(HD) Classic West Coast Electrics at work

Now available in 1080p HD!

Since electrification was completed in part in 1960 and fully in 1974, the West Coast Mainline from London Euston to Glasgow Central has featured some of the greatest diversity in Electric Locomotives in the world. Since the Class 81 locomotives rolled out of British Thomson-Houston's in Birmingham in 1959, the line has seen the following classes operate routinely along the route:

Class 81 (AL1): Designed by British Thomson-Houston, 25 examples, 100mph mixed use AC electric locomotive, in service 1959-1991
Class 82 (AL2): Designed by Metropolitan-Vickers, 10 examples, 100mph mixed use later ECS AC electric locomotive, in service 1960 - 1987
Class 83 (AL3): Designed by English Electric, 15 examples, 100mph mixed use later ECS AC electric locomotive, in service 1960 - 1989
Class 84 (AL4): Designed by North British Locomotive Company, 10 examples, 100mph mixed use later ECS AC electric locomotive, in service 1960 - 1980
Class 85 (AL5): Designed by British Railways' Doncaster Works, 40 examples, 100mph mixed use later freight only AC electric locomotive, in service 1961 - 1992
Class 86 (AL6): Designed by English Electric, built at Doncaster and Vulcan Foundry, 100 examples, 110mph mixed use now freight AC electric locomotive, in service 1965 (- 2004 Passenger) - present (Freight)
Class 87: Designed by BREL Crewe Works, 36 examples, 110mph mixed use later passenger AC electric locomotive, in service 1973 - 2005 (see further use in Bulgaria)
Class 90: Designed by BREL Crewe Works, 50 examples, 110mph mixed use AC electric locomotive, in service 1987 - 2003 (West Coast Passenger services), 1987 - present (West Coast freight and other operations)

Today the locomotive hauled days of the West Coast Mainline are now a memory as the mass introduction of the Class 390 tilting Pendolino units and the Class 221 Super Voyager units saw an end to many of these are working classes of locomotives.

Thankfully, due to the hard work of enthusiast groups, many of these locomotives continued to be a frequent sight on the WCML on tours and preservation runs, reawakening the former glory days of these magnificent machines:

Class 81 - 85: Currently there are no operational examples in preservation although the AC locomotive group plans to return these locomotives to working order with a hope of seeing these return to the mainline.

Class 86: Freight operator Freightliner currently has 14 operational locomotives on its books and continues to be the only operator of the Class 86's in revenue earning service as of 2013.

In preservation, the AC Locomotive Group and Electric Traction Limited currently own 5 locomotives (86401, 86101, 86701, 86702 and 86213) whilst private owner Les Ross owns a single example (86259). A recent report by ETL has stated that it has pulled out of mainline operations, leaving its fleet with the prospect of either scrapping or export. This will result in 86259 being the only mainline registered and operational Class 86 at work on the WCML outside of the Freightliner examples.

Class 87: Of the fleet of 36 locomotives, 3 are currently in preservation. 87001 now resides at the National Railway Museum, 87002 is owned by ETL but following the 2013 report it is expected to be sold to Bulgaria and join its fellow surviving classmates on freight duties there, and 87035 currently resides as a static exhibit at the Crewe Heritage Centre.

Class 90: Class 90's continue to be frequent operators on the WCML running the Caledonian Sleeper service from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as working freight operations with DB Schenker and Freightliner. All other examples that formerly worked for Virgin West Coast now carry out operations for Greater Anglia on the Great Eastern Mainline whilst many former Railfreight Distribution examples reside at Crewe International Electric Maintenance Depot in long term storage.

With that said, sit back and enjoy 20 or so minutes of non-stop AC Electric action!