British Rail Class 90

British Rail Class 90
Andrewrabbott · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Class 90
Powertype	Electric
Builder	British Rail Engineering Limited
Builddate	1987–1990
Totalproduction	50
Gauge	Standard gauge
Tractionmotors	Brushless/AC driven
Poweroutput	5,000 bhp (3,700 kW) (nominal)
Topspeed	110 mph (177 km/h)
Operator	British Rail, Network Rail, Freightliner, Virgin Trains, GNER, East Coast, Others
Disposition	In service, stored, preserved

British Rail Class 90 The Class 90 is a British electric locomotive introduced in the late 1980s for high-speed passenger and mixed-traffic use on the West Coast Main Line, East Coast Main Line, and other electrified routes. Designed and built by British Rail Engineering Limited at Doncaster Works and Crewe Works, the fleet of 50 replaced older British Rail Class 86 and Class 87 types and served operators including InterCity, Virgin Trains, GNER, and freight companies such as EWS and Freightliner. The class combined lessons from earlier BR electrics with contemporary developments tied to the Electrification projects of the 1980s and the strategic planning of the British Rail network.

Design and Development

The Class 90 design emerged from a British Rail requirement to modernise traction for the electrified trunk routes after the electrification of the West Coast Main Line and during renewed investment influenced by policy decisions from the Department for Transport and programmes coordinated with the Network SouthEast sector. BREL drew on experience from the Brush Traction-built Class 86 and Class 87 fleets and on research from the Rail Research Centre and Open University-linked engineering studies; production commenced at Doncaster Works and Crewe Works between 1987 and 1990. Key decisions referenced standards developed under the auspices of British Standards Institution committees and procurement frameworks utilised by British Rail Engineering Limited and influenced by the InterCity Sector's timetable objectives. The 50-unit batch was allocated class number 90 under the TOPS system and featured a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement similar to predecessors from English Electric and Metropolitan-Vickers design lineages.

Technical Specifications

The class uses 25 kV AC overhead electrification compatible with the National Grid-supplied traction substations installed during the 1970s electrification. Its traction equipment incorporated thyristor and later solid-state converters developed in consultation with suppliers such as GEC and Siemens-linked subcontractors; traction motors were based on designs seen in AEI and Brush legacy systems. Braking systems include electro-pneumatic and rheostatic regimes developed alongside standards from the Rail Safety and Standards Board and tested on the Old Dalby Test Track. The locomotive's chassis and bodywork reflected structural engineering approaches used at Doncaster Works and shared bogie characteristics with classes maintained at Crewe Diesel Depot and Longsight Depot. Performance figures include a nominal 5,000 bhp output, top speed of 110 mph, and multiple working capabilities compatible with other TOPS-designated electric units; safety and signalling interfaces conform to equipment overseen by Railtrack and later Network Rail.

Operational History

Initially deployed on InterCity express services, the fleet operated on routes serving termini such as London Euston, Birmingham New Street, Glasgow Central, and Manchester Piccadilly, frequently subbing for Class 87 and Class 91 locomotives in BR timetables. After privatisation, individual locomotives passed through operators including Virgin Trains, GNER, East Coast and freight operators like EWS and Freightliner, reflecting the reallocation patterns seen across the post-privatisation landscape governed by the Railways Act 1993. The class handled named services and diagram duties and featured in reliability programmes coordinated with Rolling Stock Maintenance contractors at depots such as Toton and Crewe Diesel Depot. Several units were re-geared or fitted with updated train protection systems to meet TPWS and ETCS trial requirements, and some undertook charter and special workings associated with Railtour organisers and preservation charities.

Liveries and Naming

Throughout service, units wore liveries reflecting the identities of operators including InterCity, Virgin Trains corporate schemes, GNER silver and red, and freight liveries of EWS and Freightliner. Special promotional liveries commemorated events affiliated with institutions such as BBC broadcasts, regional tourism campaigns involving VisitBritain partners, and rail anniversaries connected to the British Rail centenary programmes. Several locomotives carried names honoring organisations and places — namesakes have included transport-related bodies, regional municipalities like York and Leeds, and corporate sponsors linked to operators such as Virgin Group; individual nameplates were installed and removed in line with operator branding strategies managed from depots including Crewe and Doncaster.

Preservation and Current Status

After decades of mainline service, multiple units were withdrawn, sold to freight operators, or stored; some were retained by infrastructure organisations such as Network Rail for test and engineering trains, while others entered preservation with trusts and heritage railways like the National Railway Museum, Severn Valley Railway, and volunteer groups rooted in the Heritage Railway Association. Preservation efforts involved restoration to mainline fitment including TPWS and mainline certification administered through Office of Rail and Road processes, enabling selected locomotives to operate on charters and guest workings alongside preserved BR coaching stock. A number of Class 90s remain in active freight and departmental roles with operators including Freightliner and GB Railfreight, while others await future conservation or have been cannibalised to support ongoing fleets maintained at depots such as Toton and Crewe.

Category:British Rail locomotives Category:Electric locomotives of Great Britain