GBRF’S re-engineered Class 69 fleet has been withdrawn from traffic pending a solution to technical issues with the six locos that have entered traffic so far. Unconfirmed reports say that extreme vibrations can occur at higher power notches.
The locos have been converted from redundant Class 56s fitted with a General Motors 12N-710G3B-T2 two-stroke power unit, GM alternator and new electrical cubicle by Progress Rail at Longport, Staffordshire.
At the time of going to press, Nos. 69001-69004 had been taken to Longport, No. 69005 was at Doncaster Roberts Road depot and No. 69006 at Tuebrook Sidings, Liverpool. Despite being completed in January (see last issue), the seventh member of the fleet, No. 69007 has not been officially accepted into traffic, while No. 69008 (the former No. 56038) appears complete but has not yet been registered on TOPS.
A GBRf spokesperson said: “In consultation with our maintenance partner, we have decided to withdraw the fleet from service for eight weeks to allow for improvements. The fleet is expected to return to active service in April.”