class-56-grid

The BR Class 56 'Grid' was a series of 135 Co-Co diesel-electric heavy freight locomotives built between 1976 and 1984 at BREL Doncaster, Crewe, and by Electroputere of Romania — see the main BR Class 56 entry for full details. Designed specifically for the heavy merry-go-round (MGR) coal traffic between collieries and power stations that was one of BR's most important freight flows, the Class 56 had a chequered early career due to quality issues with the Romanian-built examples but the BREL-built locomotives gave good service on heavy freight duties. The grid-pattern cab windows gave the class its nickname. Seven examples are preserved: 56003, 56006, 56009, 56040, 56086, 56097, and 56301.