British Rail Class 81

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The British Rail Class 81 was a straight electric locomotive that operated on the West Coast Main Line of the London Midland Region of British Rail.

History

As part of the modernization of the West Coast Main Line which included electrification, 100 locomotives of five types were acquired. These were from different manufactures.

The first locomotives were of type AL1, twenty five being designed by the British Thompson-Houston division of AEI (Associated Electrical Industries) and built in 1959 under subcontract by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon in Smethwick .

The first engine was handed over to British Railways on November 27, 1959. They were originally used for crew training on the Styal Line between Manchester and Crewe.

They were numbered E3001 - E3023 and E3096 / E3097. The first twenty-three were Type A, geared for passenger trains while the last two were to have been Type B, geared for freight trains, numbered E3301 and E3302. However the last two were instead geared for passenger service, being delivered in February 1964 as E3096 and E3097.

Power supply

Power was provided by overhead catenary energized at 25,000 V AC.

Operations

Due to the fact that they were restricted to those lines electrified at 25 kV AC they only operated on the West Coast Main Line. Cities where these engines could be seen were London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Glasgow. They operated passenger trains, freight trains, and parcel trains.

Early withdrawals

Three engines, E3002, E3009, and E3019 were withdrawn before they could be renumbered under the TOPS system. E3002 and E3019 were damaged by fire and both were scrapped at British Rail Crewe Works. E3009 was destroyed in an accident at Hixon in 1968. The train it was pulling collided with a transporter on a level crossing. The remains of this engine were also scrapped at Crewe Works.

Renumbering

Under the TOPS system twenty-two examples were reclassified as class 81. They were numbered 81001 - 81022.

Accidents

In addition to the three examples withdrawn before renumbering under TOPS others were withdrawn as a result of damage after being renumbered.

81016 was involved in an accident on December 9 1982 near Linslade, being officially withdrawn in 1983.

81001 was damaged by fire on August 26 1983 near Carstairs on a Motorail train.

The end

Over the years examples of this class were withdrawn from service. The final examples were used for the transfer of empty coaches between London Euston Station and Willesden sidings between 1989 and 1991. The last two examples withdrawn from service were 81012 and 81017.

The majority of the class were scrapped at Coopers Metals in Sheffield.

Preservation

One example, 81002, has been preserved by the AC Locomotive Group, located at Barrow Hill Engine Shed.

Fleet details

Key: Preserved Scrapped
Numbers Withdrawn Disposal
Type B Type A TOPS
- E3001 81001 1983 Fire damaged
Scrapped at Crewe Works
- E3002 - 1968 Fire damaged
Scrapped at Crewe Works
- E3003 81002 1990 Preserved at Barrow Hill Engine Shed
- E3004 81003 1988 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3005 81004 1990 Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow
- E3006 81005 1989 Scrapped at Coppers Metals, Sheffield
- E3007 81006 1988 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3008 81007 1990 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3009 - 1968 Accident damaged
Scrapped at Crewe Works
- E3010 81008 1988 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3011 81009 1990 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3012 81010 1990 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3013 81011 1989 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3014 81012 1991 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3015 81013 1989 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3016 81014 1988 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3017 81015 1984 Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow
- E3018 81016 1983 Accident damaged
Scrapped at Crewe Works
- E3019 - 1971 Fire damaged
Scrapped at Crewe Works
- E3020 81017 1991 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3021 81018 1986 Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow
- E3022 81019 1989 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
- E3023 81020 1987 Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield
(E3301) E3096 81021 1987 Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow
(E3302) E3097 81022 1987 Scrapped at Crewe Works

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