Class 91 trio heads to the scrapyard
Another three Class 91s have been sent for scrapping, with the delivery of 91103/104/108 to CF Booth in Rotherham in late March. The three locomotives were taken out of service with LNER to be used as spares donors for the serviceable Class 91 fleet and all have undergone extensive component recovery while in store at Doncaster Works.
The first Class 91 to be scrapped was 91132, which was disposed of at Sims Metals, Beeston, in March 2021. This was then followed two months later by 91102/113/126/129, which were dispatched in convoy to Sims at Newport Docks for breaking up. While the 31-strong fleet has been greatly depleted, 12 of the locomotives are still in front line service with LNER; 91101/105-107/109111/114/119/124/127/130 are all still active on the East Coast Main Line. Work is underway on applying a new livery to LNER Mk.4 coaches at Wabtec Doncaster, and it is understood that at least some of the surviving Class 91s will also receive the new colour scheme.
Still in store awaiting a decision on their future – with the scrapping of most of them likely – are 91112/115/116/118/121/125/130, which are all stored at Doncaster Belmont yard.
Two Class 91s, 91122/128, have been used over the past couple of years by Rail Operations Group in connection with the DATS testing and commissioning of the Midland Main Line electrification project. What the future holds for these two locomotives, currently stored at Crewe South Yard, is unknown. Additionally, Europhoenix owns 91117/120, which are currently in store at Barrow Hill.
The two locomotives were originally expected to be exported to Hungary, but the contract they were earmarked for was cancelled when the pandemic started two years ago (Railways Illustrated 230).
91117 is to be used as a spares donor towards the revival of unique 89001 Avocet, but Europhoenix is still hopeful that one or both Class 91s will be exported for further use eventually.