British Rail Class 90
The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by British Rail Engineering Limited at Crewe Works in 1987-1990, weighing 84.5 tonnes and with a top speed of. They operate from 25 kV AC overhead lines and produce. The class is now employed on heavy freight trains, having previously also been used as passenger locomotives.
Description
Fifty were built in the late 1980s, numbered 90001-050. They were developed from the Class 87, with many improvements and new features, and were initially classified as the Class 87/2 prior to introduction. However, due to many visual and technical differences, they were reclassified. The Class 90s were primarily built to replace the Class 81s, Class 82s, Class 83s, Class 84s and Class 85s, all of which dated from the early 1960s.The class is fitted with rheostatic brakes in addition to standard Westinghouse air brake equipment. A Time-Division Multiplexer is fitted to enable two or more locomotives to work in multiple, or to work a push-pull passenger train with a Driving Van Trailer, DBSO or Propelling Control Vehicle. Single phase 1000V Electric train supply is provided, to facilitate passenger working.
In 1991, with the sectorisation of British Rail removing shared 'mixed traffic' locomotives and limiting them to specific sectors, 25 locomotives were dedicated for freight traffic; they were reclassified Class 90/1 and renumbered 90126-150 by the addition of 100 to the original number, with a 26th converted in 1993. The modifications included lowering the maximum speed to, isolating the electric train supply by removing the ETH jumper cables, and, later, by removing the drop-head buckeye and associated rubbing plate. Many of these locomotives were repainted in the new Railfreight Distribution two-tone grey livery, which was replaced by a revised version in 1994. Three locomotives received special "continental" liveries to celebrate the Freightconnection event in 1992.
In October 1991 the BR Parcels sector rebranded itself as Rail Express Systems introducing a new livery and dedicated to Royal Mail parcels services as well as postal trains. They were primarily used on London-Glasgow, London-Newcastle and Birmingham-Glasgow services. Five locomotives, 90016-020, were repainted into the new livery between October 1991 and March 1992.
Of the remaining locomotives, the first 15 were operated by InterCity West Coast on express passenger services. 90021-025 were operated by Railfreight Distribution, but remained as standard Class 90/0 locomotives to enable them to operate charter trains or be used on standard passenger trains.
Due to Class 91 unreliability, Railfreight Distribution leased some of their 90/0's to InterCity for use on the East Coast Main Line with Mark 4 coaches. These services were usually limited to London Kings Cross to Leeds/York services due to their lower 110mph top speed.
Many Class 90 locomotives have received names. The passenger locomotives were named after cities, newspapers or famous institutions. Many of the freight locomotives have been given names with a commercial link. The Class 90 was the first new locomotive to carry InterCity Swallow livery
in October 2016
Current operators
Upon the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, the Class 90 fleet was divided between several operators:DB Cargo UK
acquired the largest fleet: 20 locomotives from Railfreight Distribution and five from Rail Express Systems. DB Schenker UK, now DB Cargo, were contracted to provide locomotives for the Caledonian Sleeper services between Scotland and London Euston; the Class 90s were frequently used for this purpose, as well as on freight duties. An agreement was reached in 2006 to livery a number of Class 90s for First ScotRail, for exclusive use hauling the Caledonian Sleeper. In 2015, with Serco taking over the Caledonian Sleeper franchise, the haulage contract went to GB Railfreight, who chose to use Class 92s on the West Coast Main Line legs. However, due to problems with the overhauled Class 92s, Class 90s had a brief reprieve on the Sleeper; first from DB Schenker and then Freightliner. Class 90s still sporadically appeared when a Class 92 was unavailable, until Autumn 2019.DB Cargo UK Class 90s will be hired to Grand Central to haul Mark 4 carriages on its London Euston to Blackpool North services.
Freightliner
inherited 10 Class 90/1 locos, numbered 90041-50 and all leased from Porterbrook. These have since been returned to their original Class 90/0 configuration. Freightliner additionally acquired 90016 which was provided by EWS as a replacement for 90050 which was withdrawn in 2004 following fire damage while on lease to EWS. 90050, which is stored at Crewe Basford Hall, is used as a donor vehicle for spare parts for its other Class 90 locomotives. Freightliner has, as of May 2020, acquired the 13 locomotives formerly operated by Greater Anglia. After a period of modification, these are expected to replace Freightliner's ageing fleet of Class 86 locomotives, dating from the mid-1960s.Former operators
Greater Anglia
As part of the National Express East Anglia franchise bid, National Express provided a fleet plan to replace the ageing Class 86 locomotives on the Great Eastern Main Line with the more powerful and newer Class 90 locomotives, hoping this would improve performance and reduce operating cost. The Class 90s were to become available due to Virgin Trains' plan to replace all loco hauled passenger trains with Class 390 units, freeing up their 15 class 90 locomotives. 90001 - 90015 were progressively delivered to Crown Point TMD to replace the Class 86s. This batch of locomotives had their original louvered horn covers replaced with a single plate design with V-patterned holes, matching the Mk3 DVT's.The National Express franchise came to an end in February 2012, with the replacement franchisee Abellio Greater Anglia taking over and continuing to operate the locos.
The Greater Anglia fleet was replaced by a set of Class 745s in 2020. Thirteen will move to Freightliner, while the other two will go to Locomotive Services Limited. Following the introduction of these units, the loco-hauled sets have all been withdrawn from service, with the last set running its last services on 24 March 2020.
Virgin Trains
inherited 15 locomotives at privatisation, 90001-015, to work passenger trains on the West Coast Main Line. They were based at Willesden depot in London for services from London Euston to Birmingham New Street,,, Manchester Piccadilly,, and.In 1998, 90002 became the first locomotive to be repainted in Virgin Trains' red and black livery. It was named Mission: Impossible to launch the challenge of upgrading passenger services on the WCML. The rest of the fleet was quickly repainted into the new livery.
In 2002, Class 390 Pendolino electric multiple units started to enter service to replace locomotive-hauled trains on the WCML. The first locomotives to be replaced were the elderly Class 86/2s and some of the less reliable Class 87 locomotives. However, since the Class 90 fleet was relatively small and subsequently non-standard, it was decided to retain the larger Class 87 fleet in preference to the Class 90s. Therefore, from March 2004, Virgin started to return its Class 90 fleet to the ROSCO, allowing the locos to transfer to the new 'one' franchise.
The final service operated by a Virgin-liveried Class 90 was on 27 August 2004, 90015 London Euston-Glasgow Central and return.
Following the derailment of 390033 at Grayrigg in 2007, Virgin Trains had the need for an additional set. As a result, Virgin used Class 90 locomotives hired from DB Schenker, and later Freightliner, along with a rake of Mark 3 coaching stock and a DVT. Nicknamed the Pretendolino, this received re-upholstered seating, power points, wi-fi and a full external re-paint at Wabtec, Doncaster in 2009. Virgin used this set with a Class 90 locomotive hired from Freightliner on a Euston to Crewe Friday relief service until December 2012 and also hired the train out as a charter train. It was sometimes used on London - Birmingham services in the event of a Pendolino shortage.
From the December 2013 timetable change, Virgin Trains used the Mark 3 set once again on London - Birmingham services on a Thursday and Friday only basis, Class 90s leased from Direct Rail Services were used once again. This set was retired from service on 25 October 2014 with a rail tour the following day.
East Coast Main Line
In the late 1990s, GNER hired class 90s to stand in for Class 91s on London Kings Cross and Leeds services. One was repainted in GNER livery. In 2016, DB Cargo Class 90s were returned to the East Coast Main Line on Virgin Trains East Coast London to Newark North Gate, Leeds and Newcastle services, whilst the Class 91 locomotives were overhauled. These continued to be operated by London North Eastern Railway until 9 June 2019.Fleet
Summary
Fleet list
| Unit number | Operator | Livery | Status | Notes |
| 90001 | Locomotive Services Limited | InterCity Swallow | In service | |
| 90002 | Locomotive Services Limited | InterCity Swallow | In service | named Wolf of Badenoch |
| 90003 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90004 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90005 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90006 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90007 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90008 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90009 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90010 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90011 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90012 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90013 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90014 | Freightliner | Freightliner Orange & Black | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90015 | Freightliner | Greater Anglia White | Temporarily stored | at Crewe Basford Hall being prepared for service. |
| 90016 | Freightliner | Freightliner 'Racing Green' | In service | |
| 90017 | DB Cargo UK | EWS | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90018 | DB Cargo UK | DB Schenker Red | In service | named Pride of Bellshill |
| 90019 | DB Cargo UK | DB Cargo | In service | named Multimodal |
| 90020 | DB Cargo UK | Grand Central | In service | |
| 90021 | DB Cargo UK | First ScotRail | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90022 | DB Cargo UK | Railfreight Distribution | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90023 | DB Cargo UK | EWS | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90024 | DB Cargo UK | Malcolm Logistics | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90025 | DB Cargo UK | Old Railfreight Distribution | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90026 | DB Cargo UK | Grand Central | In service | |
| 90027 | DB Cargo UK | Railfreight Distribution | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90028 | DB Cargo UK | DB Cargo | In service | named Sir William McAlpine |
| 90029 | DB Cargo UK | Grand Central | In service | |
| 90030 | DB Cargo UK | EWS | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90031 | DB Cargo UK | EWS | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90032 | DB Cargo UK | EWS | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90033 | DB Cargo UK | Railfreight Distribution | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. Stripped for spares. |
| 90034 | DB Cargo UK | DRS Blue with DB branding | In service | |
| 90035 | DB Cargo UK | DB Cargo | In service | |
| 90036 | DB Cargo UK | DB without Schenker | In service | named Driver Jack Mills |
| 90037 | DB Cargo UK | Ex EWS DB | In service | |
| 90038 | DB Cargo UK | Railfreight Distribution | Stored | Stored at Crewe Electric TMD. |
| 90039 | DB Cargo UK | EWS | In service | |
| 90040 | DB Cargo UK | DB without Schenker | In service | |
| 90041 | Freightliner | Freightliner 'Racing Green' | In service | |
| 90042 | Freightliner | Freightliner Powerhaul | In service | |
| 90043 | Freightliner | Freightliner Powerhaul | In service | |
| 90044 | Freightliner | Freightliner Orange & Black | In service | Newly reliveried |
| 90045 | Freightliner | Freightliner Powerhaul | In service | |
| 90046 | Freightliner | Freightliner 'Racing Green' | In service | |
| 90047 | Freightliner | Freightliner Two Tone Grey | In service | |
| 90048 | Freightliner | Freightliner Two Tone Grey | In service | |
| 90049 | Freightliner | Freightliner Powerhaul | In service | |
| 90050 | Freightliner | Freightliner Two Tone Grey | Stored | Crewe Basford Hall, source of spares |
Model railways
In 1988, Hornby Railways launched its first version of the BR Class 90 in OO gauge. Since 2017, Hornby have produced a basic representation of the prototype as part of their Railroad range in BR Intercity Executive Livery, whilst past examples have carried a variety of liveries.In June 2019, Bachmann launched a cutting edge modern OO gauge Class 90. This comes DCC sound-enabled, with a pantograph which can be operated from the controller in digital operation, along with directional lighting for various modes, whether it be double heading, dragging rolling stock or running light engine. It comes with cab lighting and DCC chips and sound chips are relatively simple to install. It was initially launched in three variants, Inter City Swallow, Railfreight Distribution and Freightliner Powerhaul. A collectors' club model was launched, at the start of January 2020, in sound-ready form in the Belgian promotional ‘Vrachtverbinding’ SNCB livery.