Fleet survey: Class 56: Dating from the mid-1970s, the Class 56 may be low in numbers these days, but there remains significant interest in their operations.

The Class 56 locomotives, dating from the mid-1970s, have seen a decline in numbers but still generate significant interest. Originally, 135 locomotives were ordered, with the first 30 built in Romania due to capacity constraints in Britain. They were initially used for coal trains but later moved to other duties. Withdrawals began in 1991, and by 2004, the remaining operational examples were sold or preserved. Today, there are 13 operational Class 56 locomotives, with Colas Railfreight and GB Railfreight being the main operators. Some have been converted to Class 69 locomotives, while others remain preserved or exported. [Extracted from the article]