British Rail Class 84

British Railways AL4 British Rail Class 84
Preserved locomotive 84001 on display at Crewe Works open day on 11 September 2005
Power type	Electric
Builder	North British Locomotive Company
Build date	1960–1961
Total production	10
Configuration	Bo-Bo
UIC classification	Bo'Bo'
Gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Wheel diameter	4 ft 0 in (1.219 m)
Length	57 ft 6 in (17.53 m)
Weight	76.60 long tons (77.83 t)
Electric system(s)	25 kV AC
Traction motors	750 hp (560 kW) GEC WT501, 4 off
Top speed	100 mph (160 km/h)
Power output	3,100 hp (2,300 kW)
Tractive effort	50,000 lbf (220 kN)
Train heating	Electric Train Heating
Locomotive brakeforce	65.5 LTf (653 kN)
Train brakes	Vacuum; Dual from 1972
Career	British Rail
Number	E3036–E3045; later 84001–84010
Axle load class	Route availability 6
Retired	1979–1980
Disposition	One preserved, remainder scrapped

Inside the cab of 84001 at Railfest on 2 June 2004

The British Rail Class 84 was a 25 kV AC electric locomotive that operated on the West Coast Main Line of the London Midland Region.

History

As part of the modernization of the West Coast Main Line, which included electrification, 100 locomotives of five types were acquired from different manufacturers. Ten Class AL4 locomotives numbered E3036 - E3045 were built in 1960 to a design by GEC by the North British Locomotive Company in Springburn, Glasgow.

Rebuild

Problems with the mercury-arc rectifiers plagued this class and in 1962 E3036 was returned to GEC, the builder of the electrical equipment, in an attempt to find a solution.

Within a year, all ten were out of service for repair. The problems persisted and in 1967 they were once more placed into storage, along with Class AL3. During this time E3043 went to Rugby Testing Centre for testing.

Reprieve

The persistent problems could have been the end of the ten locomotives of Class 84, but the extension of the West Coast Main Line electrification to Glasgow meant that more electric locomotives would be needed. It was therefore decided that the stored Class AL3 and AL4 locomotives would be repaired and returned to service, with a lower number of Class 87 being built.

Rebuild 2 and renumbering

Between 1971 and 1972, all ten locomotives were rebuilt once more and were reclassified under TOPS as Class 84, being renumbered 84001 - 84010.

The end

The second rebuild failed to overcome some of the more persistent problems and British Rail decided in 1976 to withdraw them from service. The first to be withdrawn was 84007 in 1977, the last 84003 and 84010 in 1980.

After withdrawal

ADB968021 load bank tester (1987)

84003 and 84009 passed to the Research Division: 84009 was rebuilt as a load bank tester and 84003 was used for spares. They were given departmental numbers ADB968021 and ADB968022 respectively, although the latter was never applied. In 1995 84009 was broken-up following withdrawal from its load bank duties; one cab of this locomotive was saved together with a quantity of spares.

84002 and 84010 were purchased by GEC for experiments, but scrapped soon afterwards.

84001 was moved to the National Railway Museum in York on long-term loan. The original intention was to eventually swap it for a more representative Class 86, but in 1994 the locomotive was officially claimed for the National Collection. In the intervening years, the 84 had become important to the Museum as the sole-surviving post-steam, main line (i.e. not a small shunting locomotive) example of a North British Locomotive Company product. 84001 remained at the NRM until 2000 when it was loaned to the AC Locomotive Group for an initial period of three years, later extended by five years, in exchange for much-needed cosmetic restoration work being undertaken. It continues to carry BR blue livery, as expensive cosmetic modifications would be required to return to "as built" condition in electric blue livery.

Preservation

One locomotive (84001) has been preserved by the National Railway Museum and is on loan to the AC Locomotive Group at Barrow Hill Engine Shed.

Fleet details

External links

• "The AC Locomotive Group (caring for Class 84 84001)"