National Grid - The Class 56 Story (Reworked)

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This is a reworked and reuploaded version of the original video.
Hello all! :D
Today, we examine the history of the Class 56, an extremely powerful freight locomotive built to handle the UK's vital coal traffic during the 1970s and into the 1980s, but one that was also dogged by an unfortunate reputation for unreliability, as caused when the first examples emerged from Craiova factory in Romania with a substandard build that required significant remediation work.
Despite their flaws, though, the Class 56s proved to be rugged and flexible for all manner of heavy freight work, and today many examples can still be found in revenue service across the UK, while others are upgraded with improved engines and traction equipment to become the Class 69, assuring these machine's continued use well into the 2020s.
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References:
- Class 56 Group (and their respective references)
- Kent Rail (and their respective references)
- Wikipedia (and its respective references)

[@progenlol]

Honestly I find it really interesting that British trains have been sent abroad. Nice vid btw!

[@JonBowe]

Not bad for a frame built in the 1960's to still be hopefully mainline for at least another 20 years. Class 47, 56, 57, & 69.

[@mikeuk4130]

Wonderful - I've still got this in my Watch Later from the first time around! The opening shot is one of my all-time favourite Grid thrashes of all time!

[@ashfaq1999]

Great video. I remember the original blue british rail class 56 pulling the GLC & later West Waste rubbish train from west ruislip to calvert back in the 80’s to early 90’s.

[@UncleJoeLITE]

Reworked, rewatched & remembered! =)

[@daystatesniper01]

Good video ,still remember these hammering up the gradient from Moorthorpe to Ferrybridge on MGR trains ,turbos screaming happy memories

[@mandrillfoden]

Love a class 56 and love the videos. Greta would love that parting shot😂😮😊

[@avalon7902]

How dare you.

[@theleftyboater]

I know I keep saying this but this channel gets me into things that I had no idea I was interested in. Thanks for all of your hard work it’s really appreciated ❤️❤️🏳️‍⚧️

[@scofab]

Fascinating as always and thank you again.

[@EM-yk1dw]

Excellent documentary again

[@Mike-kc8rl]

Another informative video. The 56 and 58s kept Britain fuelled for years! They worked hard, and the MGR trains were heavy at around 1650 tons 36 wagons . They also were a regular on the Chilterns with the GLC bin liners again heavy duty trains .You could hear a grid for miles ! Even as of 2024 they appear here on the spoil trains along with the 60s for Cappagh. Not bad for a 70s build!

[@MonopodMan]

You should cover the class 58s in a future video

[@fredburley9512]

Interesting stuff.

[@briangriffiths1285]

Seems to me that these were really quite successful. That they were replaced by the Class 59/66 is no great shame given the testing ground of the US/Canadian locos. US and Canadian trains no doubt have their failures but running a train with 2, 3 or up to 5 locos means, like the HSTs in UK you have redundancy in the event of one failure, and a chance to prove the kit. Had we designed an upgraded Class 20 with an output of 1800 horse power these might have been the best bet overall with 8 driven axles?

[@garethmatthews7939]

i remember them on the margam to llanwern iron ore train taking over from tripple headed 37's and also later on working coal trains up past my house on the von (Vale of Neath line) under transrail then EWS also while i was working for great western trains i would see them passing on the mainline with coal or in laodhaul on the baglan - hull ethonal train and now on the baglan bay logs with colas rail

[@rob5944]

I couldn't believe how long it was, must be an incredible weight!

[@caramelldansen2204]

That's what she said!

[@BobC250]

@@caramelldansen2204 ^ ^ ^ ^ WINNER! 😄

[@mickfromleitrim]

123 tons... long tons actually... lol

[@rob5944]

@@caramelldansen2204 your mind lol

[@rob5944]

@@mickfromleitrim sorry, I should of said the weight of the timber and all....

[@gregrudd6983]

So EMD did tender did US GE also tender?

[@1BCamden]

Great episode, the class 56 saved BR’s bacon

[@johnkeepin7527]

Interesting about the class 56 history, and set against the background of coal fired power, with the Merry Go Rpund (MGR) workings.

[@aarontrigg9463]

Wasn’t there meant to be 136 of them but the cabs went on 56004 after it had a smashup??

[@trainlover123trainsrock]

Can you do a video on the Class 67

[@gyorgyzoltan7007]

Good day to everyone! Does anybody know what chassis number do these locomotives have? I am curious if they where mixed with other Romanian diesel locomotive productions or where a totally separate series. Thank you!

[@philsteele7151]

Doncaster works is still there, Electroputre park is a shopping centre.

[@bibliotek42]

What about the thunderbirds? Weren't they also class 56?

[@paulnolan1352]

Ex 47’s.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

That’s why they are the screaming Romanian gridirons

[@Mounhas]

Drop those logs off at my place, thanks.

[@Thattrainguy4334]

Personally I really like the class 56's, they just have this nice charm to them

[@A-se2ur]

Your intonation seems quite unusual and robot-like here compared to your previous videos. Have you used an AI tool to narrate this?

[@abigailmurray5897]

It does sound like it

[@QuadMochaMatti]

That seems like the weirdest thing ever, to do an AI replication of your own voice. I do not want to be a Bionicle being.

[@tomromaniuk8449]

Can I be first?

[@macky4074]

Voice sounds like AI

[@theleftyboater]

It doesn’t but it really isn’t 🤣