Class 90 commissioning 1988

The class 90  bo-bo locomotives were designed to complement the existing Class 87 and in fact were originally designated Class 87/2. They were designed for both locomotive-hauled and 'Push-Pull' operation and in the latter mode could be operated remotely from a Driving Van Trailer (DVT) vehicle using a Time Division Multiplex (TDM) system of control by which 'signals' are sent through the standard Railway Clearing House (RCH) lighting jumper cables to operate the controls of the locomotive.

Rated at 5,000 HP with a maximum permitted speed of 110 mile/h they were well able to deal with the passenger services on the WCML

90 001 was delivered to the RTC, Derby for trials in late Autumn 1987.

The fleet of 40 locos were introduced onto the WCML in 1988 and I was part of the team responsible for the commissioning of the locomotives.

 Here is a selection of photos of the class 90 in action.

Click on the picture for a bigger image - photos are the author's unless otherwise credited

90 technical data IVA88 The technical data for the class 90 was produced in German and English for the Hamburg IVA88 exhibition

Author's collection
90 001 publicity shot Publicity shot of 90001 at Winsford, north of Crewe on the WCML, in early 1988

Author's collection
About to leave Crewe 90 001 stands inside BREL's Crewe Works on 31st October 1987 prior to being loco-hauled to Derby to commence its type testing.

Brian Morrison
In the EDU Coupled to Lab Coach 6 (Prometheus) 90001 stands in the EDU workshop at Derby

Colin Marsden
RTC yard 90001 stands outside the EDU after arrival at Derby
On test The loco is pictured on a test run south of Preston on the WCML

Unknown
On test With Test Car 10 behind the locomotive, 90001 heads up Shap during its type testing

Author's collection
On test In the Lune Gorge

Author's collection
Winsford Down Slow Another shot at Winsford where the Down Slow line would have been under a possession for brake testing.

Author's collection
Class 90 New Street An unidentified class 90 rolls into Birmingham New Street station sometime during 1988

Author's collection
On test at Old Dalby 90001 is pictured at the Old Dalby test track during pantograph aerodynamic trials

Derek Young
Stonebridge Park Here's an unidentified class 90 at Stonebridge Park at the bottom of the WCML en route to Bounds Green for a series of comparative traction tests with the class 91 in July 1988
90030 at Waverley Pictured at Waverley station, Edinburgh in the spring of 2002 - this is the EWS livery applied to 90030
90020 at Oxley And again at Oxley Depot, Wolverhampton on 1st March 2003 the EWS gold and maroon on 90020
Ipswich 90049 in the old Freightliner livery on the depot at Ipswich on 29th June 2006
Ipswich 90001 in 'One' livery propels its train out of Ipswich towards Norwich on 29th June 2006
Crewe On 20th July 2006 EWS-liveried 90017 is captured in platform 12 at Crewe on relief MK2 stock with DVT

More pictures will be added as time permits

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