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GBRF confirms conversion of Class 56s to Class 69s

SEtrains

SEtrains

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69012 has now been taken off of the Eastleigh-hoo freight services and is at hoo junction and will most likely go elsewhere soon.
 
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Is there any update on the progress of the other conversions, it has been a while since any reports of donor bodyshells going for shot blasting/prepping etc?
 
SEtrains

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69013 has now been completed and should be having its mainline test soon
 

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physics34

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Saw 69009 "Western Consort" for the first time today delivering a fresh livered 458 How gorgeous is that! Especially in the sun.
 
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ExRes

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The future, if it has one, of 56303 is as ever still a mystery, it's pictured, dated 17/8, on WNXX this evening on accomodation bogies next to 56081, presumably the wheelsets are of more use to the Class 69 program than they are to 303



** Updated Saturday 24th August **


Reported on WNXX that 56312 has now been officially renumbered as 69013 and is due out on test from Longport next week, there is an 0909 0Z69 & 1124 0Z70 Bescot Up Engineers Sidings return currently showing on RTT for Tuesday but, as shown before, certainly no guarantees
 
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ExRes

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69013 did indeed go out for its test run yesterday, 0909 0Z69 Longport FD to Bescot Up Engineers Sidings and 1124 0Z70 return with 66789 for company
 
D365

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Thanks for the update. I look forward to seeing former 56312 back in traffic.
 
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Trainman40083

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BRX

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So... does anyone reckon they can tell a 69 from a 66 by sound alone, now?
 
Rail Quest

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BRX said:
So... does anyone reckon they can tell a 69 from a 66 by sound alone, now?
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Whilst I've never heard one on full thrash in person, from videos alone I think I could tell a 69 under power from a shed under power. The 69 sounds silent when compared to a 66.

Remind me, are 69s still fitted with the original grid horns? If so, that should be an easy way to distinguish them as well.
 
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Noticed these have started to appear on the RHTTs via Dorking, East Grinstead, Horsham etc recently rather than 73s. This the norm now?
 
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ExRes

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Reported on WNXX that 69014 should be out on test today on 0907 0Z43 Longport to Bescot and 1124 0Z44 return with a 66 for company, RTT shows 66724 on 0635 0Z42 Bescot Up Engineers Sidings to Longport FD

69014 & 66724 worked both 0Z43 & 0Z44 then 66724 returned to Bescot as 1411 0Z47

Photos on both Flickr and Rail Scene facebook
 
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Yorkshire09876

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A recent photo on Flickr confirms reports that 56081 has now lost its bogies as well as 56303 - both are on accommodation bogies and presumably have a doubtful future?

I think everything apart from 56009 had bogies when they went into Longport, and the loco scrapped for parts, 56106, also had bogies in photos of it at Leicester shortly before it was broken up, so presumably some bogies were not suitable for reuse given that they've needed to cannibalize two further locos.
 
ac6000cw

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Yorkshire09876 said:
A recent photo on Flickr confirms reports that 56081 has now lost its bogies as well as 56303 - both are on accommodation bogies and presumably have a doubtful future?

I think everything apart from 56009 had bogies when they went into Longport, and the loco scrapped for parts, 56106, also had bogies in photos of it at Leicester shortly before it was broken up, so presumably some bogies were not suitable for reuse given that they've needed to cannibalize two further locos.
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...or maybe the bogies have gone somewhere else for strip-down/overhaul/refurbishment/repair before re-use.
 
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Yorkshire09876

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ac6000cw said:
...or maybe the bogies have gone somewhere else for strip-down/overhaul/refurbishment/repair before re-use.
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Even if they have, they wouldn't be taking bogies off the two 'spares' locos unless they needed them for the 69 project - if they were waiting for existing bogies to return they'd just leave the converted locos on accommodation bogies until the overhauled ones were ready.

It was mentioned on WNXX a while ago that the last two needed bogies to complete them.
 
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Wyrleybart

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Yorkshire09876 said:
Even if they have, they wouldn't be taking bogies off the two 'spares' locos unless they needed them for the 69 project - if they were waiting for existing bogies to return they'd just leave the converted locos on accommodation bogies until the overhauled ones were ready.

It was mentioned on WNXX a while ago that the last two needed bogies to complete them.
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Not so sure about that. Isn't this CEM ?
 
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