British Rail Class 81

The British Rail Class 81 is an AC electric locomotive that formerly operated on the West Coast Main Line of the London Midland Region of British Rail. Originally designated AL1, it was the first type of AC electric locomotive to be delivered to British Railways.

British Railways AL1 British Rail Class 81
81017 at Manchester Piccadilly
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder Associated Electrical Industries at Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Build date 1959–1964 Total produced 25
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo'Bo'  • Commonwealth Bo-Bo Gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Bogies Fabricated steel, Alsthom suspension[1] Wheel diameter 4 ft 0 in (1.219 m)[1] Wheelbase 42 ft 3 in (12.88 m)[1]  • Bogie 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)[1] Pivot centres 31 ft 6 in (9.60 m)[2] Length: ​  • Over beams 56 ft 6 in (17.22 m)[1] Width 8 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (2.65 m)[1] Height: ​  • Pantograph 13 ft 0 ^9⁄16 in (3.977 m)[2]  • Body height 12 ft 4 ^1⁄4 in (3.77 m)[1] Axle load 20 long tons 4 cwt (20.5 t)[2] Loco weight 79.60 long tons (80.9 t; 89.2 short tons) Electric system/s 25 kV AC Catenary Current pickup(s) Stone-Faiveley[1] ‘V’-type pantograph, 2 off (later 1 off) Traction motors 4 × AEI 189 6-pole Alsthom Quill drive[1] 847 hp (632 kW)  • Rating 1 hour 760A[3]  • Continuous 700A[3] Gear ratio 29:76 (Type A) 26:83 (Type B)[1] Train heating Electric Train Heating Loco brake Westinghouse[1] Air, Rheostatic Train brakes Vacuum; Dual from 1972–1973
Performance figures Maximum speed 100 mph (161 km/h) Full field: 60 mph (97 km/h) Weak field: 71 mph (114 km/h)[1] Power output: ​  • 1 hour 4 × 920 hp (690 kW)[3]  • Continuous 4 × 847 hp (632 kW)[3] Tractive effort 50,000 lbf (222 kN)
Career Operators British Rail Numbers E3001–E3023, E3096, E3097; later 81001–81022 Axle load class Route availability 6 Retired 1968 (2), 1971 (1), 1983–1991 Preserved 81002 Disposition 1 preserved, remainder scrapped

History

As part of the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line, which included electrification, 100 locomotives of five types were acquired; each type from a different manufacturer.

The first locomotives to be delivered were type AL1, designed by British Thomson-Houston (BTH), an order being placed for 25 examples. Of these, 23 were for use on passenger trains with a top speed of 100 mph and were designated Type A. The other two locomotives were intended for freight train use, and geared for a top speed of 80 mph, these were designated Type B.[4]

Before the work was completed, BTH amalgamated with Metropolitan Vickers to form AEI (Associated Electrical Industries) traction division[4] and it was under this name that the locomotives were built in 1959 under subcontract by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon in Smethwick. The first locomotive, E3001, was handed over to British Railways on 27 November 1959.[5] The type was initially used for crew training on the Styal Line between Manchester and Crewe.

The AL1 were numbered E3001 - E3023 and E3096 / E3097; the first twenty-three being Type A and the last two Type B (numbered E3301 and E3302).[6] However, these last two were actually geared for passenger service, being delivered in February 1964 as E3096 and E3097.

Power supply

The locomotives always worked on power provided by overhead catenary, energised at 25,000 V AC. However, the main transformer, normally operated with the four windings in series, could be operated at 6250V AC with the transformer windings in parallel.[4] This voltage was initially to be used where limited clearances gave concern over use of the higher voltage. However, this approach was never used on the West Coast main line, although it was employed elsewhere such as Glasgow Central in the initial 'Blue Train' electrification there. By the time the WCML wiring was extended to Glasgow, it had been revised there to the mainstream 25 kV voltage.

Operations

The class only operated on the West Coast Main Line because they were restricted to lines electrified at 25 kV AC. Cities where these engines could be seen included London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. They operated passenger, freight and parcel trains. There is no record of operation on the ex-Great Eastern line, which was being electrified at the time of their introduction, nor subsequently on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) when that was electrified in the 1980s.

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. The remains of E3009 were also cut up at Crewe Works, the locomotive having been wrecked in the Hixon rail crash of January 1968. These were ‘replaced’ by Class 87s 87033-5.

Renumbering

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

Accidents and incidents

81 016 was one of a few Class 81 locomotives withdrawn as a result of accident damage.

• 6 January 1968 (1968-01-06): locomotive No. E3009 collided with an abnormal load at Hixon, Staffordshire, while hauling an express passenger train. Eleven people were killed and 45 were injured. The locomotive was declared a write-off and subsequently scrapped.
• 9 December 1982 (1982-12-09): locomotive 81 016 was involved in an accident near Linslade, Buckinghamshire. It was officially withdrawn in 1983.
• 26 August 1983 (1983-08-26): locomotive 81 001 was damaged by fire near Carstairs, Lanarkshire whilst working a Motorail train.

Withdrawal

A row of Class 81 locomotives waiting to be scrapped

Over the years, examples of this class were withdrawn from service following the arrival of newer and more reliable Class 87 locomotives. The Class was fully withdrawn as a result of the arrival of new Class 90 locomotives. The final examples were used for the transfer of empty coaches between London Euston 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			AEI Works Number[7]	Date Introduced[7]	Withdrawn[8][9]	Final Depot	Disposal[8]
Type B	Type A[7]	TOPS[7]					Location	Date
-	E3001	81001	1083	December 1959	July 1984	GW	Fire damaged Scrapped at Crewe Works	September 1986
-	E3002	-	1084	January 1960	November 1968	ACL	Fire damaged Scrapped at Crewe Works	January 1969
-	E3003	81002	1085	February 1960	October 1990	WN	Preserved at Barrow Hill Engine Shed
-	E3004	81003	1086	April 1960	March 1988	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3005	81004	1087	May 1960	April 1990	WN	Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow	May 1992
-	E3006	81005	1088	July 1960	February 1989	GW	Scrapped at Coppers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3007	81006	1089	August 1960	October 1988	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3008	81007	1090	October 1960	February 1990	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3009	-	1091	October 1960	August 1968	ACL	Accident damaged Scrapped at Crewe Works	August 1968
-	E3010	81008	1092	November 1960	March 1988	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3011	81009	1093	December 1960	February 1990	WN	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	December 1991
-	E3012	81010	1094	December 1960	May 1990	WN	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3013	81011	1095	December 1960	April 1989	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3014	81012	1096	December 1960	July 1991	WN	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	December 1991
-	E3015	81013	1097	December 1960	October 1989	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3016	81014	1098	March 1961	March 1988	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3017	81015	1099	May 1961	December 1984	GW	Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow	May 1992
-	E3018	81016	1100	March 1961	July 1983	GW	Accident damaged Scrapped at Crewe Works	January 1985
-	E3019	-	1101	April 1961	July 1971	ACL	Fire damaged Scrapped at Crewe Works	October 1971
-	E3020	81017	1102	May 1961	July 1991	WN	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3021	81018	1103	June 1961	January 1986	GW	Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow	June 1992
-	E3022	81019	1104	October 1961	January 1989	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
-	E3023	81020	1105	February 1962	July 1987	GW	Scrapped at Coopers Metals, Sheffield	November 1991
(E3301)	E3096	81021	1106	June 1962	April 1987	GW	Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow	July 1992
(E3302)	E3097	81022	1107	February 1964	July 1987	GW	Scrapped at Crewe Works by A Hampton	November 1988

References

1. Webb & Duncan 1979, p. 6
2. Webb & Duncan 1979, p. 27
3. Webb & Duncan 1979, p. 28
4. Bradley, Roger P (November 1980). "Pioneer AC electrics". Railway Modeller. Vol. 31 no. 360. Beer: Peco Publications & Publicity Ltd. pp. 385–387.
5. "Class History – 81". AC Locomotive Group.
6. Longhurst 1979, Class AL1–81
7. Webb & Duncan 1979, p. 32
8. Furness, Ian. "Disposals: Class 81". wnxx. End of the Line: Withdrawn & Stored Locomotives UK. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
9. "The Class 81 Fleet". Rail Blue. Retrieved 11 February 2016.

Sources

• Longhurst, Roly (1979). Electric Locomotives of the West Coast Main Line. Truro: D. Bradford Barton Ltd. ISBN 0851533558. OCLC 16491712.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Webb, Brian; Duncan, John (1979). AC Electric Locomotives of British Rail. David & Charles. ISBN 9780715376638. OCLC 6916046.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading

• Derrick, Kevin (2014). Looking back at AC Electric Locomotives. Strathwood. ISBN 9781905276516. OCLC 931820979.
• Marsden, Colin J. (2007). The AC Electrics. OPC. ISBN 9780860936145. OCLC 148304137.
• McManus, Michael. Ultimate Allocations, British Railways Locomotives 1948 - 1968. Wirral. Michael McManus.
• "AC Type A Electric Locomotives for British Railways, No E3001-E3023". The Railways Archive. Publisher: Associated Electrical Industries Ltd.

External links

• AC Locomotive Group - custodians of preserved locomotive no. 81002
• AEI A.C. Type 'A' Electric Locomotives for British Railways, Nos. E3001-E3023 booklet