The British Rail Class 56, a BR Diesel Freight Locomotive Survivor and Unsung Workhorse
As of June 2025 this is the state of play. Colas have ten of the class, although not all of them are currently active. DCR have two examples while three owned by GBRf are due to be converted into Class 69 locomotives.
The remaining two GBRf examples numbers 56081 and 56098 are rumoured to be staying as Class 56s.
In the following clips filmed between 2015 and 2025 we see the class as hard at work on a variety of duties.
56312 6Z34 Hitchin Yard - Chaddesden at Langford 14/1/2015
56301 6Z56 Calvert - Willesden Euroterminal at Siblet’s Wood 2/3/2015
56103 5Z34 Wembley LMD - Loughborough Brush at Dudswell 1/6/2015
56113+56078 6S96 Sinfin - Grangemouth at Greenholm 11/6/2015
56081 6Z57 Calvert - Willesden Euroterminal at Siblet’s Wood 24/6/2015
56104+56081 5Z56 Eastleigh Arlington - Tyseley at South Stoke 10/9/2015
56103 6Z57 Calvert - Willesden Euroterminal at Acton Main Line 28/9/2015
56103 6Z57 Calvert - Willesden Euroterminal at Siblet’s Wood 19/1/2016
56303 6Z56 Willesden Euroterminal - Calvert at West Wycombe 16/2/2016
56081 5Z35 Wembley LMD - Bristol Barton Hill at Neasden 29/3/2016
56301+56081 6Z17 Foxton - Wembley Yard ay Little Wymondley 5/10/2017
56301+56081 6Z17 Foxton - Wembley Yard at Royston 6/10/2017
56301+56303 6Z17 Foxton - Wembley Yard at Baldock 27/10/2017
56303+56301 6Z17 Foxton - Wembley Yard at Little Wymondley 3/11/2017
56301 6L74 Wembley Yard - Barrington at Letchworth 16/11/2017
56303+707016+707015 6X87 Dollands Moor - Clapham Junction at Great Chart 16/12/2017
56303 6M06 Barrington - Willesden at Shepreth 19/4/2018
56303 6M06 Barrington - Willesden at Meldreth 20/4/2018
56103 6M25 Calvert - Willesden at West Wycombe 26/7/2018
56105 6V30 Dagenham Dock - Bridgend Ford at Ripple Lane 5/4/2019
56302 6V30 Dagenham Dock - Bridgend Ford at Walthamstow Wetlands 24/5/2019
56103+56091 6Z40 Willesden - Angerstein Wharf at Crayford 30/8/2019
56103 4Z35 Wembley - Humberstone Road at Ledburn Junction 13/6/2020
56049 6Z29 Brandon - Chaddesden at Beggars Bridge 10/6/2021
56113+70816 7C50 Brent Curve Junction - Toton North Yard at Radlett Junction 2/4/2022
56081+720524+50007 5Q76 Derby Litchurch Lane - Wembley Yard at Cheddington 8/4/2022
56081+720520+56098 5Q90 Derby Litchurch Lane - Wembley Yard at Lidlington 7/6/2022
56091 4Z21 Chaddesden - Willesden at Ledburn Junction 2/9/2022
56091+60046 6Z92 Middleton Towers - Chaddesden at Helpston 22/10/2022
56098+50049+720130+50007 5Q06 Wembley - Derby Litchurch Lane at Dudswell 11/5/2023
56081+701024+47727 5Q12 Wembley Yard - Eastleigh at Chertsey 5/7/2023
56051 6Z51 Baglan Bay - Chirk Kronospan at Caerleon 15/6/2023
56301 4Z56 Chaddesden - Wembley at Cheddington 29/10/2023
56301 4Z84 Brandon Down Goods Loop - Chaddesden at Welney/Pymoor 29/11/2023
56098 6Z71 Grain - Willesden at Sharnal Street/Grain Branch 4/3/2024
56103+56098 6Z60 Willesden - Merehead at Hungerford Common 21/5/2024
56301+56103 6M89 Middleton Towers - Chaddesden at Littleport 22/3/2025
56103+56301 6L92 Chaddesden - Kings Lynn at Black Bank 11/4/2025
56301+56103 6M89 Middleton Towers - Chaddesden Queen Adelaide 12/4/2025
56301+56103 6M89 Middleton Towers - Chaddesden at Ely West Junction 12/4/2025
This video showcases various British Rail Class 56 diesel freight locomotives in operation between 2015 and 2025. The footage includes examples from operators such as Colas, DCR, and GBRf working on different duties across locations like Cheddington, Loughborough, and Leicester. Several headcodes are noted, indicating the variety of services these locomotives have been involved in. The Class 56 remains a significant presence on UK mainlines despite ongoing conversions to other classes.
Fishplate has identified 32 locomotives in this video. We’ve also matched 30 headcodes and 4 operators . Create a free account to see where they appear, unlock timestamps and locations, and view the full breakdown.
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