THE first of GB Railfreight’s (GBRf) Class 69 locos – No. 69001 (ex-56031),the conversion from aClass 56 –was expectedtovisit the Severn Valley Railway in the first week in January to begin its initial testing.
GBRf has contracted Progress Rail at Longport to convert 10 Class 56s and upgrade them in order to fulfil a need for more locomotives.
No.69001 has been slowly rebuilt after being stripped to its bodyshell to allow structural modifications,but it retains the original bogies,traction motors and braking system, which has been refurbished.
The loco’s original fuel-thirsty Ruston Paxman 3,200hp diesel engine has been replacedwith an EMD12N-710G3BT2 power unit,also developing 3,200hp.