Class 56 & 58

Designed specifically for heavy freight operations in the UK, British Rail’s Class 56 was introduced in 1976–84. The first 30 of a total of 135 locos were built by Electroputere in Romania, with construction of the rest divided between the Doncaster and Crewe works of British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL). Known by enthusiasts as ‘Grids’, they have given valuable service over the years and continue to do so to this day. With an eye on the export market, British Rail took what it had learned from the Class 56s and developed the Class 58s, a unique modular design that enabled easier and cheaper maintenance. The resulting narrow bodies were nicknamed ‘Bones’. All 50 Class 58 locos were built by BREL at Doncaster and introduced between 1983 and 1987. The Class 58 established itself upon Merry-Go-Round (MGR) trains, moving later to infrastructure and stone trains. With over 200 images, this book details the service careers of these two heavy freight classes at a variety of locations.