Class 89 ‘Badger’ set for main line return with LSL

THE unique Class 89 electric locomotive No. 89001 has secured a main line return with Locomotive Services Ltd in Crewe. The ‘Badger’ is owned by Electric Traction Ltd, which has painstakingly returned it to working order after it was sold by previous operator GNER in October 2006. LSL has agreed to fund the final works required to complete the rebuild, including fitting of mandatory safety systems, before taking it on a five-year loan deal for use with its matching set of InterCityliveried stock. The loco entered traffic with British Rail in 1987, but was withdrawn after a serious failure in July 1992. It was then sidelined until resurrected by GNER in 1997 for further use on the East Coast Main Line, but suffered another major failure in October 2000 that saw it laid up until sold into preservation.