Locomotive Class

Class 56 (Type 5)

Class 56 (Type 5) Class: Class 56 (Type 5)
Type: Diesel-Electric
Designer: British Rail
Weight: 126 tons
Purpose: Heavy Freight

Information: During the early 1970’s the need for more powerful dedicated heavy freight diesel-electric motive power led to the development of the Class 56 in order to haul the newly introduced Merry-Go-Round dedicated coal traffic. The Class 56 was to be the first newly designed diesel in 15-years and was first of the second generation diesels used by British Rail. The Class 56 was nick-named “Grids” due to the expanded metal mesh grille located at cab ends.

Details: Until the Class 56 was introduced in 1976 British Rail had relied on early diesels of mixed traffic design, often used in pairs to handle ever increasing freight loads. With the introduction of the Class 56 with no provision for passenger train heating this was to change forever.
By the time the class was finally introduced in 1976, the need for a Type 5 freight locomotive had reached a state of urgency, resulting in Brush Locomotive Works outsourcing the first 30 production units to affiliated sister company, Electroputere in Romania. Regrettably, quality control issues plagued the first batch and consequently 105 additional units were built at BREL in Crewe and Doncaster entering service between 1977 and 1984.
In addition to the intended MGR freight workings Class 56’s were commonly assigned aggregates, road stone, cement, and Freightliner workings. As with all new designs flaws became apparent fairly early and with remedial maintenance and repairs were corrected accordingly resulting in the class reaching an average 80% route availability.
Introduced during the “Corporate Blue” era, the class was painted as such with full yellow ends. As the 56’s were only withdrawn in relatively recent years, many consequently carried a variety of colourful liveries after BR sectorisation; as well as subsequent Private company ownership.
After nearly 30-years of hard service the decision was made by EWS, the largest operator of 56’s to replace them all with North American designed Class 59 / 66 and by 2004 only two members were actively employed in Britain while several found short-term employment in France on construction engineering trains. Today, five members remain operational and preserved for posterity.

John Faulkner

Class 56 (Type 5) Releases (39)

MODEL NO. LIVERY
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 1998 1999
56058 EWS Maroon & Yellow
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 1998 1999
56100 Load-Haul Black
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 1999
56049 Transrail Dutch
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2000 2001
56047 Transrail Dutch
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2000 2001
56066 Transrail 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2000 2001
56109 Load-Haul Black
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2001
56101 B.R. Blue Large Logo
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2001
56113 B.R. Blue Large Logo
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2002
56048 B.R. Blue Large Logo
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2002
56099 B.R. Blue Large Logo
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2003 2004
56098 B.R. Blue Large Logo
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 1999
56119 Transrail 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 1999
56127 Transrail 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2002
56068 EWS Maroon & Yellow
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2002
56038 EWS Maroon & Yellow
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2003
56088 EWS Maroon & Yellow
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2004
56058 EWS Maroon & Yellow
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2004 2005 2006
56107 Load-Haul Black
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2006 2007
56063 B.R. Trainload Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2007 2008 2009
56013 B.R. Blue
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2007 2008 2009
56049 B.R. Railfreight Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2007 2009 2010
56059 EWS Maroon & Yellow
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2007 2008
56128 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2008 2009
56103 EWS Maroon & Yellow
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2008
56003 Load-Haul Black
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Released: 2011
56082 B.R. Blue
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Released: 2008 2009
56125 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (Weathered)
Released: 2002
56123 B.R. Blue Large Logo
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (Weathered)
Released: 2003
56105 B.R. Blue Large Logo
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Drax Power Station
Released: 1999
56123 Transrail 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Ellington Colliery
Released: 2004
56131 B.R. Blue Large Logo
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Harworth Colliery (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Released: 2011
56095 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Merehead
Released: 2011
56031 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Oystermouth
Released: 2010 2011
56040 B.R. Railfreight Grey
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Sir De Morgannwg County Of South Glamorgan
Released: 2008 2009
56032 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Locomotive
Released: 2005 2007
56090 B.R. Railfreight Grey
Class 56 Diesel Locomotive
Released: 2005 2006 2007
56088 B.R. Railfreight Grey
Class 56 Diesel Locomotive (Weathered)
Released: 2005 2006 2007
56113 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey
Class 56 Diesel Locomotive (Weathered)
Released: 2006 2007
56125 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey

Class 56 (Type 5) Images (39)

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56058

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56100

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56049

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56047

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56066

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56109

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56101

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56113

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56048

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56099

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56098

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56119

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56127

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56068

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56038

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56088

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56058

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56107

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56063

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56013

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56049

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56059

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56128

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56103

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56003

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive 56082

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (DCC Locomotive with Sound) 56125

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (Weathered)
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (Weathered) 56123

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (Weathered)
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive (Weathered) 56105

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Drax Power Station
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Drax Power Station 56123

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Ellington Colliery
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Ellington Colliery 56131

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Harworth Colliery (DCC Locomotive with Sound)
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Harworth Colliery (DCC Locomotive with Sound) 56095

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Merehead
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Merehead 56031

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Oystermouth
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Oystermouth 56040

Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Sir De Morgannwg County Of South Glamorgan
Class 56 Diesel Electric Locomotive - Sir De Morgannwg County Of South Glamorgan 56032

Class 56 Diesel Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Locomotive 56090

Class 56 Diesel Locomotive
Class 56 Diesel Locomotive 56088

Class 56 Diesel Locomotive (Weathered)
Class 56 Diesel Locomotive (Weathered) 56113

Class 56 Diesel Locomotive (Weathered)
Class 56 Diesel Locomotive (Weathered) 56125


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