‘91s’ for Europe
Two former East Coast Main Line electrics head to Eastern Europe for a future in freight, with another 18 possibly to follow.
UP to 20 Class 91s could be exported to Eastern Europe for freight duties.
Europhoenix has purchased two of the electric locomotives for initial trials abroad, and more could follow as their career on the East Coast Main Line draws to a close.
EP has bought 91117 and 91120 from Eversholt Rail Group. Both had been sent off-lease on September 25 by LNER, as more Hitachi Class 800/801 Azumas entered traffic.
EP owner Glenn Edwards told RAIL on October 4 that the locomotives would work in permanent pairs, with the blunt ends coupled together. Currently, ‘91s’ are not suitable for heavy freight haulage duty, so in partnership with Voith they will be re-geared to a lower rating to enable them to operate in this manner.
The first EP ‘91s’ have received the company’s livery, and were hauled from Bounds Green to Leicester on October 5. Both are currently stabled at the UK Rail Leasing depot and will remain there until ready for export. The conversion work will be carried out on the European mainland.
Eversholt Rail Group told RAIL that these are the only ‘91s’ that will be sold for the time being, but that it might be prepared to sell up to 18 more.
Thirty-one Class 91s were built, with four so far sent off-lease by LNER. While EP has bought 91117/120, the other two removed from traffic (91103/108) are being used for component recovery.
Azuma introduction has so far mainly been confined to the Leeds route, although they are increasingly taking over AngloScottish services, meaning that fewer ‘91s’ are required.
Other companies are eyeing the 140mph locomotives, which date from 1988, with open access operator Grand Union submitting plans to use them on London Paddington-Cardiff Central and Stirling-London Euston trains.
GU hopes to introduce these trains from the end of next year, although the ‘91s’ would only be used on the Welsh route until new trains are built ( RAIL 888).
It is expected that no more Class 91s will be withdrawn this year, with LNER instead focusing on removing its High Speed Trains from traffic.
EP has previous experience exporting UK locomotives, with three Class 56s (56101/115/117) and eight Class 86s (86215/217/21 8/228/232/242/248/250) exported to Hungary, while six Class 86s (86213/231/234/235, 86701/702) and 21 Class 87s have been exported to Bulgaria.
The ‘87s’ are used by two operators (Bulmarket for 87009/017/023/025 and BZK for 87003/004/006-008/010/ 012-014/019/020/022/026/028/ 029/033/034), and the ‘86s’ by Bulmarket. Additionally 86233 was exported to Bulgaria for spares, and 86424 was moved to Hungary for the same reason.
EP also operates in the UK, with 37601/608/611, 37800/884 on long-term hire to Rail Operations Group, and 37510 due to join them before the end of the year. EP also owns 37146, 37207, 37901, with the latter pair set for a main line return.