vac_basher Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Forgive me as I'm not too familiar with the Class, but I've noticed in some photos that some 56s have the coupling "grate" (for lack of a more technical term) below the bufferbeam, while others do not.... What's the story with this? Were they built with it; or were they added later? Did all machines recieve them or just certain examples? In particular 56095 interests me. Thanks in advance to anybody who's able to help Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vac_basher Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 Here's a photo of what I'm talking about: http://www.flickr.co...ews/5863823700/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Errr, forgive me if I'm being dumb, but isn't that the grid, that gives the class its nickname? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Errr, forgive me if I'm being dumb, but isn't that the grid, that gives the class its nickname? I thought the 'Grid' nickname derived from the mesh-covered horn housing in the centre of the nose, rather than from the coupling protector? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekEm8 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 VB , If this is what you mean I would say they were all built with them 56008 Worksop may 1986 56082 Newton Heath June 1985 56085 Guide Bridge August 1983 HTH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I thought the 'Grid' nickname derived from the mesh-covered horn housing in the centre of the nose, rather than from the coupling protector? Mmmmm, Jury's Out (rather than Inn) for me, wouldn't they have been called 'Meshes' - the Romanians barely had anything by way even of that - they'd've been called tea-strainers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timara Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 All locos from 56091 onwards had their air-conditioning duct moved to the secondman's lower cabside, so only the first 90 carry the "grid" under the bufferbeam. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
royaloak Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I always thought the "grid" nickname was to do with the big grilles in the sides. Iits probably one of those things that came into being, got accepted but nobody actually knows where or why it came about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold colin penfold Posted July 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 21, 2012 All locos from 56091 onwards had their air-conditioning duct moved to the secondman's lower cabside, so only the first 90 carry the "grid" under the bufferbeam. And here are pics of 099 and 131 to reinforce the point. Apologies for the quality due to them being cropped from much larger pictures Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vac_basher Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 I'd also assumed that the grid nikename was to do with the horn cover.... On 091 to 135 were there any other detail diffrances other than the missing grid under the bufferbeam? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lochnagar Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 +1 Tim and Colin. It basically served as a protection for the air con unit. The nickname 'Grid' came from a mix of the square bodyside mesh on the Romanian locos, and the horn grille covers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timara Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 vac_basher: just one detail difference on the last members of the Doncaster batch and then all the Crewe-built machines. I did have a photo on my HDD of the small "square" port on the lower cabside of 56302 (56124) but it's done a disappearing act. It was a simple surround approx 8" tall and 6" across, with a drilled mesh covering the air-con port. It is visible in this image here: I am pretty sure that Shawplan does this as an etch, though I'm willing to be corrected on that aspect! One exception to this appears to be 56303 (formerly 56125) which has had the port plated over. It certainly had it as per its classmates when in EWS use, so it's a post-2005/6 mod. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vac_basher Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 Thanks Tim (and to everybody else that's helped of course!) I see what you mean. Hornby have overlooked this on their model of 095. Still, even without the etch you mentioned it shouldn't be too difficult to correct with a few bits of plasticard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekEm8 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 All locos from 56091 onwards had their air-conditioning duct moved to the secondman's lower cabside, so only the first 90 carry the "grid" under the bufferbeam. Tim, I think it was probably 56090 A big blow up 56090 Man Vic 30 May 1985 56090 York 29 September 1985 HTH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekEm8 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Slightly OT But whilst studying 56s a bit more than usual 56085 in post 5 above Is this the only Class 56 without the cab front RH step- did they get forgotten ? and the other end in early days at Knottingley 28 December 1981 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D6775 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 The Grid 'nickname' does indeed come from the Horn grill, instigated I beilive by Les Kent (of Haslington Models) DAA Railtour 'The Grid Iron Grice' in 1982. Six Bells link to the tour: http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/820807da.htm The gril under the buffer beam varies from type to type (Romanian/Docaster/Crewe) and belive (though I may be wrong on this point) had something to do with the initial intention of fitting Air Con to these locos, something which never happened in UK service. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
45125 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 The Grid 'nickname' does indeed come from the Horn grill, instigated I beilive by Les Kent (of Haslington Models) DAA Railtour 'The Grid Iron Grice' in 1982. Six Bells link to the tour: http://www.sixbellsj...0s/820807da.htm The gril under the buffer beam varies from type to type (Romanian/Docaster/Crewe) and belive (though I may be wrong on this point) had something to do with the initial intention of fitting Air Con to these locos, something which never happened in UK service. They did have air con fitted, the fact that it didn't work too well may be the reason some think it wasn't fitted. Some of the latter models had a form of pressure vent fitted. The grill actually protected the condenser unit, at least it gave protection unlike the same unit fitted on HSTs. Al Taylor Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timara Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Thanks Tim (and to everybody else that's helped of course!) I see what you mean. Hornby have overlooked this on their model of 095. Still, even without the etch you mentioned it shouldn't be too difficult to correct with a few bits of plasticard. I think that to be fair to Hornby, they've merely gone for a bodyshell that fits the majority and left it to those that actually want to personalise theirs a bit more to do the deed. Not that I mind one bit! Tim, I think it was probably 56090 A big blow up 56090 Man Vic 30 May 1985 56090 York 29 September 1985 HTH I think that one may have had one of the next cabs in line on the production line fitted to it, but the duct blanked off at Doncaster Derek . It makes sense to me anyway! Cheers, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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