Tuesday 4th September 2018
56103 – The repaint / vinyl of 56103 into the new DC Rail colours at Willesden is now reportedly complete.
Colas Rail latest – 56090 & 56113 have now been replaced on the logs by 70817, their final appearance (for now) being Saturday’s 6V38 1309 Carlisle Yard – Chirk Kronospan after which the pair ran light engine to Crewe Basford Hall. As leaf fall season beckons for many of the Colas 56s once again this year, 56078 hauled the first two RHTT sets from York Thrall Europa to Coleham (Shrewsbury) as 6Z56 on Friday. Colas are thought to be operating the Shrewsbury and Gloucester-based trains again this year but also the Crewe / Matlock and Midland Main Line circuits too.
56105 has now left Peak Forest, with movement utilising a wheel skate undertaken by 56087 & 090 last night. Running as 8Z56 to Longsight Up & Down Goods Loop (from where a road move could be facilitated), the trio departed Peak Forest just before midnight via Chinley, Hazel Grove and Stockport. 087 & 090 then worked light engine to Crewe Basford Hall, 113 this morning then continuing solo to Nottingham Eastcroft for routine maintenance. 56105, meanwhile, was moved from Longsight to Nottingham Eastcroft on the back of a low loader. It was observed heading east near Huddersfield on the M62 yesterday afternoon (thanks to Derek Moore for the sighting report).
56087 & 56094 could be found working the Preston Docks tanks yesterday, whilst 56302 remains the only member of the class situated north of the border at Grangemouth. Over the weekend, 56096 and 094 were both engaged in engineers duties, with 096 working from Doncaster to Shireoaks / Worksop and 094 in charge of a rail discharge train from Toton to Loughborough / Syston. Both returned to Doncaster on Sunday morning.