Class 86s and ‘87’ for sale as Caledonian Sleeper contract ends

Three heritage electric locomotives are to be put up for sale because there is no more work for them in the UK.

Main line-certified 86101 Sir William A Stanier FRS, 86401 Mons Meg and 87002 Royal Sovereign have all been used by GB Railfreight since 2015 to haul empty Caledonian Sleeper stock between London Euston and Wembley, and Glasgow Central and Polmadie.

However, with the introduction of new CAF Mk 5s with Caledonian Sleeper, the locomotives are unable to couple to the new carriages. Modification costs have also ruled out any continued use for the two Class 86s and one ‘87’ on these duties.

Owned by the AC Locomotive Group (ACLG), they are hired to GBRf via Electric Traction Limited.

All three were initially acquired by ACLG, with the ‘86/4’ the first preserved member of its class. It was bought from EWS in 2004, after the operator ceased using the ‘86s’ the year before.

The Class 86/1 returned to main line traffic in 2007, having been bought two years earlier. It was used by Hull Trains to run between London King’s Cross and Doncaster in 2007, when the open access operator was short of rolling stock.

The Class 87 is the only main line-certified member of the fleet left in the UK, although there are 21 classmates in use overseas having been exported by Europhoenix.

It returned to the main line in 2008 following its purchase. It had been used to haul the ‘final’ Virgin Trains Class 87-hauled train in 2005 between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly, before being resurrected for VT trains on the Euston-Birmingham route. Again, it hauled the ‘final’ ‘87’-hauled passenger train for Virgin in December 2006.

It was subsequently used on mail trains and hired to Network Rail for ice-breaking duties, before being hired to Caledonian Sleeper from the start of the franchise more than four years ago.

The ACLG retains several preserved electric locomotives (81002, 82008, 83012, 84001, 85006 and 89001).