Off Grid?
One of the first to be released to traffic of what will eventually be sixteen members of GBRf's class 69 conversions, unit 69002 'Bob Tiller CM&EE'; stands at Tonbridge West Yard awaiting its next turn of duty.
Converted by Progress Rail at their Longport facility in Staffordshire, each locomotive is a substantial rebuild from a class 56 unit (aka 'Grid') released to traffic in the period 1976-1984.
The story behind the conversions is that GBRf, the owners, were looking for more locomotives offering similar performance to the class 66s which, since 2010, could no longer be purchased as they were deemed non-compliant with National Technical Specification Notices. As a consequence it was determined that converting an existing locomotive would prove to be more cost effective than designing and buying something completely new. The 69s include many similar control systems, as well as the same power plant, as that used in the class 66s.
In the case of 69002, the rebuild was from 'Grid' 56311 which was released to traffic in 1979 as unit 56057 fresh out of Doncaster Works.
Rather than take this shot over the footbridge rail, I opted to take it through the grid mesh as a spin on the narrative. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but........
4.10pm, 25th March 2024
Background info courtesy of Wiki
Off Grid?
One of the first to be released to traffic of what will eventually be sixteen members of GBRf's class 69 conversions, unit 69002 'Bob Tiller CM&EE'; stands at Tonbridge West Yard awaiting its next turn of duty.
Converted by Progress Rail at their Longport facility in Staffordshire, each locomotive is a substantial rebuild from a class 56 unit (aka 'Grid') released to traffic in the period 1976-1984.
The story behind the conversions is that GBRf, the owners, were looking for more locomotives offering similar performance to the class 66s which, since 2010, could no longer be purchased as they were deemed non-compliant with National Technical Specification Notices. As a consequence it was determined that converting an existing locomotive would prove to be more cost effective than designing and buying something completely new. The 69s include many similar control systems, as well as the same power plant, as that used in the class 66s.
In the case of 69002, the rebuild was from 'Grid' 56311 which was released to traffic in 1979 as unit 56057 fresh out of Doncaster Works.
Rather than take this shot over the footbridge rail, I opted to take it through the grid mesh as a spin on the narrative. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but........
4.10pm, 25th March 2024
Background info courtesy of Wiki