Freightliner loans Powerhaul 86 to Crewe Heritage Centre

ONE OF Freightliner’s stored Class 86/6 electric locomotives has been moved to Crewe Heritage Centre on long-term loan.

One of two members of the Class 86/6 fleet to be painted into the operator’s Powerhaul green and yellow livery, 86622 arrived at CHC on October 21.

Volunteers at the heritage centre were planning on giving the locomotive a clean, but as it does not belong to CHC it will remain in its current colour scheme, representing its most recent period of operation.

CHC spokesman Mike Lenz said: “As it is still officially a Freightliner locomotive, we will not be undertaking any repaints or other work, apart from keeping it presentable for display.”

86622 entered service on British Railways as E3174 in 1964, having been built by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-willows. Under BR’S TOPS renumbering scheme it became 86022, then 86322 and 86422, before being converted to a Class 86/6 and dedicated to Freightliner workings, on which it remained until it was stored in November 2020. Both it and 86637 were repainted into Freightliner’s revised Powerhaul livery, which itself has since been superseded by the new G&W orange and black colours.

Freightliner has stored all of its remaining Class 86/6 locomotives following the purchase of additional Class 90s that were previously operated by Greater Anglia. They are stored at Crewe Basford Hall awaiting a final decision on their future. The arrival of the Class 86 brings another AC locomotive design to the Crewe museum, which is also home to 87035 Robert Burns.

The Class 87 has recently been repainted into Virgin Trains red and dark grey livery, which it carried towards the end of its working life before being withdrawn.

Mr Lenz said that Virgin had given permission for its branding to be applied to the locomotive, for which they were grateful. 87035 is currently in the main exhibition hall at CHC, where it has been undergoing its cosmetic transformation. It is likely to remain in the hall during the winter months, ready for the centre’s reopening in April.

Phil Chilton 86622 and 86613 pass Searchlight Lane Junction at Norton Bridge while working 4M87, the 11.13 Felixstowe to Trafford Park Freightliner on June 24, 2020, less than six months before 86622 was stored. The ‘Powerhaul’ liveried locomotive has now moved to Crewe Heritage Centre on loan from Freightliner.