EMD Power in Retro Style: Class 69 Number 69009 Western Consort Thunder Down the Pontefract Line

British Rail Class 69 diesel-electric Co-Co locomotive number 69009 "Western Consort" was rebuilt by Progress Rail at their workshop in Longport, Staffordshire, from the carcass of surplus British Rail Class 56 heavy freight locomotive number 56060. Standardized to match core performance parameters of the classic Class 66 fleet, the locomotive is powered by a modern, emissions-compliant EMD 12N-710G3B-T2 two-stroke turbocharged 12-cylinder diesel engine producing 3,200 brake horsepower. Operating through a rebuilt electrical traction platform driving six DC traction motors, the 126-tonne heavy haul asset is capable of a top speed of 80 mph. Throughout its structural lifetime, this locomotive has worn numerous previous liveries. In its original guise as a Class 56 "Grid" built by British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) at Doncaster Works, it carried standard British Railways Blue and corporate Railfreight Triple Grey schemes. Upon its engineering rebirth in late 2023, it initially entered mainline traffic in a basic green protective primer with small yellow warning panels. It now carries its definitive, striking retrospective British Railways Western Region Maroon livery, styled directly after the legendary Class 52 locomotives with white cab window surrounds and small yellow warning blocks. Owned and operated by GB Railfreight (GBRf), the locomotive is seen here deployed on a premier industrial duty, working a heavy rake of loaded sand hopper wagons destined for the Redfearns Glass manufacturing plant at Monk Bretton.

Seen here in 8K 16:9 widescreen passing through Streethouse station traveling from Middleton Towers GBRf to Monk Bretton Redfearns GBRf on Tuesday 12/05/2026 at 15:00.

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