BR Class 87 BREL/GEC Bo-Bo

Mainline express electric locomotives

Class 87 electric passenger locomotives are powered by an overhead 25 kV AC supply. Class 87 locos have a top speed of 110 mph and a maximum tractive effort of 58000 lbf/258 kN. Class 87 electric locomotives were built at Crewe works from 1973-1975.

Contemporary and Heritage-Preserved, Diesel, Diesel-Electric and Electric Locomotives

My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

5000 h.p. 25 kV AC overhead power line express passenger electric locomotive Class 87 87001 STEPHENSON (87 001), also named ROYAL SCOT too. Class 87 87001 worked on the West-Coast mainline and was built at Crewe Works in 1973.

The British Rail built Class 87 electric locomotives were built in 1973–75 by British Rail Engineering Limited. Thirty-six Class 87 locomotives were built to work passenger services over the West Coast Main Line from London to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Carlisle and Glasgow. They were the flagships of British Rail's electric locomotive fleet working the West Coast Mainline until the late 1980s, when the Class 90 Pendolino trains entered service. The privatisation of British Rail saw all but one of the Class 87 fleet transferred to Virgin Trains and continued service until the advent of the new Class 390 Pendolinos, when they were transferred to other operators or withdrawn and scrapped. There is one Class 87 still in use in Britain, 87002, which is owned by the AC Locomotive Group.

Class 87 87001 in BR blue livery in York NRM

Class 87 electric locomotives would haul Intercity trains of carriages like this Pullman coach

In the yard of the LNWR Heritage Co. Ltd. is Class 87 electric locomotive 87035 Robert Burns in BR blue livery (Crewe Heritage Centre, March 2020)

On left is Class 87 electric locomotive 87001 named 'National Railway Museum' InterCity Swallow livery (near Crewe Station May 2024)

Class 87 electric locomotive 87002 Royal Sovereign Locomotive Services Limited, InterCity Swallow Livery (Crewe May 2024)

CLASS 87 electric locomotives from Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_87
The British Rail Class 87 is a type of electric locomotive designed and built by British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) between 1973 and 1975. A total of thirty-six locomotives were constructed, to work passenger and freight services over the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The Class 87 electric type was developed in response to the need to add extra capacity to the electric traction fleet operated by British Rail (BR), in addition to the desire to introduce a higher performance electric locomotive than the existing Class 86, upon which the Class 87 was based. Class 87s were British Rail's flagship electric locomotives from their introduction until the late 1980s, at which point they began to be superseded by members of the newly-developed Class 90 fleet – itself an improved derivative of the Class 87 design. As a consequence of the privatisation of British Rail during the mid 1990s, all but one of the Class 87s were transferred to Virgin Trains. Under this operator, the type continued their passenger duties until the advent of the new Class 390 Pendolinos, after which they were gradually transferred to other operators or withdrawn between 2002 and 2007.

For a time, the Class 87 electric was a staple of electrified freight operations, before it was displaced by the Class 90 in this capacity as well. By the end of the 2010s, there was only one Class 87 that remained in an operational condition in Britain, 87002, which had been initially preserved by the AC Locomotive Group and is presently owned by Locomotive Services Limited. It was previously in use with Serco Caledonian Sleeper and is intended for use on charter services. A large proportion of the fleet has been exported to Bulgaria, where they have entered regular use once again. Origins and development - A requirement for more electric locomotives came about in the early-1970s, when the decision was taken to extend electrification of the West Coast Main Line from Weaver Junction north of Crewe, to Preston, Carlisle and Glasgow Central. Extension of electrification to Glasgow was announced in March 1970, and completed on 6 May 1974, with the Class 87s being developed in conjunction with this scheme. Initially, three Class 86 locomotives (86101–86103) were used as test-beds to trial equipment (mainly electrical equipment and suspension) that would be used in the new locomotives. Effectively, these locomotives were Class 87s in everything but their appearance.

The external appearance and layout of the Class 87 was closely based on that of the Class 86. The only major visual difference was that the 87 had two front cab windows, instead of the three of the 86, and also lacked a headcode indicator box; by 1973, visual recognition of train reporting numbers by signallers was no longer deemed to be necessary. The Class 87s were higher performance locomotives than the preceding Class 86, with increased power and speed: power output was increased from 3,600 to 5,000 horsepower (2,685 to 3,728 kW) to deal with the more demanding gradients on the northern half of the WCML, such as Shap and Beattock Summit. The top speed of Class 87 electric was raised from 100 mph (160 km/h) to 110 mph (180 km/h),[10] which is the fastest speed allowed on the West Coast Main Line for trains without a tilting mechanism. The Class 87s were also fitted with multiple working equipment, which enabled locomotives to work with other members of the class, and some Class 86s, while controlled by one driver. During the 1980s, the original multiple working system was replaced with a newer system that was based on time-division multiplexing (TDM). The new apparatus enabled the Class 87 to work with various other classes of locomotives, including Class 86s, Class 90s and Class 91s. Perhaps even more importantly, the newer multiple working equipment had also enabled the type to work with the newly-introduced Driving Van Trailers (DVTs).

Whilst the first 35 Class 87 electric locomotives (numbered from 87001 to 87035, known as Class 87/0) were identical, the 36th and last member of the class, which was going to carry the number 87036 before entering traffic but was allocated 87101 instead, had major equipment differences from the rest of the class. While the Class 87/0s were fitted with a traditional tap changer transformer and rectifiers, 87101 had a new thyristor power control system and better anti-slip protection; it spent over a year on test before entering service in 1976. It was reported that the locomotive's hauling ability was around 20% better than the 87/0s, a feature which made it particularly suitable for freight work. The locomotive, named Stephenson after transfer of the name from 87001,[9] worked the same services as the standard locomotives for many years, until British Rail was sectorised in the 1980s. The locomotive was then transferred to Railfreight in 1989, to be used exclusively for freight work, and was limited to 75 mph (121 km/h). As a freight locomotive, it was transferred to EWS and, after suffering a major failure, the locomotive was withdrawn in 1999. It was sold to the French train manufacturing company Alsthom, who used it as a source of spare parts for the remainder of the fleet before scrapping its remnants at Barrow Hill during January 2002; it was the first Class 87 to be withdrawn and scrapped.

Some thyristor equipment from the Class 87 electric has been preserved by AC Locomotive Group. This locomotive was, in many respects, the prototype for later electric locomotives such as the Class 90 and Class 91. Main article: British Rail Class 90. The Class 90s were a modernised derivative of the Class 87s, built in the late 1980s. They were originally designated as the Class 87/2. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, BR undertook numerous schemes, including the electrification of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and the ultimately-cancelled procurement of the Advanced Passenger Train (APT), (the latter being at one point intended to succeed the Class 87 as BR's next major InterCity express train) that had led to a significant nationwide shortage of electric traction.[16] Various different efforts were launched during this era to alleviate this shortage, including an electrified version of the InterCity 125 (known as the HST-E), the Class 89 mixed-traffic locomotive and what would become the InterCity 225.

It was clear that additional electric locomotives like the Class 87 electric locomotives were necessary no matter what, as both the 1950s era Class 81 and Class 85 electric locomotives were nearing the end of their viable service lives and had become quite unreliable. The Class 87 locomotives had proved to be capable and reliable since their introduction roughly one decade earlier, thus there was considerable interest procuring additional units as a low-cost option with virtually no risk for the West Coast Main Line (WCML). BREL issued its submission to produce an initial batch of 25 Class 87/2s, which quickly received a favourable reception. The BR board decided that it would curtail its plans to procure the InterCity 225 for the WCML and instead procure the Class 87/2 to haul its intended traffic. Accordingly, the procurement of the type was assured. This move meant that no InterCity 225s would ever be procured for the WCML. Authorisation for building the locomotives was given in 1985. Originally conceived as an updated version of the Class 87, the type was initially designated as the Class 87/2 prior to their introduction, however as it became clear that they differed considerably in appearance, and in a number of technical aspects from the older Class 87 fleet, they were redesignated as the Class 90. A total of 50 Class 90 locomotives were manufactured by BREL at the Crewe Works from 1985 to 1990; these were numbered 90001-050. Service need extra

My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

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Good trainspotting 'TRAINSPOTS' Good trainspotting and photographic locations  Barnetby Station, North Lincolnshire  *  Carlisle Station  *  Clapham Junction Station, London  *  Colton Junction, south of York  * Coventry *  Crewe Station  *  Doncaster Station, South Yorkshire  * Grantham * Hellifield station - Carlisle to Settle line * Lancaster station  * Newcastle Station  *  Northallerton Station  *  Nuneaton Station  * Peterborough *  Sheffield Station  *  Stratford Station, East London * Tamworth * Warrington Bank Quay station * Wigan North Western - WCML *  York Station

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