31/3/17
56078,56087 ran as 1200 0C51 Doncaster -Whitemoor
56302 , 56312. 56105 and 56113 are all located as they were 30/3/17
56094 has run to Tyne and 56096 had a trip to Toton with 60076 and then teturned to Shrewesbury Coleham.
30/3/17
56312Ā waabled at Eastleigh Arlington . How it got there is still uncertain.
56078+56087 are currently at Doncaster Up Decoy
56105 has run back to Washwood Heath and 56113 is stillĀ at Doncaster CHS
56096 is paired up with 60076 and working overnight engineering trips to Dee Marsh Jcn which depart Basford around 1745 and are routed via Stafford and Shrewsbury.
They returnedĀ at 0600 arriving back at Crewe Basford around 1019
56094 still at Washwood Heath and working Boston Steel as required.
56302Ā is back at GrangemouthĀ .
29/3/17
56078+56087 were locatedĀ at Doncaster Up Decoy
56105+56113Ā at Doncaster CHS
56096 is paired up with 60076 and working overnight engineering trips to Dee Marsh Jcn which depart Basford around 1745 and are routed via Stafford and Shrewsbury.
56094 still at Washwood Heath and working Boston Steel as required.
56302Ā is back at GrangemouthĀ .
27/3/17
No known workings yet but
56078+56087 are currently located at Doncaster Up Decoy Yard
56094 is at Washwood Heath and has been a regular performer on the Boston steel trip
56096 is back at Shrewesbury(Coleham )
56105+56113 are located at Tyne
56302 is at Grangemouth
22/3/17Ā Ā 56078+56087 worked light as 0C55 2340 Tyne- Doncaster CHS
56105+56113 worked out to Knottingley South Jcn as 6C52 1748 departure from Tyne Yard.
56096 ran light as 0Z56 1910 Basford Hall- Coleham (Shrewesbury)
21/3/17Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā 56078/087 worked to 6C52 1813 Knottingley South JcnĀ on an overnight Railvac and returned with a 0537 departure from siteĀ 56105/113Ā worked an out and back 23330 trip to Boldon West Junction.
56096 worked out to RhlyĀ and returned onĀ 6C46 Rhyl- Crewe Basford Hall.
56302 workedĀ 6R46Ā Grangemouth -Prestwick and return
56303 is still at Derby but no news on any planned workings yet.
56081 & 56098 took aĀ RailvacĀ from Leicester to Doncaster Up Decoy . DepartureĀ from Leicester was 1030 under headcode 6X23 .Ā The locos returned to Leicester departing Decoy Yard 1520
20/3/17Ā Ā Ā Ā 56078/087/105/113 are at Tyne and look set to operate railvac duties. This weeks destination seems to be Knottingley area
56302 is at Grangemouth so presumably will drop onto the twice weekly tanks to Grangemouth and possibly some workings to Dalston which are normally handled by a Colas class 60.
56303 is still at Derby but no news on any planned workings yet.
19/3/17 56078 + 56087Ā and 56105+56113 returned to Tyne rather than Doncaster after the weekends engineering trips .
56302 was back at Grangemouth having (presumably worked the return Dalston – Grangemouth tanks.
18/3/17 56302 worked 6C33 Carlisle – Dalston tanks
17/3/17Ā Ā Ā 56302 is on todays Grangemouth- Prestwick tank train 6R46 (departed 0641 arr due at 1011) and should return on 1258 Prestwick – Grangemout arrivingĀ 1607.
56105+56113Ā joined 56087+56078 at Doncaster West Yard and tookĀ weekend engineering trains to Bradley Jcn and Wrawby Jcn
56096 ran as 0Z56 from Washwood Heath to Nuneaton and back with 50017 + 50050 in tow.
16/3/17
56105+56113 ran light to Washwood heath at 0902 then set off for DoncasterĀ leaving Washwood Heath atĀ 1200
56302 managed to get from Carlisle to Grangemouth,Ā on the returning Dalston- Grangemouth tanks on which 56302 topped 60085 from Carlisle
Wednesday 15/3/17
56087 ran back to Washwood Heath (1000 ex Basford) and joined up with 56078 to run as 1400 Washwood Heath Doncaster West yard. 56087 + 56096 had earlier worked out and back to Farrington Jcn near Preston.
56302 ran to Carlisle yard as 1650 Basford Hall- Carlisle Yard Colas Rail. 60076 is also at Carlisle so the pair may take up some top and tail engineering duties at some point.
56105, 56113 remain at Basford Hall
56096 is back at Washwood Heath
56094 seems to be the designated loco for the Boston job
56312 is still in Wembley yard and visible from passing trains (depending on whats in the sidings in front)
56303 remains in the north bay at Derby station.
Sunday 12/3/17
No reports on which locos worked but the 4 Colas 56s at Crewe should have covered the following over the weekend
0840 Holywell Jc back to Basford (arr 0951)
0930 Rhyl back to Basford (this train left at 0440 is now back at Basford)
Saturday 10/3/17
2231 to Rhyl (arr 2335)
2243 to Holywell jcn (arr 2345)
10/3/17
56096+56302 worked a 2356 (Thursday 9/3/17) Basford Hall- Hollywell Jcn and 56087+56113 worked a 0029Ā Basford Hall- Hollywell Jcn
They returned as 6C48 0414 Hollywell- Basford and 6C49 0443 Hollywell – Basford
56303 was staged at York Holgate Sidings on its trip from Bishop Aukland to Derby yesterday (9/3/17) and continued today as 1007 York Holgate- Derby , then 1307 Derby- Crewe.
After dropping off 47712 & 47192 , 56303 returned light as 1659 Crewe-Derby.
9/3/17
56303 run as 0929 Derby- Bishop Aukland taking 31106 to the Weardale railway . It has been mentioned that a coupleĀ of class 47s were to be collected bu thet is unconfirmed.Ā 56303 (with or without anything on the hook ) is booked Ā to return at 1634 back to Derby.
8/3/17- new entry for 1st Feb entered below see italics
8/3/17 Colas sent 56087+56113+56302 as 0730 Washwood Heath- Basford Hall. They join 56078, 56096 & 56105 and the gathering indicates another weekend of engineering duties is in the pipeline
56303 ranĀ 0933Ā Derby to Butterley to collect 31106. Returndeparture was 1122 back to Derby.
7/3/17– 56302 was despatched as 04:07 Washwood Heath – Sleaford and worked back as the 08:30 Sleaford – Washwood Heath working.
56081 + 56098 ran light as 0920 Leicester to Doncaster Wood Yard to collect a railvac. They returned at 1325 under headcode 6X59 and our picture shows them passing Rotherham Masborough. ( photo courtesy of C56G member R Byers )
Elsewhere 56303 returned to use for DCR and collected 31452 from Derby .303 ran north as the 1200 ex Washwood Heath and worked south as the 1400 depatrure from Derby.
6/3/17 – 56094 worked the Boston steel trip but appears to have got no further than Sleaford on the return working. It was 160mins down on arrival there.
5/3/17 – Rather than working back from Oxenholme 56096 worked back as the 0900 Preston Flyde Junction- Crewe Basford Hall.Ā ( it had been thought it could workĀ back as theĀ 1145 back from Oxenholme ) and 56105+56078 left the worksite at Appleby just before 0600 some 2 hours earlier than booked.
56087 +56113 repeated previous duties and worked a 00:08 Whitemoor- Littleport ( near Ely on the Kings Lynn line) engineers working . They returned to Whitemoor on a 0705 Littleport-Whitemoor conveying 2 autoballasters.
4/3/17 56096 worked 6C57 18:21 Basford Hall – Oxheys Up passenger loop( north of Carnforth on the WCML)Ā , with an engineering train.Ā 56105 & 56078 top and tailed 6C56 1611 Basford Hall – Appleby .
3/3/17 56078+56096+56105 ran north as 1300 Washwood Heath- Crewe Basford Hall Yard. A trip to Appleby on the S&C is booked to depart Basford at 1611 Sat 3/3 and booked to return 0800 Sun 4/3. The Colas 56s worked this on a previous weekend so there is a chance (but no guarantee) that two of the locos could be on this duty. Other engineering trains from Basford seem to be heading for Euxton Jcn & Chorley areas.
2/3/17 News is just emerging that yesterday (1/3/17) 56312 ran light to assist 92032 which was workingĀ 6S94 0230 Dollands Moor- Irvine china Clay working . 6S94 appears to have been assisted from Mitre Bridge Jcn and 56312 +92032 departed there appox 220 minutes late. It is believed that the 92 had some issue when switching from third rail to overhead suppy in the Mitre Bridge area.
56087+56113Ā worked 6C58 0532Ā Dryburgh JcnĀ toĀ Ā Doncaster Belmont Down Yard then worked 1300 light to Whitemoor Yard.
1/3/17Ā 56087+56113Ā worked 2225 Doncaster to Dryburgh Jcn
56087 +56113 are stabled in Doncaster Carriage Holding Sidings after running light from Washwood Heath on the 28th Feb. (13:40 WWH- DON CHS) . No booked workings in the system as yet.
56312 is still at Wembley but no Foxton / Barrington training runs are in the system for this week yet.
56078+56302 ran LD as 0C66 22:10 Whitemoor to Sheffield via Ipswich late on 1st February. These then returned with 6C66 02:00 Sheffield to Whitemoor (2nd Feb) by the same route.
17/06/17 – work on 56 301 is nearing completion. The loco has undergone no load tests and the roof and exhaust sections are being refitted prior to the loco undergoing a loadbank test . The work has been interupted several times , with our consent , to allow UKRL to get other mainline locos back into traffic, these have been ROGs locos which have required urgent attention .
01/04/17 Reassembly work should commence this coming week after a slight delay as anumber of cylinder heads required further attention before refitting.
22/3/17 UKRL report that the cylinder liners have been returned from the subcontractor and all pistons ,connecting rods, and crankshaft journals have been inspected and gauged .
Two cylinder heads were found to have leaking valves and these have been repaired. The heads will be repainted prior to refitting.
Reassembly and testing will commence over the next week and the power unit run in during aĀ load bank test.
16/3/17
Work is progressing well with the cylinder heads, pistons and connecting rods all removed for inspection. The components have all been marked up and laid out by the side of 56301 on pallets -see attached photograph.
Next the cylinder liners will be removed and sent to a specialist contractor for honing to restore the all important surface finish which is critical in ensuring the piston rings can do their job of keeping the combustion gases and lubricating oil where they should be.
3/3/17
56301 has been taken into the main shed at Leicester and theĀ main roof section had been removed.
28/2/17
56301 will have a top end overhaul carried out at UKRL Leicester during the next few weeks.
The work has become necessary as 56301 was burning oil as a result of unavoidable periods spent idling whilst on the DCR operated Railvac duties.
Further work is necessaryĀ to ensure the locomotive is able to operate on Network Rail. This includes a bogie swap with 56006Ā as the tyres on 56301Ā have had their last turnĀ but will be fine to go under 56006 for use in preservation. 56301 would Ā also need aĀ B10Ā exam before any return to traffic.
The bogie swap and B exam are being deferred and will only be carried out if some form of guaranteed mainline contract hire is secured for 56301.
Press Release – 40th Anniversary of 56006ās entry into Service
Late February 2017 represents a major milestone in both the history of the Class 56 locomotives, and the Class 56 Groupās very own 56006 in particular.Ā This is because late February 2017 is the 40th anniversary of 56006ās entry into revenue earning service with British Rail at Tinsley Depot in South Yorkshire, and as 56006 was also the first Class 56 to enter service, thus this also represents the entry of the class into British Rail service as well.
We’ve created a variation of the group logo to celebrate this and we should soon have some group merchandise available with the new logo (see the main site photo of 56103 for a look at the logo, and have a look in the shop section of the website where new products will appear as they are available)
While the first Class 56s were built in 1976, remedial work was required to them before they could enter full service, which depending on which source you use, occurred on either the 25th or 27th February 1977, hence why 2017, not 2016, is the 40th anniversary of this major milestone.
56006 is also a truly historic locomotive. As well as being the first into revenue earning service with BR, she was also one of the first dedicated diesel electric freight locomotives built for BR, and was one of the first foreign built locomotives to operate in the UK, having been built in Romania (years before foreign built locomotives became the norm in the UK).
56006 lead a fairly uneventful existence during her first couple of decades, but in January 1995, she gained the name āFerrybridge C Power Stationā, being named after the power station that was located near Knottingley in West Yorkshire.Ā With this naming, she became one of only six Romanian Grids to be named.Ā This naming took place without a ceremony at Immingham Depot, and 56006 became the second locomotive to carry the name “Ferrybridge C Power Station”, after it had previously been applied to 56089 on 15th September 1991.
Then in 1999, 56006 was selected to represent the Class 56s at the legendary āEWS Classic Traction Eventā on the East Lancs Railway from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th September 1999, having been specially repainted into her original BR Blue livery, at Old Oak Common depot in West London in August 1999.
As a result of her popularity at this event, 56006 joined several of the other heritage locomotives that starred at that event, to form the EWS Heritage Locomotive Pool.Ā This high profile role meant that 56006 became the unofficial ambassador for the Class 56, attending numerous other events.Ā In fact, so important a locomotive had 56006 become, that when she was eventually withdrawn from service on 1st December 2003, EWS offered her to the National Railway Museum at York, who unbelievably turned down the chance to become the custodians of this famous locomotive !!!!
Luckily for us all, this wasnāt the end of the story, as after attending an event at Barrow Hill Roundhouse Railway Centre, 56006 stayed on for a visit that would eventually stretch on for nearly eight years, instead of making a one way journey to the scrapyard.Ā Preservation finally beckoned for 56006 in November 2012, when she was purchased by the Class 56 Group. Ā This purchase was partly funded by money from the hire fees earned by the Groupās other Class 56, 56301, and partly from a loan provided to the Group by one of its long serving members.Ā Initially 56006 continued being based at Barrow Hill, but on 25th July 2014 it was moved to UK Rail Leasingās Leicester Depot, where restoration and repairs could be carried out more effectively. Today 56006 is still based at Leicester Depot (along with 56301), but represents the Class 56s and the Class 56 Group at diesel galas and open days all over the country.
SPECIAL NOTE ā Leicester Depot is a working depot and in the interests of safety the depot is out of bounds to visiting railway enthusiasts.
Attached Image Courtesy of Marcus Betts.
Following a couple of ballast trains from Shap to the Foxton branchĀ last year, spoil trains have commenced running to the site. They have been operated by DBS but this week has seen a couple of route learning runs operated by DCR using 56312.
It was originally speculated that DCR would operate the spoil trains and this latest development may be a sign of a change in the current arrangements.
Currently two trains a day operate from Wembley timed at 08:00 and 13:15 from Wembley and returning at 11:23 and 16:30 . Although the 08:00 working has been retimed to a 03:49 departure.
27/2/17 As of this week 3 trains seem to be operatingĀ . DBC 66s seem toĀ beĀ theĀ current traction provider but Ā Ā rumour has it GBRf are due to take over at some point. The possibility of 56s on these trains seems to be receding but for the record the workings are:-
Mon- Fri
0349 Wembley- Barrington (6L00) & 1123 RETURN (6M05)
0900 Wembley- Barrington (6L05) & 1630 RETURN (6M07)
1249 Wembley- Barrington (6Z16) & 2115 RETURN (6Z13)
56006 has a good set of tyres, but the profile has worn to the point at which the flange height is getting to the point where it exceeds the limits allowed by Network Rail.
At some point 56006 will be towed from Leicester to Tyesley where the work will be carried out.
No timescale has been set for the work and it is hoped the cost of the rail move can be shared with another loco moving in the same direction . The 56 ban at the NVR took away any urgency to have this work done and once we know when the move will take place details will be posted on this website.
Please Note – Leicester UKRL is a working depot and unauthorised visits are not permitted.
8/4/17 September 9th has been confirmed for this railtour.Ā
Details should be on 52a website from today with on line bookings abailable from Monday 10th April.
A single 56 is now the advertised traction.
27/3/17 THE DATE OF THIS TOUR MAY BE REVISED – PLEASE CHECK FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
23/3/17Ā 52A Tours haveĀ updated theirĀ initialĀ announcement on a proposed railtourĀ
We can now at long last confirm the date for our Linlithgow to Hull charter, which will be Saturday 9th September 2017.
Route: Linlithgow to Hull, via Waverley, Newcastle, Sunderland, Eaglescliffe, Boroughbridge Road, York, Hambleton Jcn, and Hull. After a 3 hours (ish) break, we return via Selby, Church Fenton, York then ECML to Newcastle, Waverley, then Linlithgow. We have requested intermediate stops at Berwick upon Tweed, Alnmouth, and Morpeth, but these may be removed for operational reasons. This will be a superb opportunity to travel behind 2 Class 56’s around the Durham coast – their stamping ground for many years, and also to enjoy a non stop run on the return between York and Newcastle.
Traction: UKRL have been extremely kind and agreed to the hire two Class 56’s – with 56098 ‘Lost Boys 68-88‘, and 56104, which will work in multiple, with the Rail Operations Group providing a Class 47 on the rear of the train for ETH purposes.
As per our first charter, there will be special 1970’s style window destination labels, old style running schedules, and of course our ‘executive’ class (for an additional fee) seating, which gives passengers the chance to travel in the leading coach behind the locomotive in both directions, and many other 52A surprises.
Bookings for this tour will open on Monday 27th March 2017, and full details on how to book will be posted once our website is updated, at www.52atours.com
21/2/17
52A Tours haveĀ made an initialĀ announcement on a proposed railtour –
date – to be confirmedĀ :-
Route: Linlithgow to Hull, via Waverley, Newcastle, Sunderland, Eaglescliffe, Boroughbridge Road, York, Hambleton Jcn, and Hull. After a 3 hours (ish) break, we return via Selby, Church Fenton, York then ECML to Newcastle, Waverley, then Linlithgow.
Proposed Pick ups at Edinburgh, Berwick, Alnmouth, Newcastle, York.
Traction: The agreed and confirmed traction will be double headed Class 56’s – again, I won’t mention which locos until the formal announcement, with a Class 47 on the rear for ETH. Again, I will not mention the loco provider until the tour is formally announced, once a new date is confirmed.
Watch here for more news or the 52a Tours websiteĀ (Ā www.52atours.com )
During the early part of the year some of our remaining spares at Barrow Hill were relacated to our storage location in the Rotherham area. Many of these spares we heavy items such as traction motors , turbochargers and intercoolers (see picture ) . Some belonged to the Class 58 Locomotive Group and came from 58045, while our parts were those recovered from 56 040 .
The reorganisation of the Barrow Hill facility as part of its progression toward full museum status had necesitated the move of the parts . The HIAB vehicle was provided by Spectrum Freight and the move was supervised by Class 56 Group members Mick Palfreyman and Gareth Broughton.
4/2/17Ā 56096+56105 + 56113 ran light engines from Coleham to Basford Hall (Coleham is on the line between Shrewsbury and Church Stretton). 56113 continued to Bescot leaving the other two 56s in Basford Hall yard.
56098+ 56104 ran as 0V81 12:32 Leicester LIP – Bristol High Level Siding ( which is the spur running of platform 1 at Bristol Temple Meads)
6/2/17 56098+56104 ran as 0V67 09:03 Bristol HL Sdg – Long Marston then 12:10 Long Marston -Doncaster Wood Yrd conveyingĀ Ā a Railvac. The 56s then ran 0Z56 Doncater- Derby North Dock siding where the pair stabled until running back to Leicester on the 10th Feb
7/2/17 56087 and 56113 ran Washwood Heath to Burton to collect 47749 which had failed in the Burton Area the previous day whilst working 6M08 Boston Docks – Washwood Heath steel train.
10/2/17 56098+56104 ran light back to Leicester from Derby . On arrival the entire UKRL fleet , except 56060 which is at Brush Traction, Loughborough, was at its home base.Ā The Colas fleet was a little more widespread with 56078 & 56302 outbased at Whitemoor , 56096 & 56105 were still at Basford Hall and 56087 + 56113 were running light from Washwood Heath to join them for more North West & North Wales infrastructure duties.
12/2/17 (Sunday) 56078 +56302 worked a 00:01 Whitemoor- Littleport ( near Ely on the Kings Lynn line) engineers working . They returned to Whitemoor on a 06:45working from Ely Dock Jcn . (If anyone is thinking of going out to see any of these engineering workings please note this train ran 103mins early and was safely back at base before its timetabled departure time.)
56087+56113 were working at Chester and 56096+56105 had taken an engineers train up the SettleĀ & Carlisle line to Appleby and returned as 0800 6C56 Appleby – Basford Hall.
19/2/17 – Colas 56s were located as follows:- 56078 Barnetby , 56087, 56105 & 56113 Colesford, and 56302 Hare Park.
20/2/17 56302 ran light from Doncaste Up Decoy Yard to Barnetby and DCR 56312 made a short trip from Willesden to Wembley in anticipation of some route learning runs which took place on the
21/2/17 56312 running light from Wembley to Foxton and Barrington Cement works. Hopefully the first of many trips for class 56s.
23/2/17 The Colas Grids seem to have been summoned back to Basford Hall ready for weekend engineering duties, 56078 +56302 ran as 14:20 Barnetby- Bassford Hall and 56087 + 56105 +56113 ran as 09:00 Coleham – Basford Hall.Ā The only revenue earnig Colas grid was 56094 6E07 Boston Docks steel working.
26/2/17- Weekend work on the North Wales coast seems to have been the reason for the mass gathering of type 5’s at Basford Hall.Ā 56087+56113 heading back from Hollywell Jcn to Basford Hall in late afternoon while 56078 , 56096 ,Ā & 56302 were still at Holywell Jcn presumably working back when the engineering work was finished. Its is strange how 56096 appeared at Basford, and 56105 seems to have been left in the yard . Perhaps 56105 developed a fault and 096 was summoned to replace it , or possibly 56105 was used back at Crewe for shunting duties. Of course TOPS could be wrong. Subsequent TOPS reports and observations may shed more light on things. ( If anyone saw the weekends work please feel free to get in touch and clarify)
27/2/17- further to the above- RTT shows a 12:46 Washwood Heath to Basford Hall light engine move on Friday 24/2 so it looks like 56096 could have ran north to join the weekend duties.
28/2/17 56087 + 56113 1340 Washwood Heath – Doncaster CHS
The NVR have indicated that the traditional appearance of a Class 56 at the Spring Gala will not take place . This is understood to be linked to the derailment following the Autumn Gala and a decision to ban class 56 locomotives even though the subsequent investigation into the incident had found that the locomotives were not at fault!
Passing Crewe Basford Hall today showed the following class 56’s in readiness for work on the North Wales coast ballast trains: 56078, 56096, 56105, 56113, 56302