British Rail Class 56
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
Class 56 is a type of diesel locomotive
designed for heavy freight work. It is a Type 5 locomotive, with a Ruston-Paxman
power unit developing 3,250 bhp
(2,423 kW
), and has a Co-Co wheel arrangement. The fleet was introduced between 1976 and 1983.
The first thirty locomotives (Nos.56001-56030) were built by Electroputere
in Romania
, but these suffered from poor construction standards and many were withdrawn from service early . The remaining 105 locomotives were built by BREL
at Doncaster Works (nos. 56031 to 56115) and Crewe Works
(Nos.56116 to 56135). Enthusiasts nicknamed them "Gridirons" (or "Grids" for short), due to the grid-like horn cover on the locomotive's cab ends fitted to nos. 56 056 on.
The engine is a direct descendent of English Electric
CSVT types, its closest relative being the 16CSVT used in the Class 50
. Technical advances included significantly uprated turbochargers, gear driven camshafts in place of the timing chain used on Class 50s, and uprated cylinder heads, fuel pumps and injectors. The engine was nominally rated at 3520 hp, but was set at 3250 hp for rail use.
s rather than direct current
(DC) generators
for the generation of traction current and auxiliary supply. This produces a far more robust power unit, and greatly reduces the risk of flash-overs and other earth faults. Traction supply was rectified
since the type employs DC traction motor
s. Many auxiliary machines (such as compressors and traction motor blowers) used the unrectified 3-phase AC output of the auxiliary alternator, and therefore run at a speed proportional to engine r.p.m.
E70 system. Earlier designs had variously been fitted with vacuum train brakes, or a dual braking system.
than the Class 58
. However, maintenance needs were high by modern standards, and notwithstanding significant investment by Trans-Rail
and Load-Haul
in their Class 56 fleets in the 1990s, the class could not compete with the more modern Class 66
in terms of availability or maintenance costs. As Class 66 imports gathered pace the writing was on the wall for EWS operated Class 56s, which looked increasingly like locomotives from another era.
in France, although all such locomotives have now returned to the UK. The rest work for Fastline
.
In 2006, two locomotives (56045 and 56124) were overhauled at Brush Traction and renumbered as 56301 and 56302 for Fastline
, the British freight company launched by Jarvis
. 56125 was returned to service after a less thorough overhaul by FMRail and numbered 56303. 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 have now dispensed with Class 56 operation due to the loss of intermodal traffic and operate Class 66s on their coal traffic. 56301 and 56302 are stored while 56303 has been returned to RVEL (successor to FMRail) and currently sits out of use at Derby, but in September 2009 it was repainted into Great Western Railway green livery, to mark the 175th anniversary of The Great Western Railway
in 2010. The loco was expected to move to the Severn Valley Railway
in October 2009 to participate in their 2009 diesel gala, before being used as part of the GWR 175 celebrations next year, but its involvement was subsequently shelved. The loco is however in use with the freight spot hire market, having twice been hired from RVEL to Colas Rail in late 2009 to work the Boston to Washwood Heath steel train and return empties.
Formerly preserved 56057 (renumbered 56311) and 56003 (renumbered 56312) are now operated by Hanson Traction
Ltd, and are frequently hired to Colas Rail to work their intermodal services between Dollands Moor and Hams Hall. They have also been used on Colas Rail's steel diagrams (which run between Boston and Washwood Heath currently) and their Dagenham to Dollands Moor "Transfesa" workings in London, supplementing Colas Rail's own class 47/7 fleet. It is not clear if 56311 or 312 will be repainted out of their non-standard liveries or not. 56114 and 128 are also owned by Hanson Traction but their use on the mainline is now uncertain, as 56114 (to become 56314) has donated its power unit to 56311, whilst 56128 (which was to become 56313) remains stored at Wansford (Nene Valley Railway
; Hanson's former base which they no longer use, instead favouring the former Alstom facility at Washwood Heath).
In September 2010, freight operator DB Schenker (formerly EWS) announced that all 43 stored class 56s in its fleet were up for sale with most expected to be sold for scrap.
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Class 56 is a type of diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
designed for heavy freight work. It is a Type 5 locomotive, with a Ruston-Paxman
Paxman (engines)
Paxman is a major British brand of diesel engines. Ownership has changed on a number of occasions since the company's formation in 1865, and now the brand is owned by MAN SE, as part of MAN Diesel & Turbo. At its peak, the Paxman works covered 23 acres and employed over 2,000 people. Engine...
power unit developing 3,250 bhp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(2,423 kW
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
), and has a Co-Co wheel arrangement. The fleet was introduced between 1976 and 1983.
The first thirty locomotives (Nos.56001-56030) were built by Electroputere
Electroputere
Electroputere S.A. , is a company based in Craiova, Romania. Founded in 1949, it is today one of the largest industrial companies in Romania....
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, but these suffered from poor construction standards and many were withdrawn from service early . The remaining 105 locomotives were built by BREL
BREL
British Rail Engineering Limited , was the railway systems engineering division of British Rail, until the design and building of trains in the UK was privatised in 1993. On 31 October 1969, the company was incorporated as British Rail Engineering Limited.-Main products:The vast majority of BREL's...
at Doncaster Works (nos. 56031 to 56115) and Crewe Works
Crewe Works
Crewe railway works is a British railway engineering facility built in 1840 by the Grand Junction Railway. It is located in the town of Crewe, in the county of Cheshire....
(Nos.56116 to 56135). Enthusiasts nicknamed them "Gridirons" (or "Grids" for short), due to the grid-like horn cover on the locomotive's cab ends fitted to nos. 56 056 on.
Engine
When introduced, Class 56s were arguably the first of the "second generation" of UK diesel locomotives.The engine is a direct descendent of English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
CSVT types, its closest relative being the 16CSVT used in the Class 50
British Rail Class 50
The British Rail Class 50 is a diesel locomotive built from 1967-68 by English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry Works in Newton-le-Willows. Fifty of these locomotives were built to haul express passenger trains on the, then non-electrified, section of the West Coast Main Line between Crewe,...
. Technical advances included significantly uprated turbochargers, gear driven camshafts in place of the timing chain used on Class 50s, and uprated cylinder heads, fuel pumps and injectors. The engine was nominally rated at 3520 hp, but was set at 3250 hp for rail use.
Electrical equipment
A key difference between Class 56s and the earlier designs of the 1950s and 1960s is the use of self-exciting alternatorAlternator
An alternator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.Most alternators use a rotating magnetic field but linear alternators are occasionally used...
s rather than direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
(DC) generators
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
for the generation of traction current and auxiliary supply. This produces a far more robust power unit, and greatly reduces the risk of flash-overs and other earth faults. Traction supply was rectified
Rectifier
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current , which periodically reverses direction, to direct current , which flows in only one direction. The process is known as rectification...
since the type employs DC traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s. Many auxiliary machines (such as compressors and traction motor blowers) used the unrectified 3-phase AC output of the auxiliary alternator, and therefore run at a speed proportional to engine r.p.m.
Brakes
Class 56s were the first British Rail diesel type to be built with air train brakes only, using the Davies and MetcalfeDavies and Metcalfe
Davies and Metcalfe Ltd was a railway equipment and locomotive manufacturer from Romiley, Manchester, England originally founded in Aberystwyth in 1878...
E70 system. Earlier designs had variously been fitted with vacuum train brakes, or a dual braking system.
Operation
In service the Class 56 proved to be a strong and capable locomotive, and less prone to wheelslipWheelslip
Articles on Wheelslip include:* Locomotive wheelslip, railways* Wheelspin, road vehicles* Wheelspin...
than the Class 58
British Rail Class 58
The British Rail Class 58 is a class of Co-Co diesel locomotive designed for heavy freight. Introduced in 1983, they followed American practice of modularisation. From new they were painted in grey Railfreight Sector livery, instead of BR blue...
. However, maintenance needs were high by modern standards, and notwithstanding significant investment by Trans-Rail
Trans-Rail
Transrail Freight Ltd. was a trainload railfreight operator based in South West England, Wales, the North West and Scotland. It was formed in 1994 prior to the privatisation of British Rail...
and Load-Haul
Load-Haul
Loadhaul Ltd. was a railfreight operator based in the north-east of the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1994, prior to the privatisation of British Rail...
in their Class 56 fleets in the 1990s, the class could not compete with the more modern Class 66
British Rail Class 66
The Class 66 is a six axle diesel electric freight locomotive developed in part from the British Rail Class 59, for use on the railways of the UK. Since its introduction the class has been successful and has been sold to British and other European railway companies...
in terms of availability or maintenance costs. As Class 66 imports gathered pace the writing was on the wall for EWS operated Class 56s, which looked increasingly like locomotives from another era.
Class 56s today
Most examples were withdrawn by EWS on 31 March 2004. Some were subsequently reinstated for use on construction trains connected with the LGV EstLGV Est
The LGV Est européenne is an extension to the French high-speed rail network, connecting currently Vaires-sur-Marne and Baudrecourt , and later Vaires-sur-Marne and Vendenheim . , it is the newest high-speed line in France and still under construction, with of a planned in service...
in France, although all such locomotives have now returned to the UK. The rest work for Fastline
Fastline
Fastline was a railway freight operator. It was part of Jarvis plc. It ceased trading when Jarvis plc entered administration and subsequently ceased trading in late March 2010. The company is in administration with N.G. Edwards, N.B. Kahn, P.S. Bowers and I. Brown of Deloitte LLP.They operated a...
.
In 2006, two locomotives (56045 and 56124) were overhauled at Brush Traction and renumbered as 56301 and 56302 for Fastline
Fastline
Fastline was a railway freight operator. It was part of Jarvis plc. It ceased trading when Jarvis plc entered administration and subsequently ceased trading in late March 2010. The company is in administration with N.G. Edwards, N.B. Kahn, P.S. Bowers and I. Brown of Deloitte LLP.They operated a...
, the British freight company launched by Jarvis
Jarvis
Jarvis is a surname and, less frequently, a male given name.* Ann Jarvis , social activist, founder of Mother's day holiday.* Anna Jarvis , daughter of Ann Jarvis.* Jarvis Cocker Jarvis is a surname and, less frequently, a male given name.* Ann Jarvis (1832 - 1905), social activist, founder of...
. 56125 was returned to service after a less thorough overhaul by FMRail and numbered 56303. 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 have now dispensed with Class 56 operation due to the loss of intermodal traffic and operate Class 66s on their coal traffic. 56301 and 56302 are stored while 56303 has been returned to RVEL (successor to FMRail) and currently sits out of use at Derby, but in September 2009 it was repainted into Great Western Railway green livery, to mark the 175th anniversary of The Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
in 2010. The loco was expected to move to the Severn Valley Railway
Severn Valley Railway
The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...
in October 2009 to participate in their 2009 diesel gala, before being used as part of the GWR 175 celebrations next year, but its involvement was subsequently shelved. The loco is however in use with the freight spot hire market, having twice been hired from RVEL to Colas Rail in late 2009 to work the Boston to Washwood Heath steel train and return empties.
Formerly preserved 56057 (renumbered 56311) and 56003 (renumbered 56312) are now operated by Hanson Traction
Hanson Traction
Hanson Traction Ltd are a locomotive leasing company based at Washwood Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands.The company own seven locomotives, consisting of four class 56's , one class 50 and two class 31's....
Ltd, and are frequently hired to Colas Rail to work their intermodal services between Dollands Moor and Hams Hall. They have also been used on Colas Rail's steel diagrams (which run between Boston and Washwood Heath currently) and their Dagenham to Dollands Moor "Transfesa" workings in London, supplementing Colas Rail's own class 47/7 fleet. It is not clear if 56311 or 312 will be repainted out of their non-standard liveries or not. 56114 and 128 are also owned by Hanson Traction but their use on the mainline is now uncertain, as 56114 (to become 56314) has donated its power unit to 56311, whilst 56128 (which was to become 56313) remains stored at Wansford (Nene Valley Railway
Nene Valley Railway
The Nene Valley Railway is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire, England, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell Junction. The line is currently seven and a half miles in length...
; Hanson's former base which they no longer use, instead favouring the former Alstom facility at Washwood Heath).
In September 2010, freight operator DB Schenker (formerly EWS) announced that all 43 stored class 56s in its fleet were up for sale with most expected to be sold for scrap.
Preservation
Eight Class 56s are currently preserved.| Number | Name | Livery | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56006 | - | BR Blue | Barrow Hill Roundhouse Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Roundhouse & Railway Centre, until 1948 known as Staveley Roundhouse & Train Centre, is a former Midland Railway roundhouse in Barrow Hill, near Staveley and Chesterfield, Derbyshire .-History:... |
Stored. (Owned by DBS DB Schenker Rail (UK) DB Schenker Rail , before 2009 known as English, Welsh and Scottish Railway is a British rail freight company. EWS was established by a consortium led by Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation in 1996 by acquisition of five of the six freight companies created by the privatisation of British... ) |
| 56086 | - | BR Large Logo Blue | Battlefield Line Railway Battlefield Line Railway The Battlefield Line Railway is a heritage railway in Leicestershire, England. It runs from Shackerstone to Shenton , via Market Bosworth, a total of... |
Operational. |
| 56097 | - | Railfreight Triple Grey (Coal Sector) | Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre The Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre is a heritage centre based at Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, the terminus of the northern section of the Great Central Railway . The site includes locomotive and rolling stock workshops , as well as cafeteria and shops... |
Operational. |
| 56098 | - | Load Haul | Battlefield Line | Undergoing repair. |
| 56101 | Frank Hornby Frank Hornby Frank Hornby was an English inventor, businessman and politician. He was a visionary in toy development and manufacture and produced three of the most popular lines of toys in the twentieth century: Meccano, Hornby Model Railways and Dinky Toys... |
BR Large Logo Blue | Barrow Hill Roundhouse | Undergoing repair. |
| 56301 | - | Fastline Freight | Burton Depot | Operational. |
| 56302 | - | Fastline Freight | Dereham Dereham Dereham, also known as East Dereham, is a town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the A47 road, some 15 miles west of the city of Norwich and 25 miles east of King's Lynn. The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of... |
Operational. |