56101 & 115 for operations in 2012 and 56117 as a spares donor in 2013.[41] 56115 suffered damage to one cab after hitting a lorry on a level crossing. Subsequently, it was repaired using a cab supplied by UKRL from 56106 in 2017 and 56117 was also brought into use.[42]
Although multiple members of the class have been purchased for preservation, most have re-entered mainline service. There is presently only one class 56 that is preserved.
| Number | Name | Livery | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56006 | - | BR Blue | East Lancashire Railway | Owned by Class 56 Group |
Mainline Railways introducedOO gauge Class 56s in 1983; one in BR large logo livery and 56079 in BR blue.[44] It was later re-issued byDapol Model Railways in their range. Following the sale by Dapol of their tooling to Hornby, in 1998Hornby Railways launched its first version of the BR Class 56 in OO gauge, using the former Mainline Railways tooling.[45] In late 2007, Hornby introduced a completely new, re-tooled range of BR Class 56 models in OO gauge, with examples in BR blue and Railfreight grey liveries.[46] A couple of months later in early 2008, Hornby added a third model in the form of 56128Burton Power Station, in Railfreight Coal Sector livery.[47]
{{cite magazine}}:Missing or empty|title= (help)[title missing]{{cite magazine}}:Missing or empty|title= (help)
