Tuesday 24th July 2018
56301 made its first foray onto the mainline (under its own power) for some time yesterday morning, running as 0Z26 1127 Leicester LIP – Knighton Junction with 56081 to collect 27059, returning as 0Z27 1258 Knighton Junction – Leicester LIP. The 27 had arrived at Knighton by road earlier this year from Tyseley, the sidings here having been reinstated as a road transfer point as Leicester Depot itself is deemed unsuitable for such maneuvers. However, upon arriving at Knighton the 27 was unable to be moved and both 56s returned to Leicester solo.
56105 has swapped places with 56113 as the hired-in Peak Forest shunt loco for Victa Railfreight / GBRf, running as 0Z56 Crewe Basford Hall – Peak Forest on Thursday (19th July) with 56113 going the other way back to Crewe the same morning.
56096 has joined 56094 on the 6M32 / 6E32 Preston Docks circuit this week, replacing 56090 which was on the train last week. 090 is undergoing routine maintenance at Barnetby Sidings. All three locos again featured on engineers trains from Doncaster over the course of the weekend, with 096 working to and from Hemsworth Loop on 6C87 and 090 / 094 working to and from Sheffield on 6C52.
Next in line for reinstatement to front line service with Colas, 56049 has now moved pools from COLS to COFS, signalling the strong likelihood of a mainline test run in the very near future.
Monday 16th July 2018
GBRf’s 56069, which was last week moved to the newly formed GBGS pool along with 56031, 032, 037 & 311, was hauled from Leicester Depot to Longport as 0M70 on Friday (13th July) with 66781 doing the honours.
56090 & 56094 appeared on the 6M32 Lindsey Oil Refinery – Preston Docks (Ribble Rail) & 6E32 return diagram from Monday (9th July) right through to Friday last week and can be found on the same working today.
Four members of the class were engaged in engineering trains this weekend just gone. 56096 worked Saturday’s 6C80 2253 Doncaster Belmont Down Yard – St James Junction and Sunday’s 6C80 0800 Conisbrough GPLS883 – Doncaster Belmont Down Yard, 56090 & 56094 worked Saturday’s 6C52 2237 Doncaster Up Decoy – Sheffield and Sunday’s 6C52 0740 Sheffield – Doncaster Up Decoy whilst 56078 was paired with 60021 on Friday’s 6C55 2214 Crewe TMD to Blackrod (Chorley) and last night’s 6C55 0001 Euxton Junction – Crewe TMD return.
Tuesday 10th July 2018
Following a couple of unsuccessful attempts, the first number of class 56s purchased by GBRf were finally moved from Leicester LIP to the EMD facility at Longport on Friday morning (6th July). 66769 was deployed to undertake the movement, which ran as 0M70 conveying 56031, 56032, 56037 & 56311. These four join 56009, which arrived at Longport by road on the morning of 29th June from Shackerstone. In addition, a new pool code has been created for all but one of the 56s located at Longport, with 56031/032/037 moving from UKRS to GBGS and 56311 from HTLX to GBGS. 56069, which is still at Leicester, has also moved to this new pool from UKRS. 56009 is not currently registered to the system and hasn’t been for a number of years.
56090 has now been released into circulation with Colas Railfreight, double-heading the 6M32 Lindsey Oil Refinery – Preston Docks (Ribble Rail) and 6E32 return with classmate 56094, both today and yesterday. The pair should remain on this flow all week.
Thursday 6th July 2018.
A schedule has, once again, been inputted onto the system for the movement of the first batch of class 56s from Leicester to Longport tomorrow:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R00050/2018/07/06/advanced
Friday 29th June 2018
Although the rearranged movement of GBRf class 56s from Leicester to Longport did once again not take place yesterday, 56009 (which is one of the sixteen sold to GBRf) was successfully moved away by road from Shackerstone (Battlefield Line Railway) to Longport, being sighted on the A50 heading westbound during the afternoon.
DC Rail’s 56103 made an appearance on the Barrington spoil train on Monday, with Garcia Hanson’s 50008 dead in train for insurance, this being 56103’s first loaded mainline freight working for some time. Although currently running sporadically, it is thought the trains will settle down into a more regular diagram again in the near future. Another trip is planned for next Monday (2nd July) which should feature the same locos.
Following damage sustained during an accident at Wembley earlier this month, it would appear that 56303 has been sold to UK Rail Leasing from RMS Locotec. The locomotive had been on hire to DC Rail but has also been used by Loram on Rail Grinder movements.
Wednesday 27th June 2018
**These moves were sadly CANCELLED again**
Another attempt at moving the first small batch of class 56s sold to GBRf, from Leicester Depot to the EMD facility at Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, should be taking place tomorrow morning. Timings are as follows:
0M69 (GBRf class 66 solo from Peterborough Depot)
http://www.realtimetrains.co.
0M70 (GBRf class 66 with presumably 56031, 56311 & 56037)
http://www.realtimetrains.co.
Thursday 21st June 2018
Last updated at 13:10
Unfortunately, the planned movement of class 56s from Leicester LIP to Longport did not take place today. Hauling locomotive, GB Railfreight’s unique ‘Maritime’ liveried 66727, arrived with 66708 (also bound for Longport for contracted maintenance) and 56031, 56311 & 56037 were marshalled between the two locomotives. However, they were later removed from the consist and returned to the depot sidings due to paperwork issues.
Colas Rail’s 56090 is undertaking another test run this afternoon from Nottingham Eastcroft to Sleaford and back, running as 0Z56 along with 56094, 50017, 50050 & 56078. Timings here. 56090 is tailing from Nottingham but will lead back from Sleaford.
There is a DC Rail operated wagon movement in the system for tomorrow from Leicester LIP to Willesden DC Rail Sidings, which may feature 56103. Timings are as follows:
6L01 Leicester L.I.P. 1125 Leicester 1128 Wigston North Jn 1133 Market Harborough 1146 Kettering 1157 Harrowden Jn 1202 Wellingborough 1206 Sharnbrook Jn. 1221 Bedford North Jn. 1230 Bedford 1231-1238 Bedford South Jn. 1241 Flitwick 1254 Harlington 1257 Sundon South Jn 1258 Leagrave Jn 1301 Luton 1305 Harpenden Jn 1312 St Albans City 1317 Radlett Jn 1324 Silkstream Junction 1331 Hendon 1336 Brent Curve Jn 1343 Dudding Hill Jn 1347-1356 Acton Canal Wharf 1404-1428 Willesden No. 7 1432 Willesden DC Rail Sidings 1442
Wednesday 20th June 2018
The first batch of class 56s sold to GBRf should be moving to Longport tomorrow (Thursday) behind one of their class 66 locomotives.
Timings are as follows:
0M69 (class 66)
Peterborough Maintenance Shed 0757
Peterborough Eastfield Jn 0800-0804
New England North Jn 0810
Helpston Jn. 0814
Uffington S.B. 0820
Ketton S.B. 0827
Luffenham 0829
Manton Jn 0834
Oakham 0837
Langham Jn. 0838
Ashwell L.C. 0841
Whissendine L.C. 0846
Melton Mowbray 0853
Frisby 0857
Syston East Jn 0905
Syston South Jn 0905
Leicester 0913-0918
Leicester L.I.P. 0920
0M70 (class 66 with four 56s)
Leicester L.I.P. 1000
Leicester 1004
Wigston North Jn 1010
Croft 1016
Hinckley 1022
Nuneaton 1028-1030
Nuneaton Abbey Jn 1033
Whitacre Down Arley Loop 1050-1058
Whitacre Jn 1100
Coleshill Parkway 1103
Water Orton 1105
Water Orton West Jn 1106
Park Lane Jn 1108
Ryecroft Jn 1132
Walsall 1134
Pleck Jn 1136
Darlaston Jn 1139
Portobello Jn 1144
Bushbury Jn 1201
Stafford Trent Valley Jn 1216
Stafford 1217
Searchlight Lane Jn 1222
Madeley 1234
Crewe Basford Hall Jn 1241
Crewe 1244-1334
Crewe South Junction NSJ 1339
Barthomley Jn 1342
Alsager 1345
Kidsgrove 1349-1408
Bradwell Junction 1412
Longport Jn 1413
Longport F.D. 1420
Tuesday 19th June 2018
Last updated at 21:00
DC Rail’s 56103 has returned to mainline traffic today, working the 0Z38 1030 Leicester LIP – Doncaster Up Decoy with Garcia Hanson’s 50008. It then returned south on the 6Z65 1415 Doncaster Up Decoy – Leicester LIP, hauling a single PNA wagon with 50008 on the rear. This marks 56103’s first outing under it’s own power since 20th April 2016, when it ran light engine from Bristol to Washwood Heath. The locomotive was then hauled, along with 56091, from Washwood Heath to Leicester Depot on 9th December 2017 by 56303.
Sunday 17th June 2018
GB Railfreight (GBRf) has this week confirmed that it has acquired sixteen class 56 locomotives from UK Rail Leasing Ltd (UKRL), along with a number of spares and materials.
The purchase, which includes a mixture of both serviceable and stored, non-operational ‘donor’ locomotives, is a result of the continued growth in the railway services that GBRf provide. The company could not confirm nor deny any prospective plans for re-engineering the locomotives at this stage, as this is still subject to the final contract. However, it has stated that some of the locos will be moved from Leicester to various locations across the UK for further storage pending the option of re-engineering, whilst a small number could remain at Leicester and returned to service as ‘standard’ class 56s.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/29023902838/sizes/l
Above: A glimpse into the future? A rough idea of what a class 56 might look like in GBRf colours. Image copyright: Garry Luck (based on an original photo by Ben Wheeler).
In a statement by the company, GBRf Managing Director John Smith said:
“This is an important deal for us as it provides much needed capacity for our expanding business. At a time when rail freight is facing an uncertain future, GBRf is able to say it is growing and confident that the industry will overcome current challenges. With ambitious housing and infrastructure targets, growing consumer demand, and the need to reduce carbon emissions, rail freight must be ready to play a central role.”
Although exact locomotive numbers are yet to be officially identified, it is thought that they include 56007, 018, 031, 032, 037, 038, 060, 065, 069, 077, 081, 098, 104 & 106 from Leicester and also 56009, which is currently located at the Battlefield Line Railway along with 56128, which has been at CF Booth’s scrap yard in Rotherham since last year.
The Class 56 Group’s two locomotives, 56006 & 56301, are not included in this sale in any shape or form.