some people wonder why grown men will get up at the crack of dawn, gently pat their still sleeping children and head-off into the country side to see a 'celebrity locomotive' .. quite why this particular engine 56115 'Barry Needham' is a celeb is a mystery, possibly because there aren't too many left in Mainline service. They were coming to an end of their 30 year long working life and always drew a loyal fan-base.

the Class 56 truly was a beast of an engine, if it were likened to a canine it'd be like a raging rottweiler - ready to bite the hand off the unwary. Some details which made these the monsters they were; 120+ tons, 16 cyl Ruston Paxman Diesel with uprated Turbos and gear driven timing cams as opposed to previously been chain driven, the generators were now AC over DC for the traction current which provided a massive 61,000+lbf Tractive Force Effort, the engine was rated for about 3,500HP which for the time was a powerful engine. They could happily haul a consist up to 80MPH or pull a coal MGR (merry go round) to and from a Power Station going through the ½MPH delivery sections.

this particular video shows the engine pulling a Rail Tour which looks to be well attended even at that ungodly hour in Barnt Green with some of the Gricers having festered there all night in anticipation of some 56-bashing - 'gricers bashers and festering' ' being technical terms within the Rail Fraternity ;-)

there's plenty of oily clagg on display as 56115 makes a spirited Away much to the delight of all involved, '...the smell of diesel first thing in the morning ...

please note, ..click carefully - rail enthusiasts only ..