Class 90
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The fifty Class 90 25kV Bo-Bo electrics were the last locos built specifically for the WCML and entered service between 1987 and 1990. Some still worked passenger trains in East Anglia until 2020 but the class is now almost exclusively used in pairs on intermodal trains for Freightliner.
The Class 90 was designed to be an updated version of the successful class 87 Bo-Bo used on the West Coast Main Line since 1974. It retained the 87s 5000hp output but with thyristor control in place of the 87's tapchanger control, as prototyped on 87101. The loco's appearance was also updated, giving it a distinctive and modern look.

The 90 was designed to be a mixed-traffic loco and was initially used as such. Within a few years sectorisation caused the class to be split between the various sectors. InterCity West Coast got the first 15, the next 5 went to RES, the old parcels sector, another 5 to Railfreight Distribution, the wagonload freight operator, and the remaining 25 to Trainload Freight.

At privatisation Freightliner took 10 of the Trainload Freight locos, with EWS getting the other 15 plus the RES and RfD machines.

The InterCity locos went to Virgin Trains and continued to be used on WCML services until 2004, when they moved to East Anglia and the London - Norwich route. In 2020 they were replaced by new EMUs and all bar two sold to Freightliner. The two were bought by Locomotive Services for use on charter trains.

Although DB Cargo has half the fleet, it doesn't make that much use of them. Around 6 locos are required daily, working in pairs on intermodal trains between Daventry and Scotland. Freightliner's locos are more active, working container trains between Felixtowe and Crewe, Trafford Park or Garston and between Crewe and Coatbridge. Neither company makes as much use of it's electric locos as it could, with many services running for long distances under the wires behind diesels.
page : 1009
WK000 : 2024-10-22
CS000 : 2022-08-03
CK000 : 2024-10-22
GS000 : 2024-02-05
GK000 : 2023-10-21








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