Locomotive Class

Class 90

Class 90 Class: Class 90
Type: Electric - 25 kV AC
Designer: British Rail
Weight: 84.5 tons
Purpose: Passenger & Freight

Information: The West Coast Mainline was converted to overhead electric power in stages during the 1960’s and early 1970’s. After experimentation with early AC electric classes, BR settled on producing a large fleet of Class 86 and 87’s to meet motive power demands. With motive power requirements being fulfilled by the mid 1970’s, further production of locomotives ceased until the arrival of Class 90’s in 1987

Details: Although the earlier classes of AC electrics were in many cases experimental, by the mid 1960’s BR had settled on the design of the AL6, later Class 86 and 100 were produced. In the early 1970’s completion of electrification beyond Glasgow necessitated further motive power. In response 36 up-dated versions, classified Class 87 were built. Along with the original prototype classes, over 200 locomotives were sufficient to meet operational requirements for the fore-seeable future.
By the mid 1980’s it was apparent that the early prototype classes were not up to the job. Their AC rectifiers were a common source of problems and subject to fire damage causing withdrawal of many class members. This led to the need for new locomotives by the late 1980’s. Between 1987 and 1990, 50 locomotives were produced at BR’s Crewe Locomotive Works. The locomotives were among the last mixed traffic designs built in Britain. With a top speed of 110-MPH for passenger service operations the class was also equipped from new with the ability to work push-pull services comprising of a locomotive at one end and a Driving Van Trailer (DVT) at the other end, eliminating the need to run around the train in terminus stations.
As built the Class 90’s received Inter-City Swallow livery primarily white and grey with a red, and yellow cab ends. By the early 1990’s several were converted to freight only operation and repainted Rail Freight or Parcel Sector liveries as appropriate. After 1996 the entire class was split amongst several Private operators, each using their own unique colour schemes.
As of 2010 most are still in operation, although several are now stored for future use or have been scrapped due to damage.

John Faulkner

Class 90 Releases (24)

MODEL NO. LIVERY
Caledonian Sleeper Train Pack (Class 90)
Released: 2007
90024 GW Purple
Caledonian Sleeper Train Pack (Class 90)
Released: 2008 2009
90019 GW Purple
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 1988 1989 1990
90001 B.R. Inter City Swallow
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 1991 1992 1993 1994
90037 B.R. Railfreight Speedlink Distribution
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 1991 1992
90033 B.R. Mainline
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 1993 1994
90018 B.R. Rail Express
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 1995 1996
90131 B.R. Railfreight Speedlink Distribution
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 1991 1992 1993
90020 B.R. Parcels Sector
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 2002 2003 2004
90037 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 2002 2003 2004 2005
90039 B.R. Railfreight 2-Tone Grey
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 2005 2006
90041 Freightliner Green
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 2011
90046 Freightliner Green
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Frachtverbindungen
Released: 2003
90029 B.R. Deutche Bahn Red
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Fretconnection
Released: 2004
90130 B.R. SNCF
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Raedwold Of East Anglia
Released: 2005
90003 One Blue
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Vice Admiral Lord Nelson
Released: 2006 2007
90005 One Blue
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Vrachtverbinding
Released: 2002
90128 B.R. Belgian Turquoise
Class 90 Electric Locomotive
Released: 1997
90135 B.R. Railfreight Speedlink Distribution
Class 90 Electric Locomotive
Released: 2001
90024 GNER Blue
Class 90 Electric Locomotive - British Transport Police
Released: 1998
90012 Virgin Red
Class 90 Electric Locomotive - Mission : Impossible
Released: 1997
90002 Virgin Red
Class 90 Electric Locomotive - Sir Michael Heron
Released: 1999 2000
90020 EWS Maroon & Yellow
Class 90 Electric Locomotive - The International Brigade Spain 1936-1939
Released: 1999 2000
90015 Virgin Red
First/EWS Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Released: 2011
90021 GW Purple

Class 90 Images (24)

Caledonian Sleeper Train Pack (Class 90)
Caledonian Sleeper Train Pack (Class 90) 90024

Caledonian Sleeper Train Pack (Class 90)
Caledonian Sleeper Train Pack (Class 90) 90019

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90001

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90037

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90033

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90018

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90131

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90020

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90037

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90039

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90041

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90046

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Frachtverbindungen
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Frachtverbindungen 90029

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Fretconnection
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Fretconnection 90130

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Raedwold Of East Anglia
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Raedwold Of East Anglia 90003

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Vice Admiral Lord Nelson
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Vice Admiral Lord Nelson 90005

Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Vrachtverbinding
Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive - Vrachtverbinding 90128

Class 90 Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Electric Locomotive 90135

Class 90 Electric Locomotive
Class 90 Electric Locomotive 90024

Class 90 Electric Locomotive - British Transport Police
Class 90 Electric Locomotive - British Transport Police 90012

Class 90 Electric Locomotive - Mission : Impossible
Class 90 Electric Locomotive - Mission : Impossible 90002

Class 90 Electric Locomotive - Sir Michael Heron
Class 90 Electric Locomotive - Sir Michael Heron 90020

Class 90 Electric Locomotive - The International Brigade Spain 1936-1939
Class 90 Electric Locomotive - The International Brigade Spain 1936-1939 90015

First/EWS Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive
First/EWS Class 90 Bo-Bo Electric Locomotive 90021


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Database

11,328 yearly Items over 57 Years.
4,069 individual Items.
3,707 Models.
362 catalogued Train Sets.
156 Train Packs.
820 Steam Locomotives.
497 Diesel Locomotives.
1,082 Passenger Coaches.
1,152 Freight Wagons.


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