British Rail Class 81 2486804 224099990 2008-07-07T08:52:39Z Olana North 5911042 Changed electricsystem in infobox to [[25 kV AC]] {{Infobox Locomotive |name = British Railways AL1<br>British Rail Class 81 |powertype = Electric |image = Class81.jpg |caption = A row of Class 81 locomotives waiting to be scrapped |roadnumber = E3001–E3023, E3096, E3097; later 81001–81022 |builder = [[Associated Electrical Industries]] at [[Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company]] |builddate = 1959–1964 |gauge = {{RailGauge|ussg|lk=on|al=on}} |totalproduction = 25 |electricsystem = [[25 kV AC]] |collectionmethod = Stone-Faiverley ‘V’-type [[pantograph (rail)|pantograph]], 2 off (later 1 off) |tractionmotors = {{convert|847|hp|kW|abbr=on|lk=on}} AEI 189 quill drive, 4 off |whytetype = [[Bo-Bo]] |uicclass = Bo'Bo' |wheeldiameter = {{convert|4|ft|0|in|m|3|abbr=on}} |minimumcurve = |trainbrakes = Vacuum; Dual from 1972–1973 |locobrakes = Air, Rheostatic |locobrakeforce = |wheelbase = |length = {{convert|56|ft|6|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |width = {{convert|8|ft|8+1/2|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |height = {{convert|12|ft|4+1/4|in|m|2|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|79.60|LT|1|lk=on}} |topspeed = {{convert|100|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on|lk=on}} |poweroutput = {{convert|3200|hp|kW|sigfig=3|abbr=on|lk=on}} |tractiveeffort = {{convert|50000|lbf|kN|sigfig=3|abbr=on|lk=on}} |trainheating = [[Electric Train Heating]] |multipleworking = |axleloadclass = [[Route availability]] 6 |railroad = [[British Rail]] |retiredate = 1968 (2), 1971 (1), 1983–1991 |disposition = One preserved, remainder scrapped }} The [[British Rail]] '''Class 81''' is an [[Alternating current|AC]] [[electric locomotive]] that formerly 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 Thomson-Houston]] division of AEI ([[Associated Electrical Industries]]) and built in 1959 under subcontract by [[Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company|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 locomotives, 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 rail crash|Hixon]] in 1968. The train it was pulling collided with a transporter on a level crossing. The remains of this locomotive 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 == [[Image:Damaged 81086 (1).jpg|thumb|right|81016 was one of a few Class 81 locomotives withdrawn as a result of accident damage.]] 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== {| class="wikitable" !Key: |bgcolor=#87cefa|Preserved |bgcolor=#cecece|Scrapped |} {| class="wikitable" width="100%" |- !colspan=3|Numbers !rowspan=2|Withdrawn !align=left rowspan=2|Disposal |- !Type B !Type A !TOPS |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3001 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81001 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1983 |bgcolor=cecece|Fire damaged<br>Scrapped at Crewe Works |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3002 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1968 |bgcolor=cecece|Fire damaged<br>Scrapped at Crewe Works |- |align=center bgcolor=87cefa|- |align=center bgcolor=87cefa|E3003 |align=center bgcolor=87cefa|81002 |align=center bgcolor=87cefa|1990 |bgcolor=87cefa|Preserved at [[Barrow Hill Engine Shed]] |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3004 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81003 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1988 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3005 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81004 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1990 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3006 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81005 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1989 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coppers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3007 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81006 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1988 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3008 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81007 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1990 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3009 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1968 |bgcolor=cecece|Accident damaged<br>Scrapped at Crewe Works |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3010 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81008 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1988 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3011 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81009 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1990 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3012 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81010 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1990 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3013 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81011 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1989 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3014 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81012 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1991 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3015 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81013 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1989 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3016 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81014 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1988 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3017 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81015 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1984 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3018 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81016 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1983 |bgcolor=cecece|Accident damaged<br>Scrapped at Crewe Works |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3019 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1971 |bgcolor=cecece|Fire damaged<br>Scrapped at Crewe Works |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3020 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81017 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1991 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3021 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81018 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1986 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3022 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81019 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1989 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3023 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81020 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1987 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|(E3301) |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3096 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81021 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1987 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |- |align=center bgcolor=cecece|(E3302) |align=center bgcolor=cecece|E3097 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|81022 |align=center bgcolor=cecece|1987 |bgcolor=cecece|Scrapped at Crewe Works |- |} </center> ==External links== {{commonscat-inline}} *[http://www.aclocogroup.co.uk/ AC Locomotive Group - custodians of preserved locomotive no. 81002] {{British Rail Locomotives}} [[Category:British Rail electric locomotives|81]] [[Category:Bo-Bo locomotives]] [[Category:BRCW locomotives]] [[Category:25 kV AC locomotives]]