GBRF confirms conversion of Class 56s to Class 69s

[Ashley Hill]

A worthwhile livery. Things like this need promoting.

 

[Class15]

View attachment 179071

A worthwhile livery. Things like this need promoting.

I agree with this and it looks cool as well!

 

[Richard Scott]

A worthwhile livery. Things like this need promoting.

Absolutely, know of two young men one aged 18 and one aged 20 who have taken their lives in past 6 months. This is hugely important to promote.

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Another image:

 

[Sun Chariot]

Another image:

View attachment 179085

Super shot. 69013 was formerly Grid 56009, wasn't it? Is it the sole ex-Romanian example in the 69 programme?

Not at the mo, but will be outshoped with the livery eventually.
Might come out with usual GBRf livery with whiskers you know.

Well.....

 

[Richard Scott]

Super shot. 69013 was formerly Grid 56009, wasn't it? Is it the sole ex-Romanian example in the 69 programme?

Think it's ex 56003; 56009 is to become 69015, I understand. Other ex Romanian locos used were 56018 (69003) and 56007 (69005) so a fair number were Romanian built locos.

 

[Spaceship323]

56003 became DCR's 56312 which was in the rebuild programme

 

[Yorkshire09876]

Think it's ex 56003; 56009 is to become 69015, I understand. Other ex Romanian locos used were 56018 (69003) and 56007 (69005) so a fair number were Romanian built locos.

Yep, 4 Romanian ones - quite good considering that only 30 of them were built and they had a lot of problems early on.

There's only one Crewe-built loco in the conversion programme - 56128 which is now 69006.

 

[Wyrleybart]

Think it's ex 56003; 56009 is to become 69015, I understand. Other ex Romanian locos used were 56018 (69003) and 56007 (69005) so a fair number were Romanian built locos.

Is the quarterlight window on the cabside a giveaway ? Looks Romanian to me

Absolutely, know of two young men one aged 18 and one aged 20 who have taken their lives in past 6 months. This is hugely important to promote.

Definitely. I lost a colleague last year, but I suspect many of us have similar experiences.

Not convinced by all the script on the side of the loco. Needs to be much clearer so it can be easily read

 

[AlistairCowell]

That leaves just 69015 to be done now, I think it's only waiting on bogies.

 

[Pete_uk]

Dutch livery for the final one?

 

[Trainman40083]

Dutch livery for the final one?

Time will tell as to what livery 69015/69016 will be in.

 

[Sun Chariot]

This video, a walk-around 69013, is now on YouTube. I've no affiliation with the poster.

 

[D365]

This video, a walk-around 69013, is now on YouTube. I've no affiliation with the poster.

Another 69 video kindly shared by Bob Tiller.

 

[trainmania100]

Ending of the video suggests at least one more special livery then

 

[The_Train]

Has 69016 come from 56097?

Edit: Confirmed to have previously been 56097

 

[Wyrleybart]

Has 69016 come from 56097?

Not really sure but I believe 69015 and 69016 will not have those orange painted MU coupling arrangements on the cab fronts

 

[The_Train]

Not really sure but I believe 69015 and 69016 will not have those orange painted MU coupling arrangements on the cab fronts

Had it confirmed elsewhere that 69016 was indeed previously 56097

Edit: Also suggested that the test run it has undertaken has led it to Eastleigh for its repaint

 

[Spaceship323]

Had it confirmed elsewhere that 69016 was indeed previously 56097

Edit: Also suggested that the test run it has undertaken has led it to Eastleigh for its repaint

Yeah, there were pictures of it on f/b yesterday (gutted as it went right past my house and I missed it!)

 

[Mike_L_Surrey]

Not really sure but I believe 69015 and 69016 will not have those orange painted MU coupling arrangements on the cab fronts

If you look on FB in the ‘Class 69 Locomotive Group’ there are several photographs showing that some ‘69’s have a single orange fitting (sorry, not sure of exact terminology) on the cab front (including 69016 & 69005) . There’s also a recent photo by Rob Tiller which shows 69013 freshly painted with 2 fittings (1 orange, 1 yellow) next to 69016 in primer with 1 orange fitting.

 

[Sun Chariot]

If you look on FB in the ‘Class 69 Locomotive Group’ there are several photographs showing that some ‘69’s have a single orange fitting (sorry, not sure of exact terminology) on the cab front (including 69016 & 69005) . There’s also a recent photo by Rob Tiller which shows 69013 freshly painted with 2 fittings (1 orange, 1 yellow) next to 69016 in primer with 1 orange fitting.

That's right. The extra receptacle and wiring, on some 69s, provides capability for this (my 2024 photo shows 69011 dragging SWR 701019 toward Marchwood storage facility).

 

[scarby]

So that just leaves 69015 to emerge.

This I believe is built around the shell of 56009, which will complete a story of remarkable survival.

After withdrawal, 56009 was renumbered 56201 and its shell apparently occasionally used as some sort of test bed at Loughborough for 15 years before being sent off to Booths for scrapping.

This appeared to be the end of the road, but for even though it was nothing more than a shell it was for some reason bought and again stored for several years at Shackerstone.

It was then moved to Longport and at first appeared not to be on the main list for conversion but somehow slipped in.

Even though I guess it may only be the body shell of 56009/56201 that has contributed to 69015 it is still some story. It would be nice if it was painted in the electric blue livery it carried as 56201 or in original BR blue as 56009.

 

[birchesgreen]

Are there any possibilities they could built more?

 

[Trainman40083]

Are there any possibilities they could built more?

I guess that depends upon Colas or DCR wanting some.

 

[D365]

Are there any possibilities they could built more?

I guess that depends upon Colas or DCR wanting some.

This thread for speculation on the future of Colas Class 56s which are planned to be withdrawn over the course of this year.

 

[Yorkshire09876]

After withdrawal, 56009 was renumbered 56201 and its shell apparently occasionally used as some sort of test bed at Loughborough for 15 years before being sent off to Booths for scrapping.

It had 56201 written on the side, but there was never any formal renumbering - I assume it was just a joke by the staff at Brush. Think it was used as a testbed for the refurbished EMD 12-645 engines used in the Class 57 project, wasn't it?

As regards the sockets on the front of the 69s, all of them have the AAR multiple working socket - that's the large flat round orange socket in the middle of the front and is the same system as used on various locos, including Class 66 (the 69s can and have worked in multi with 66s).

The orange 'elephant's trunk' socket next to the AAR socket is for connecting to the electrical box on multiple unit couplers so that the brakes on the unit can be controlled. Locos 69008-69013 have these sockets, and the associated translator equipment in the locos.

 

[317362]

As someone who used to see '56201' relatively frequently in light blue out the back at Loughborough it's amazing it's back, apologies if missed and sorry for being lazy but when was it withdrawn as 56009?

 

[Yorkshire09876]

As someone who used to see '56201' relatively frequently in light blue out the back at Loughborough it's amazing it's back, apologies if missed and sorry for being lazy but when was it withdrawn as 56009?

March 1996 according to the list on WNXX.

 

[Royston Vasey]

Less than 20 years' service, structure and bogies are probably in great shape!

 

[norbitonflyer]

Yep, 4 Romanian ones - quite good considering that only 30 of them were built and they had a lot of problems early on.

That's a quarter of the class 69s, so about what you would expect since 30 out of 135 class 56s (22%) were Romanian

How many 56s were Crewe built?