British Rail Class 90

The origins of the Class 90 can be traced back to various schemes performed by British Rail (BR) during the 1970s and 1980s. Several events had led to a significant nationwide shortage of electric traction; these included the electrification of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and the cancelled procurement of the Advanced Passenger Train (APT), which had been intended to be the next major inter-city express train. Several different initiatives 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. While BR's board had approved the ordering of a single Class 89 for demonstration purposes, the Strategy Committee queried why the locomotive had been favoured over a proposed 80-tonne Bo-Bo locomotive. ==Description==

The design of the Class 90 is heavily derived from the Class 87, but incorporates many improvements and new features; due to this lineage, the type was initially classified as the Class 87/2 prior to introduction. However, on account of its many visual and technical differences, it was decided to reclassify the locomotive as its own TOPS class. The Class 90s were primarily built to replace the Class 81-85 locomotives, all of which dated from the early 1960s and had become quite unreliable due to their advanced ages. The class is fitted with rheostatic brakes, in addition to standard Westinghouse air brake equipment. A Time-Division Multiplexer (TDM) 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 (DVT), DBSO or Propelling Control Vehicle. Single phase 1,000V electric train supply (ETS) 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, with a 26th (90125) converted in 1993. The modifications included lowering the maximum speed to , isolating the ETS by removing the ETH jumper cables and, later, by removing the drop-head buckeye and associated rubbing plate. Many of these locomotives were repainted into the new Railfreight Distribution two-tone grey livery, which was replaced by a revised version in 1994. Three locomotives (90128, 90129 and 90130) received special continental liveries: (NMBS/SNCB blue, Deutsche Bahn red and SNCF grey respectively) to celebrate the Freightconnection event in 1992. In October 1991, the BR Parcels sector rebranded itself as Rail Express Systems, introducing a new livery; locomotives were dedicated to Royal Mail parcels services and 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 (90001-015) were operated by InterCity West Coast on express passenger services and 90021-025 were operated by Railfreight Distribution; the latter group remained as standard Class 90/0 locomotives to enable them to operate charter trains or be used on standard passenger trains. Due to the Class 91s' initial unreliability, Railfreight Distribution leased some of their 90/0s to InterCity for use on the ECML with Mark 4 coaches. These services were usually limited to to / services, due to their lower top speed. Many Class 90 locomotives have received names: passenger locomotives were named after cities, newspapers or famous institutions; many of the freight locomotives were given names with a commercial link. The Class 90 was the first new locomotive to carry InterCity Swallow livery. ==Current operators==

Upon the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, the Class 90 fleet was divided between several train operating companies: DB Cargo UK in 2016 English, Welsh & Scottish Railway acquired the largest fleet: 20 locomotives from Railfreight Distribution and five from Rail Express Systems. DB Cargo UK Class 90s were planned to be hired to Grand Central to haul Mark 4 carriages on its to services; however, these were abandoned permanently on 10 September 2020. In July 2023, DB Cargo announced that it was withdrawing its entire Class 90 locomotive fleet from active service, due to high energy costs, and stated that this would be a permanent move. Managing director Andrea Rossi stated that the company would focus instead on alternative methods to meet their climate targets, including expansion of the use of biofuels and HVO-based resources; in the meantime, electric-hauled traction would be replaced by diesel power. DB stated that they were working towards the sale/disposal of their Class 90 fleet. In September 2023, DB Cargo published a list of locomotives that would be sold to the highest bidder. Eight of these were sold subsequently to Sandbach Commercial Dismantlers; the first three (90030, 90033 and 90038) left Crewe Electric depot by road for storage pending final scrapping in late April 2024. Freightliner Freightliner inherited ten Class 90/1 locomotives, which were numbered 90141-150 and had been leased from Porterbrook; these have since been returned to their original Class 90/0 configuration. Freightliner also acquired 90016 from EWS, as a replacement for 90050 which was withdrawn in 2004 following fire damage while on lease to EWS. 90050 was stored subsequently at Crewe Basford Hall for use as a donor of spare parts to its other Class 90 locomotives; in October 2023, it was loaned long-term to Crewe Heritage Centre where it has received cosmetic improvements. During 2019, Freightliner purchased thirteen Class 90 locomotives from Porterbrook Leasing, which were formerly operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. Upon transfer of the fleet in May 2020, the locos underwent a modification programme to match the freight Class 90 specification; they have since replaced Freightliner's locomotives, which date back to the mid-1960s. In July 2020, 90014 was painted by Toton TMD and given the name Over the Rainbow. Locomotive Services Limited Following their withdrawal by Abellio Greater Anglia in 2020, 90001 and 90002 were acquired by Locomotive Services Limited (LSL) to operate their excursion trains alongside their Class 86 and Class 87. Their use varies between working excursions along the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and , sometimes working as part of a tour worked partly by a steam locomotive. After purchase by LSL, the two locomotives were repainted into their original InterCity Swallow livery; 90001 was named Royal Scot and 90002 Wolf of Badenoch. In June 2025, 90026 was acquired from DB Cargo UK. ==Former operators==

Caledonian Sleeper Virgin Trains contracted were replaced by English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) Class 90s in March 1998. Their operation on the route ended in October 2019. East Coast Main Line In the late 1990s, GNER hired Class 90s to stand in for Class 91s on London Kings Cross to Leeds services; 90024 was repainted into their dark blue livery. In 2016, DB Cargo Class 90s were returned to the East Coast Main Line on Virgin Trains East Coast's London to , Leeds and services, whilst the Class 91 locomotives were overhauled. These continued to be operated by London North Eastern Railway until 9 June 2019. Greater Anglia As part of their East Anglia franchise bid, National Express East Anglia 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 costs. The Class 90s were to become available due to Virgin Trains' plan to replace all locomotive-hauled passenger trains with Class 390 Pendolino units, freeing up their 15 Class 90 locomotives. 90001-015 were delivered progressively to Crown Point TMD in Norwich. These locomotives had their original louvered horn covers replaced with a single plate design with V-patterned holes, matching the Mark 3 DVTs. Abellio Greater Anglia took on the franchise in February 2012 and continued to operate the locomotives. In January 2020, the Class 745 FLIRT sets began entering service to replace the Class 90 sets. Following the introduction of these units, the locomotive-hauled sets were withdrawn from service, with the last set running its last services on 24 March 2020. Thirteen moved to Freightliner to replace the Class 86s, while the other two were purchased by Locomotive Services Limited. 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 (later National Express East Anglia) operator. Following the Grayrigg derailment and subsequent scrapping of 390033 in 2007, Virgin Trains had the need for an additional set as a stop gap before another Pendolino set was built. 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 reupholstered 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 Friday relief service between Euston and Crewe, via Birmingham, until December 2012. It was hired out as a charter train and was used sometimes 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 were leased from Direct Rail Services, which were sub-leased from DB Schenker. ==Fleet==

Summary Fleet list ==Model railways==

In 1988, Hornby Railways launched its first version of the Class 90 in OO gauge. Since 2017, Hornby have produced a basic representation of the prototype as part of their Railroad range in InterCity Swallow livery, whilst past examples have carried a variety of liveries. In 2019, Bachmann Branchline launched their Class 90 in OO gauge. ==Notes==