Testing at the Severn Valley Railway has finished for Class 56-convert Class 69 69001 and GB Railfreight has said what is next for the “new” locomotives.

A number of tests were completed on the Severn Valley Railway, including light and loaded test runs using SVR wagons.

GB Railfreight has said that 69002 is currently at Eastleigh Arlington for painting, and is scheduled to move back to Longport EMD in Mid-April.

69001 is currently awaiting a move from Longport EMD to Eastleigh Arlington, and this is scheduled to occur sometime in Mid April.

Finally, GB Railfreight has said that driver training is set to take place in June and July.

For those that don’t know, Class 69s are converted from Class 56 locomotives with engines similar to those found in Class 66s, with 69001 and 69002 being converted from 56031 and 56311 respectively.

A GBRf spokesperson told RailAdvent: “69001 will go to paint at Arlington Eastleigh mid-April from Longport EMD. Meanwhile, 69002 is at Arlington Eastleigh now for paint and release is scheduled for mid-April back to Longport EMD. Driver training will take place in June/July.”

“GBRf will make more information public in due course.”

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