Just a quick photo and a few words, after what has been a very tiring but very satisfying weekend for the team which provided support for 56006 during the weekend gala.
Before 56006 got to haul her first train on Saturday, it was called upon to shunt a failed 47765 to the shed for repairs. Our grid then took up the planned duty and completed all workings over the weekend without any problems.
The hard work put in by everyone during recent weeks shouldn’t be underestimated and often went beyond what could be reasonably expected of our volunteers. The attached photograph was taken just before 56006 finished the weekends duties and retired to Bury Baron Street shed. Well done guys, the grins say it all really.
Keith.
56006 is receiving some last minute cosmetic attention prior to working the 1150 Bury – Rawtenstall tomorrow.
56113 reported as the loco for the GBRf railtour to Fort William tomorrow.
Work continues to get 56006 ready for next weeks gala. C56G volunteers spent today addressing a couple of faults on the two drivers emergency plungers on the locomotive’s brake system (one in each cab). Those who attended the East Lancashire Railway last July, when 56006 suffered a temporary brake problem when running round at Rawtenstall, will have seen the result of the failure of one of these switches to reset correctly.
We’re glad to report that by the time we’d finished mid afternoon today, both valves were working correctly and reliably. A sticky DSD pedal was attended to and a defective cab door handle replaced.
The work on the two valves involved some preliminary work before we could even get to the valves; removal of the drivers desk cladding, both drivers seats and the associated heaters.
That said, even before the preliminary work could begin, we had to get to Bury Bolton Street shed. I was there early and managed to miss the road closures associated with a local 10k run, which delayed my colleague on his way in from West Yorkshire.
Once removed from the drivers desk the valves were freed, disassembled, checked for damage or wear, greased and reassembled. They were then checked many times to ensure they operated, and more critically, reset after each operation. They passed testing and were then refitted to the locomotive.
56006 was then started up and the compressors built up the pressure in the brake system. Once the auto air pipe governor kicked in and the brake pipe gauge rose to the required 5 bar (72 PSI in old money!), we could press the emergency plunger and check the air pressure dropped to zero instantly. It did and then when the plunger was pulled back up, the brake pressure was restored as it should do. Once the same test was successfully completed in No. 1 cab, the loco was declared fit again.
I’ve deliberately written a bit more about today’s work on 56006 to demonstrate the kind of work we carry out, but also to hopefully encourage anyone interested in helping with 56006 to get involved. It’s not all technical work though and if anyone can use a rag and a paintbrush then 56006 is a bit like the Forth Rail Bridge; it needs constant care and attention to make sure it looks and works well.
Given we haven’t had the best of starts in our first year at the ELR, we’re keen to have a big push with work on 56006 to make sure the locomotive remains operational and reliable during the next few years.
As always, any training required will be provided, especially in how to work safely in the ELR environment. Applications are particularly welcomed from contortionists, detectives, clairvoyants and double jointed individuals!!!!!!
Seriously, if anyone is interested in getting involved please use the contact details on this website or speak to me in person next weekend at the ELR gala. Even if you don’t want to volunteer, please say hello if you spot me (I should be wearing my trusty Oystermouth baseball cap).
INFORMATION JUST RECEIVED (SUBJECT TO THE USUAL DISCLAIMERS!)
56006 has several booked turns over the gala weekend, these include:
Saturday 22/09, 1150 Bury – Rawtenstall – Bury – Heywood (arr 1349), then 1405 Heywood – Bury. Loco then stables until it is attached to the rear of 1900 Bury – Rawtenstall, then works 1935 Rawtenstall – Heywood.
Sunday 23/09, 56006 is attached to the rear of 0920 Bury – Rawtenstall, then works 1006 Rawtenstall – Heywood. Then the loco tails 1125 Heywood – Rawtenstall before working 1246 Rawtenstall – Heywood. Finally, it returns as tail engine on the 1405 to Bury, arriving at 1418. 56006 then goes onto shed.
The Class 56 Group have a number of Strathwood publications for sale.
These are new books and are available on our eBay site.
Link as follows:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/keith56129/m.html?item=302883173533&hash=item46853e749d%3Ag%3AuRgAAOSw3qJbm1xp&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562
Another image of 56128. Photo copyright: Phillip Betesta.
Sunday 8/9/19
By way of update , and demonstrating the truth of our post of almost a year ago, 56128 now resides at Longport and although initilally lined up as a standby in case any of the other 56’s dropped out of the program, it is understood the loco could now form part of the project .
Similar things happened with the class 57/0 project when a locomotive was found to have been suffering from a collision many years previously. The damage rled the loco out of becoming a 57/0 and anothe rclass 47 took its place.
If 56128 were to become a class 69 it would be one of a handful of surviving Crewe built locos. Crewe BREL built 56116-56135 to allow Doncaster to switch over to class 58 production . The srvivors being:-
56117- Floyd- Hngary – stored as source of spares.
56124- as 56302 – in service with Colas
56125 – as 56303 – collision damaged at Wembley.
56128- Longport- standby for Class 69 repower project.
By way of comparisson the ‘ poor quality’ Romanian batch seem to have faired slightly better in terms of number of locos surviving:-
56003-running as 56312- operational
56006- preserved-operational
56007- part of Class 69 repower project
56009- as 56007
56018 as 56007
Monday 10/09/18.
Further to the recent reports on the road movement of 56128, we received the above image from Phillip Betesta.
There was a time when any photograph of a loco heading to a scrapyard could be confidently captioned with the phrase ‘final journey’. However, recent times seem to have proved this to be incorrect, as several locos have reappeared again. Let’s hope the future is brighter for 56128 this time around?
Interestingly, the loco carries round OLEO buffers at both ends. As a Crewe built loco, 56128 would have had oval buffers fitted throughout its working life. The only known exception being 56125 which carried a set of round OLEOs at one end only for a period.
Tuesday 11/09/18
With thanks to George Odlum for the image. 56103 passing Harringay in its new livery yesterday afternoon, working the 0Z27 Upper Holloway Up Goods Loop – Ferme Park:
56128 heads for Longport – 56128 has become the seventh class 56 to move to Electro-Motive Diesel Ltd’s plant at Longport for potential re-engineering with GBRf, joining 009, 031, 032, 037, 069 & 311 already on site. It was noted heading south along the M1 motorway yesterday afternoon, en route from CF Booth’s scrap yard in Rotherham, on the back of a low-loader lorry.
Monday 10th September 2018
DCR ‘Grid’ on the move – 56103 has finally broken cover from Willesden today, being deployed to work a number of DC Rail route learners. It worked the 0Z23 0730 Willesden DC Rail Sidings – Ferme Park Reception Sidings, 0Z24 0829 Ferme Park RS – Cricklewood Up Goods Loop, 0Z25 0904 Cricklewood UGL – Ferme Park RS, 0Z26 1034 Ferme Park RS – Upper Holloway Up Goods Loop, 0Z27 1257 Upper Holloway UGL – Ferme Park RS and finally the 0Z28 1432 Ferme Park RS – Willesden DC Rail Sidings. These trips are in readiness for DC Rail recommencing traffic to Barrington, which is once again likely to produce class 56 traction.
Colas Rail movements – 56087 & 56094 worked the 6M32 Lindsey Oil Refinery – Preston Docks (Ribble Rail) & 6E32 return today, whilst 56302 ran light engine from Grangemouth to View Park this morning as 0Z11.
Class 56 Image Collection – John Hooson, a long time group member and keen supporter of the class, has kindly offered to share a link to his excellent class 56 image collection, depicting various loco members (both on the mainline and in preservation) taken across the length and breadth of the country over the last 35 years or so. Please follow this link.
Sunday 9th September
The Class 56 Group can happily report that 56006 successfully completed its test run today and will be added to the roster for the upcoming diesel gala at the East Lancashire Railway.
On Thursday (6th September), the loco had its repairs completed and passed a fitness to run (FTR) examination prior to undergoing testing, working a late morning departure over the full length of the line from Bury to Heywood and back. 47402 was partnering it for insurance, replacing Class 14 D9531 which was earmarked for this role initially.
More news, including final locomotive diagrams for the gala, will be made available in due course.
Tuesday 4th September 2018
56103 – The repaint / vinyl of 56103 into the new DC Rail colours at Willesden is now reportedly complete.
Colas Rail latest – 56090 & 56113 have now been replaced on the logs by 70817, their final appearance (for now) being Saturday’s 6V38 1309 Carlisle Yard – Chirk Kronospan after which the pair ran light engine to Crewe Basford Hall. As leaf fall season beckons for many of the Colas 56s once again this year, 56078 hauled the first two RHTT sets from York Thrall Europa to Coleham (Shrewsbury) as 6Z56 on Friday. Colas are thought to be operating the Shrewsbury and Gloucester-based trains again this year but also the Crewe / Matlock and Midland Main Line circuits too.
56105 has now left Peak Forest, with movement utilising a wheel skate undertaken by 56087 & 090 last night. Running as 8Z56 to Longsight Up & Down Goods Loop (from where a road move could be facilitated), the trio departed Peak Forest just before midnight via Chinley, Hazel Grove and Stockport. 087 & 090 then worked light engine to Crewe Basford Hall, 113 this morning then continuing solo to Nottingham Eastcroft for routine maintenance. 56105, meanwhile, was moved from Longsight to Nottingham Eastcroft on the back of a low loader. It was observed heading east near Huddersfield on the M62 yesterday afternoon (thanks to Derek Moore for the sighting report).
56087 & 56094 could be found working the Preston Docks tanks yesterday, whilst 56302 remains the only member of the class situated north of the border at Grangemouth. Over the weekend, 56096 and 094 were both engaged in engineers duties, with 096 working from Doncaster to Shireoaks / Worksop and 094 in charge of a rail discharge train from Toton to Loughborough / Syston. Both returned to Doncaster on Sunday morning.