Colas to Reduce Class 56 Usage

[Tractor37]

56105 escaped Doncaster West Yard to work 6C89 1851 Doncaster Decoy to Dockfield Junction rail drop train last night with an unknown 70 on the rear.

 

[CDM Transport]

The 56s and the 97s are based at Coleham for the RHTT season. Coleham is a small depot outside of Shrewsbury.

Reportedly 56s only on Scottish & Carlisle RHTT diagrams this year.

 

[Toby3875]

Does anyone know if the 56s are going to run on the 1st september

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Reportedly 56s only on Scottish & Carlisle RHTT diagrams this year.

Ah right ok. So like someone said up thread it will be 66s then I guess?

 

[Trainman40083]

Does anyone know if the 56s are going to run on the 1st september

Seems a bit early in the year.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Seems a bit early in the year.

The drought has resulted in a lot of trees suffering stress and they have dropped a load of leaves already.

 

[47286Dan]

56105 out today

56105 COFS DONSDGCLS 230Z661E03 F DONSDGCLS N

Dan

 

[yorkshirerail]

Anyone know when the 56s are going to move to Carlisle/Carstairs and if so how they will get there from Doncaster

 

[XCTurbostar]

Anyone know when the 56s are going to move to Carlisle/Carstairs and if so how they will get there from Doncaster

Respectfully, None of the Colas RHTTs using locos are confirmed, so - no.

 

[CDM Transport]

Respectfully, None of the Colas RHTTs using locos are confirmed, so - no.

Respectfully, they are.. confirmed by colas...

 

[XCTurbostar]

Respectfully, they are.. confirmed by colas...

Nothing 56 related to Carstairs.

3 Class 56s for North Wales based at Shrewsbury (one diagram)
4 Class 56s for North West based at Carlisle (two diagrams)

 

[CDM Transport]

Nothing 56 related to Carstairs.

3 Class 56s for North Wales based at Shrewsbury (one diagram)
4 Class 56s for North West based at Carlisle (two diagrams)

May I ask where this information is from?

 

[XCTurbostar]

May I ask where this information is from?

Last year, 3x 56s covered North Wales with 97s. Reading between the lines, Rail Magazine's post states "Colas will also be using seven Class 56s to cover turns in the north west and north Wales" so the remaining 4x 56s will cover some or all 3Jxx diagrams.

Last year, the 3J11/12 diagrams were Colas 70s and 3J78/3J80 were Colas 56s.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Nothing 56 related to Carstairs.

3 Class 56s for North Wales based at Shrewsbury (one diagram)
4 Class 56s for North West based at Carlisle (two diagrams)

I saw someone say the North West RHTT could be 66s?

 

[Class_90 fan 0]

I’ve heard from a few people that north wales RHTT would be the colas leased FL 66/5s this year

 

[43096]

I’ve heard from a few people that north wales RHTT would be the colas leased FL 66/5s this year

I'd be surprised if Freightliner have any 66s available for hire out.

 

[yorkshirerail]

I'd be surprised if Freightliner have any 66s available for hire out.

Most likely to be some of the four they’ve had on hire for ages 544 549 551 and 553

 

[43096]

Most likely to be some of the four they’ve had on hire for ages 544 549 551 and 553

Those are not Freightliner 66s. They're Heavy Haul locos.

 

[Freightmaster]

I'd be surprised if Freightliner have any 66s available for hire out.

Colas have had 66544/549/551/553 on hire from Freightliner (as it was then)
since this time last year.

 

[l3mm]

when do we reckon those north wales rhtts are gonna start
if so, are they for sure using 56s?

 

[Jacob Porrett]

when do we reckon those north wales rhtts are gonna start
if so, are they for sure using 56s?

Beginning of October and it looks like 56s with the 97s.

 

[47286Dan]

when do we reckon those north wales rhtts are gonna start
if so, are they for sure using 56s?

56113 already at Coleham and 56090 & 56051 arrive there tomorrow on 0Z56 so definitely 56s with the 97s

Dan

 

[l3mm]

excellent, cheers guys!

 

[47286Dan]

Sunday morning movement

56051 COFS COLHAMLMD 640Z561J27 F BASFDHALL N

Dan

 

[SpineOnABap]

Sunday morning movement

56051 COFS COLHAMLMD 640Z561J27 F BASFDHALL N

Dan

Ah, that'll be the one I just saw in the loop at Alsager (6K87 Basford to Bradwell Sidings). From a distance & low light I couldn't make out the number, but it makes sense it was 051. Very rare to see a 56 working that one these days!

 

[F8RQ3]

heads up, 56094 and 56302 have now gone from TOPS too after being exported to Ghana

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Oct 2026 ==

Respectfully, they are.. confirmed by colas

Colas 56 usage is as follows this year;

3 56s to be based out of Carlisle For RHTT ( 1 to act as a spare / rotation loco )
1 56 to be based out of York for RHTT ( to act as a spare / contingency loco )
2 56s to be based out of Shrewsbury for RHTT
1 56 to be based out of Eastleigh ( to be used on the Halling Services not RHTT )

No idea on which ones where tho

 

[Welshguy1048]

View attachment 212516
heads up, 56094 and 56302 have now gone from TOPS too after being exported to Ghana

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Oct 2026 ==


Colas 56 usage is as follows this year;

3 56s to be based out of Carlisle For RHTT ( 1 to act as a spare / rotation loco )
1 56 to be based out of York for RHTT ( to act as a spare / contingency loco )
2 56s to be based out of Shrewsbury for RHTT
1 56 to be based out of Eastleigh ( to be used on the Halling Services not RHTT )

No idea on which ones where tho

@F8RQ3

It's 56090 and 56113 based out of Shrewsbury for the RHTT - 3S71 is the headcode for them

Dave

 

[47286Dan]

Friday afternoon movement (non RHTT)

56049 COFS HOOJNUPYD 880Q561H02 F HOOJNUPYD N

Dan

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Oct 2026 ==

Monday afternoon update

Good to see the grids back in action

56049 COFS HOOJNUPYD HOOJNUPYD F N
56051 COFS BASFDHALL BASFDHALL 6 N
56078 COFS NUNTHORPE 153J78CI05 D * CSLE YD N
56087 COFS NOTTM CMD RECTRYJCR F M
56090 COFS COLHAMLMD 643S71CY04 D * COLHAMLMD N
56096 COFS CARLISLEY CARLISLEY 4 N
56105 COFS NUNTHORPE 153J78CI05 D * CSLE YD N
56113 COFS COLHAMLMD 643S71CY04 D * COLHAMLMD N

Dan

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Oct 2026 ==

Tuesday update

56049 COFS HALINGCLS 896Y862J06 C * HOOJNUPYD N
56051 COFS BASFDHALL 420Z582M06 F DONCWSTYD N
56078 COFS NUNTHORPE 153J78CA06 D * CSLE YD N
56087 COFS NOTTM CMD RECTRYJCR F M
56090 COFS COLHAMLMD 643S71C705 D * COLHAMLMD N
56096 COFS CARLISLEY CARLISLEY 4 N
56105 COFS NUNTHORPE 153J78CA06 D * CSLE YD N
56113 COFS COLHAMLMD 643S71C705 D * COLHAMLMD N

Dan

 

[fb2126]

56096 on 6C02 today

 

[yorkshirerail]

56078 has failed at Carlisle Yard so 56105 is hauling 3J77 solo today