The British Rail Class 56 Type 5 Co-Co diesel locomotive was first introduced in 1976 to cope with the increased requirement for heavy freight. British Rail awarded the contract to design and build these new engines to Brush Traction in Loughborough, who subsequently sub-contracted the construction to Electroputere in Romania, due to the lack of capacity in their own works. The initial 30 locomotives to be delivered from Romania suffered from transit damage and construction deficiencies and had to be extensively rebuilt before entering service. With this in mind the decision was made to build the remaining 105 locomotives in England, British Rail Engineering Ltd manufacturing them at their Doncaster Works (nos. 56031 to 56115) and Crewe Works (nos. 56116 to 56135).

The design specification was based upon the Class 47 bodyshell, with the omission of redundant features such as the headcode panel. Power came from a Ruston-Paxman unit that was similar to that fitted in the Class 50 locomotives, which provided the capability for heavy haul freight. Air brakes were fitted for the first time in a British Rail engine and the electrics were improved in a number of areas, resulting in a more robust power unit. Nicknamed as Gridirons or “Grids”, the Class 56 displaced the Class 20 and Class 47 locomotives and commonly undertook the transportation of iron ore, coal, aggregate and steel across the Eastern and London Midland Regions and on the Western Region for aggregate duties.

Strong and reliable performers, the locomotives were popular, but needed heavy maintenance, particularly when compared against the Class 66 locomotives that came to displace them in service. The introduction of the Class 60 locomotives saw a gradual reduction in the use of the Class 56 locomotives and with the arrival of the Class 66 locomotives, with their greater availability and lower maintenance, the Class 56 fleet were placed into storage between 1998 and 2004.

Most of the locomotives remain in depots around the UK, despite being variously sold for scrap and then re-acquired and reinstated in service. Colas Railfreight operate a small fleet on a rotating basis and British American Railway Services and UK Rail Leasing have a number available for working. Five locomotives, 56006, 56097, 56098, 56301 and 56302 have been preserved. No. 56047 was built in July 1978 by BREL in Doncaster. The locomotive served with BR and later Transrail until being put into storage in May 1999. The locomotive was scrapped in December 2003.

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “Hornby – BR, Class 56, Co-Co, 56047 (R30073) OO Gauge” Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Product
Service

Upload images

Upload File External Link

Upload a video

E.g.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhBUmxEOfpc

Recommendation:

Review anonymously

Δ

Understanding Scale

The scale of a model is its size as a proportion to the real-life item. For instance, a 1:18 scale model means that every 1 unit of measurement on the model equals 18 units on the real item. If you divide the real item's size by 18, you'd get the size of the 1:18 model. Please note that models can vary slightly in size, as not all real-life items, like cars or planes, have the same dimensions.

Model Cars:

• 1:12 scale: ~38 cm or 15 inches
• 1:18 scale: ~25 cm or 10 inches
• 1:24 scale: ~18 cm or 7 inches
• 1:43 scale: ~10 cm or 4 inches
• 1:64 scale: ~7 cm or 2.75 inches
• 1:76 scale: ~6 cm or 2.3 inches

Model Trucks:

• 1:12 scale: ~75 cm or 29.5 inches
• 1:18 scale: ~50 cm or 19.7 inches
• 1:24 scale: ~38 cm or 15 inches
• 1:43 scale: ~21 cm or 8.3 inches
• 1:64 scale: ~14 cm or 5.5 inches
• 1:76 scale: ~12 cm or 4.7 inches

Model Bikes:

• 1:6 scale: ~30 cm or 12 inches
• 1:10 scale: ~18 cm or 7 inches
• 1:12 scale: ~15 cm or 6 inches

Model Trains:

• HO scale (1:87): ~22 cm or 8.7 inches
• N scale (1:160): ~12 cm or 4.7 inches
• O scale (1:48): ~38 cm or 15 inches

Model Airplanes:

Fighter Jets:

• 1:72 scale: ~20 cm or 7.9 inches
• 1:100 scale: ~14 cm or 5.5 inches
• 1:144 scale: ~10 cm or 3.9 inches
• 1:200 scale: ~7 cm or 2.8 inches

Civilian Aircraft:

• 1:72 scale: ~40 cm or 15.7 inches
• 1:100 scale: ~28 cm or 11 inches
• 1:144 scale: ~20 cm or 7.9 inches
• 1:200 scale: ~14 cm or 5.5 inches

Model Ships:

• 1:144 scale: ~150 cm or 59 inches
• 1:350 scale: ~62 cm or 24.4 inches
• 1:700 scale: ~31 cm or 12.2 inches

Model Tanks:

• 1:16 scale: ~97 cm or 38.2 inches
• 1:35 scale: ~44 cm or 17.3 inches
• 1:72 scale: ~22 cm or 8.7 inches

Delivery:

• Orders placed before 14:00 (Monday-Friday) are dispatched the same day. After 14:00, they're dispatched the next working day.
• Delays may occur during high order volume. Any significant delays will be communicated via email.
• We ship globally, with specific rates for different zones:
• UK: Standard - £3.50 (Free over £75), Express - £4.99.
• Europe: Starting at £14.99.
• North America: Starting at £17.99.
• Other zones vary. Surcharges apply for international rates depending on item size/weight. Shipping calculator available in cart for accurate rates.
• Delivery confirmation and tracking number provided post-dispatch.

Returns & Refunds:

• 30-day return policy. Items must be unused, in original packaging.
• No returns on hazardous or flammable items.
• Start returns by emailing support@model-universe.com. Do not return to the manufacturer.
• Returns address: Model Universe, 3 Hagley Court North, The Waterfront, Dudley, West Midlands, DY5 1XF, UK.
• Refund processing times vary; contact us if delays occur. Sale items may have different refund terms.

For detailed info on shipping zones, lost/damaged shipments, duties, and our full return policy, click here.