First Pair of Class 69's arrive back at Longport for MODIFICATIONS - Plus EMPTY body shell in yard!

The recall of the Class 69's from service has been hot news for a week or so now - See 69002 and 69004 arriving back at Longport FD as the first locos to come back for modifications. The fleet have been taken out of service pending some repairs/modifications identified after a recent de-railement for 69004.
69001, 69003, 69006 and 69007 are currently sat at Peterborough (as of 03/02/23) awaiting their move to Longport, with 69005 in Doncaster.
Hopefully a quick repair/modification process for these locos and they're back in active service soon.
Also see a look at a right mix of locos and part-locos around the back of the depot. The cab of 56106 is sat on it's inside wall with a part coverted future class 69 bodyshell also visible.
Hope you enjoy the video! Thanks for watching.
#class69 #69002 #69004 #longport #GBRf #0Z69 #longportfd #locomotives #locomodifications

[@train4905]

Exellent,

[@SimonTog]

Very well done video, thumbs up :)

[@trainsplanes]

Many thanks! 👍

[@frankrogowski5608]

Very well captured!

[@trainsplanes]

Thanks Frank 👍

[@randlerobbertson8792]

I find these films interesting, informative, and being retired, relaxing. They remind me how as a kid I wanted to be a train driver. I suppose, I still do😉

[@trainsplanes]

Glad you enjoyed it 👌👍

[@alstonofalltrades3142]

Maybe give train simulator a go.

[@conceyullena]

Like 5 beautiful video, greetings from Asturias 🚂👍👋

[@trainsplanes]

Thank you again for watching 👌👍

[@jamesbraithwaite478]

I'd like to see more locomotive upcycling like this. For example, the stored Class 37's could be given up to date engines like the 55's and 56's shown here were. They could become Class 72's, maybe.

[@trainsplanes]

Definitely scope for more of this however I doubt I could deal with a class 37 without EE sound! 🤯👍

[@danielsellers8707]

@@trainsplanes I said that about 37901 that it was a 37 that doesn't sound like one... All the complaints about the 69s is the SOUND is wrong, without a thought on emissions... Never got this with the 57s as UK railfans tend to prefer EE locos to Sulzer.

[@danielsellers8707]

@@trainsplanes The Scandinavian Class 37 equivalent is the Nohab / EMD...

[@romeocase]

Great video

[@trainsplanes]

Thanks! 👍

[@mikehindson-evans159]

Thanks for an informative view of the 69 project. Does anyone have any ideas on the identity of the "burned-out" 66 carcass in the foreground?

[@c3gfboy7]

66048 is the “burned-out” shed

[@justinobrien3593]

grid-sheds on the move they probably need hooking up to a computer to get a diagnostics to change a bulb 💡 in the engine rooms on both loco's lol 😆 nice video of original class 56s about to be body snatched soon!!!

[@bfapple]

the reason that Class 66s were so popular, is because they are not massively computerised...

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I read something about radiator issues and desire for cab noise improvements

[@AndreiTupolev]

The issues seem to be mainly with the cabs. Noise levels and water ingress, it seems 🚿

[@jonathanluck5254]

Saw them at bletchley today looking fine

[@daz4643]

I know a couple of people who have worked here and still know a few who do. The stories that I have heard are interesting. 🤨

[@davidwalbank3317]

Still on with producing 56/69's and their bringing in the early ones for mods whats that about ??. Did'nt they get it right the first time...

[@danielscott7278]

Are 69007 and 08 already modified as they just been released

[@Aaron.56_]

That bodyshell is 56312 i believe, should be going there to see it tomorrow!

[@Hard-Boiled-Bollock]

Does anyone know yet which livery it will carry when it’s fully restored?. I’d love to see one of these in Red Stripe Railfreight livery

[@mikeuk4130]

A simple plural does not need an apostrophe. Otherwise, an excellent update on the class, thanks.

[@bfapple]

It's a common mistake within rail.

[@andrewganley9016]

Should have kept them as Grids we'd still have the growling Paxmans to hear!

[@jessicaandtrains7768]

Yes they are just terrible looking and sounding 66s now

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I prefer them as 69s, I am fond of EMD sound

[@danielsellers8707]

Should have had licence built EMDs instead of the class 37s:-) In the USA it's been EMD 2 strokes ever since the end of steam...

[@danielsellers8707]

Everyone complains they sound wrong but no one cares about emissions...

[@andrewreynolds4949]

@@danielsellers8707 There's still something to say about indigenous manufacturing. I do wonder how things would have gone if the Modernization Plan hadn't been a politically rushed mess.

[@michaelemery5219]

I cabbed one of those engines at Swanage the red and blue one

[@wattstransportenthusiast621]

Nice vid bud. Got a feeling that body maybe 69010 if 008+009 is in the depot.

[@al66class59]

008/009/010 are all inside part way through conversion. It’s 56312, to become 69013, while 56104 will be 014 and hasn’t yet been fully stripped down. 015/016 should come from 56081/098.

[@I_like_planesandtrains860]

5:01 poor 56 is musty and dusty I'll hope they'll clean him 🤔

[@HampshireVideo]

isn't it that the chassis for a 56 was never meant to have an engine directly mounted to it (unlike the 66) and has caused engine block cracking?

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I read it was radiator issues, and the cracking was just a rumor

[@rearspeaker6364]

@@andrewreynolds4949 its extremely hard to crack an EMD block--if so, the frame and carbody will need refitting.

[@andrewreynolds4949]

@@rearspeaker6364 I really doubt it was actually a block failure, those are extremely rare. On the other hand, I have seen a number of units with perennial radiator problems

[@jaybee1921]

I take it you meant as of 03/02/23?

[@trainsplanes]

Thanks - I’ve now corrected that. 👍

[@timstrainvideos142]

great video. are further 69 conversions all abandoned?

[@AndreiTupolev]

Not at all, I've no idea what the modification is about but it's almost certainly a fairly small thing

[@bfapple]

Given that 56312 has been stripped down quite rapidly, I wouldn't have thought so.

[@james123212]

@@AndreiTupolev main issues i've heard rumoured are cab interior issues and cracks gave also apparently been found in 69004s bogies. athough its is rumours so take it with a grain of salt

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I read the conversions are just paused for now while they work on these, and the main issues are radiators and further cab modifications. I have no idea how reliable that rumor is though

[@Dowager666]

@@chrisrichmond403 what you want to go back to steam ???

[@stephenollerhead5325]

🦺⭐️👌🧐

[@1chish]

Whatever the fault is it can't be serious if they are coming back under their own power.

[@Sophiebryson510]

Just fixing the issues

[@Sophiebryson510]

@Neil Foord the issues, i’ve editied to change the word

[@AndreiTupolev]

@Neil Foord they were a 1960s band fronted by Ray Davies

[@Sophiebryson510]

@Neil Foord don’t know, but there may be some.

[@1chish]

@@AndreiTupolev And Ray's brother Dave.....

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I read there was some problem with the radiators

[@terrier_productions]

Does anyone know why that burned 66 hasn’t been scrapped yet? Been there for years

[@1chish]

It wasn't a burn out. It was 66048 and was working the first ever southbound Stobart Rail service by DB Schenker when it derailed on 04/01/2010. In freezing temperatures and snowy conditions, the front portion of the train, which was travelling from Inverness towards Perth on the Highland Main Line, derailed at Carrbridge station. It took months to retrieve it. Given the way GBRF are scratching round for 66s as they cannot buy new any more I would not be surprised if that was rebuilt.

[@Nate0493]

@@1chish I highly doubt they would rebuild it, it’s been sat there for yonks rotting away plus it’s mangled and the frame damaged, not to mention the inside is a swimming pool!

[@1chish]

@@Nate0493 That is the logical thought process but when the laws of supply vs demand come in to play its about the end result. If the shell was distorted it would have been scrapped years ago or even cut up on site as the GBrF 66 was when it went down an embankment. And anyway those poor underpaid drivers require better working conditions so maybe a swimming pool is the answer? 🤣🤣

[@terrier_productions]

@@1chish oh ok..

[@andrewreynolds4949]

There might be some legal loophole that allows a “rebuild” (only “rebuilt” on paper) or something, I’m not sure

[@AJ-yw5zy]

Thats what you get when you mess with the Grid Gods, repent you sinners 🙂

[@rearspeaker6364]

become a singing grid, or die by the torch!!

[@danielsellers8707]

We didn't get 'stick the Sulzer back' with the 57s...