GBRF confirms conversion of Class 56s to Class 69s

[fgwrich]

Not quite! It's only the Chiltern eight, and it's a cut down version which allows control from the DVT but not full multiple working with other locos.

You did include 67s, which are also not used by GBRF

*Were used by GBRf (and worked in Multi with the Caledonian Sleeper 73/9s) but this is drifting the thread now.

 

[K.o.R]

It is and it isn't an extra light really - the 56s always had a cyclops light above the horn grid, so they've just replicated that. As were, a late change I believe, the switch to use the BMACs Vertically than Horizontally, as per the 73/9s.

What's also interesting to see is the same AAR Multiple Working socket on the front too - therefor allowing interoperability with the 59/66/67 & 73/9 series. Very clever!

It looks like there is another light immediately above the one that was on the original 56 front. Never mind, I took a closer look, that's not a light, it's a connector of some kind.

 

[fgwrich]

It looks like there is another light immediately above the one that was on the original 56 front. Never mind, I took a closer look, that's not a light, it's a connector of some kind.

That will be the new AAR Multi Socket. Virtually the same place on all EMD type locos as well as the 73/9s. (About 3 minutes into the video above you can see the 73 multi-ing with the 67)

 

[Jamesrob637]

I passed Longport last night but it was dark - think I saw a body shell?

 

[ExRes]

I passed Longport last night but it was dark - think I saw a body shell?

There are 6 body shells at Longport

 

[ExRes]

Things moving on with the conversion of 69001, it's reported that the loco is due to be started up this month before a transfer in the new year to the Severn Valley Railway for dynamic testing and then painting at Arlington Services, I understand that the latest issue of Rail has/will have an article

 

[ExRes]

Latest update on the 69s courtesy of WNXX (subscription section) today

56031 - 2nd bodyshell prepared but 1st to be rebuilt
56311 - 1st shell prepared likely to be 2nd rebuilt
56018 - 3rd shell prepared
56069 - 4th shell prepared
56007 - 5th shell prepared
56128 - 6th shell prepared
56037 - 7th shell prepared

These 7 are all at Longport

56038 - shell being prepared at Marcroft
56060 - shell being prepared at Marcroft

56065 - potentially the 10th shell at Longport

 

[trainmania100]

A picture from Facebook but they didn't specify a source/copyright information
Can just make out 56031 scribbled on the side.

Has anyone got any mockups of what they plan to look like in their livery when done - I assume they're building them according to some sort of plan, has anyone got any pics of the artist impression final build?

 

[Roast Veg]

Won't they just look like that but in gbrf livery? Either in the style of the class 47s or (more likely) the class 50s I would have thought.

 

[BRX]

Article here

EXCLUSIVE: The GB Railfreight Class 69 project explained

Inside the GBRf Class 69 project

www.railmagazine.com

GB Railfreight has announced that testing of the first Class 69s should begin on the Severn Valley Railway in January, with the locomotives entering traffic later in the year.


Ten Class 56s are being converted into ‘69s’ by Progress Rail at its Longport facility, near Stoke-on-Trent. They are required to meet GBRf’s growing portfolio.


Speaking exclusively to RAIL, GBRf Engineering Director Bob Tiller said that work was under way on seven locomotives, with three more to follow. The contract includes an option for a further six if required.


The idea to re-engine Class 56s, which were built in 1976-84, first surfaced just after the Trainload freight companies set up just before privatisation (Loadhaul, Mainline and Transrail) were acquired by Wisconsin Central to create what became English, Welsh & Scottish Railways (EWS). The Americans looked to upgrade existing British Rail fleets (such as the ‘56s’) before instead ordering 250 Class 66s, so no design was ever taken forward.

 

[dgl]

GBRf have stated on linked in that the first class 69 is now on the load bank and should go on to testing soon.

GB Railfreight on LinkedIn: #emd #severnvalleyrailway #class69 | 14 comments

Progress had been made on our Class 69s by #EMD at Longport. Load bank testing was recently completed on Class 69001 with its engine now powering and… | 14 comments on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com

Progress had been made on our Class 69s by #EMD at Longport. Load bank testing was recently completed on Class 69001 with its engine now powering and compressor running. We look forward to carrying out testing on the #SevernValleyRailway soon.

 

[trainmania100]

Great progress at longport (no pun intended), would be nice to see maybe a BR large logo livery on one of them to celebrate the accomplishment

 

[Ash Bridge]

Great progress at longport (no pun intended), would be nice to see maybe a BR large logo livery on one of them to celebrate the accomplishment

Well you never know with GBRf!

 

[Bob Price]

It moves...

https://twitter.com/Richard_rail/status/1353000637722734593?s=19

Video of @GBRailfreight 69001 moving under its own power at Longport. The pic quality is poor as the settings were wrong, but it’s still worth sharing! CLIFF BEETON. Want to know more? Read our @RAIL exclusive into the project from a few issues back: https://railmagazine.com/news/fleet/exc

 

[trainmania100]

Nice to have the progress rail livery one stand out from the rest , as per the Twitter comment on the above link.

 

[fgwrich]

It moves...

https://twitter.com/Richard_rail/status/1353000637722734593?s=19

I mean it sounds... just like everyone expected it to to be honest. But it’s good to see one moving under its own power at last. Hopefully it won’t be too long before it moves to the SVR then Eastleigh for painting.

 

[nowinaminute]

Slightly better version of that linkedin photo

 

[XAM2175]

I mean it sounds... just like everyone expected it to to be honest.

Judging by the comments on the tweet a large number of people did not expect it to sound like that

 

[DB]

Judging by the comments on the tweet a large number of people did not expect it to sound like that

I've not actually watched the clip, but I would hazard a guess that it sounds very much like a 66/67 given that it has the same engine as them! How could anyone expect otherwise?

 

[XAM2175]

... I would hazard a guess that it sounds very much like a 66/67 given that it has the same engine as them! How could anyone expect otherwise?

I can only imagine that they missed the memo!

 

[BRX]

A 67 manages to sound somewhat different from a 66, by whatever means, so it wouldn't be totally unreasonable to expect these might also have a distinctive sound in some way or other.

 

[DB]

A 67 manages to sound somewhat different from a 66, by whatever means, so it wouldn't be totally unreasonable to expect these might also have a distinctive sound in some way or other.

It sounds a little bit different, because it has a smaller silencer and different cooler group - still has the characteristic two-stroke ying-ying sound though.

From the photos, the 69 appears to have silencer and cooler group which are more similar to a 66, so I'd expect it to sound closer to them.

 

[ExRes]

An update today on WNXX (subscription section) that 69001, still registered as 56031, is due to move from Longport to the Severn Valley Railway next week to begin running tests

 

[Photohunter71]

Sounds exactly as I expected.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

There’s a path in for 11th Feb for what is rumoured to be a 69 move to the SVR:

Realtime Trains - 0Z69 1300 Longport F.D. to Kidderminster S.V.R.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Jamesrob637]

There’s a path in for 11th Feb for what is rumoured to be a 69 move to the SVR:

Realtime Trains - 0Z69 1300 Longport F.D. to Kidderminster S.V.R.

Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the Great British railway network using open data.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Will it be top 'n' tailed?

My door is open in case I need to run out of it

 

[Bob Price]

Passing the Bushbury webcam. I will put that in my diary

Cancelled. Apparently it's not ready

 

[ExRes]

RTT schedule in for 1300 0Z69 Longport FD to Kidderminster SVR on Monday

 

[Bob Price]

Not being funny but is it ready now? Is this likely to happen?

 

[RichardTBC]

RTT schedule in for 1300 0Z69 Longport FD to Kidderminster SVR on Monday

Already showing as cancelled on RTT!