LNER refreshes ‘old’ Intercity 225 look on 91119
AS WORK continues on the essential maintenance of the LNER Class 91 fleet at Wabtec Doncaster, another two Class 91s emerged from repainting on November 10, including 91119 Bounds Green Intercity Depot 19772017, which has been repainted into original Intercity 225 Swallow livery as carried by the Class 91s when delivered new to British Rail between 1988 and 1991.
91119 has carried the original Intercity 225 livery for a number of years, but it has previously been applied as a vinyl wrap, whereas it has been fully repainted into the scheme during its recent attention at Doncaster.
The repainting of 91119 also marks the completion of the third of LNER’S specially liveried Class 91 locomotives to have their liveries refreshed. Wabtec is now nearing the end of the Class 91 repainting at its Doncaster facility, with 91114 Durham Cathedral also emerging in the new LNER 225 Oxblood colours along with 91119 on November 10.
The same day saw 91124 move to Wabtec in advance of repainting, leaving 91107 Skyfall as the last remaining Class 91 to retain the old red and grey livery originally applied to the locomotives when Virgin Trains East Coast operated the East Coast franchise.
It is expected that 91124 will have returned to service by the time this issue of Railways Illustrated goes on sale.
Once all the locomotives have been completed, work will continue on the repainting of LNER’S eight Mk.4 coaching stock rakes, of which several are still to be treated at the time of going to press. Set NL08 is the latest rake of coaches to emerge from repainting.