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CLASS 56 GRIDS

Class 56 Grids

The class 56's or commonly known as "Grids" have always been a freight only locomotive, but it too has been thrown into the deep end and worked a passenger as well as charter, these humbe locos never got the following they deserved and always seemed to have problems with their engines. They have seen heavy use over the years, after being painted into trainload colours all but a few they have always done the opposite in what they were intended for.

There were built in batches, as they were firstly requried and also be cuase the first batch did not go down well with both Brittish Rail boses or drivers as they kept failing due to bad construction, mainly as they were built in Romaina instead of BREL. They were built by Electropia and have never seemed to be as good as the BREL (Brittish Railway Engineering Limited) ones.

The first batch Built by Electroputere Romania were not the best Locos around. 56001-56030 were the first batch of a powerful loco, well thats what they thought, instead they got a load of metal which kept failing. The first batch also had problems the grills which kept getting blocked due to bad design. They were the proving ground for design, after that BREL was told, no sorry, INSTRUCTED !! to design and build better, cheap labour had proven over price and quality. So BREL started on the second batch as well as fixing the first batch.

A note should also be made here as some Romanian cabs were built to the Brittish design. The second batch were Doncaster works under the BREL sector and when put into traffic, caused a stir, mainly becuase they actully started to prove their ground, where as the first 30 were still failing, well until they had a bloody good overhaul, and that sorted it. The second batch 56031-55 were Doncaster works flagship over Crewe as their were a little battle going on. The British design also had a different horn grill.

56056-56061 also had a differnt horn grill. 56062-56115 these locos also had a a sealed light beam fitted on the front also they had a remote slow speed control for use at loading plants. From 56056 the class started to see improvements.

56116-56135 These locomotives were built at Crewe works and were the last to built, these locos were no different from the last batch except they had the a white painted grill and railfreight grey was applied as on the class 58's which were being built.

The class 56's are now starting to be withdrawn and cut up at Wigan, although these machines are still the mainstay of the loco world. The class 56's are BR's first of the big heavies to work on BR rails.In total there were 135 built, 105 in England and 30 in Romaina

If you have any information then please e-mail me at the Bottom of the page !!!.

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Email: richard_lilley@hotmail.com