British Rail Class 85
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
Class 85 is an electric locomotive built during the early 1960s, as part of BR's policy to develop a standard electric locomotive. Five prototype classes (81-85) were built and evaluated, which eventually led to the development of the Class 86
locomotive. The locomotives of Class 85 were originally fitted with germanium
rectifiers which were eventually replaced by silicon
rectifiers. Forty of these locomotives were built from 1961-64 by BR at Doncaster Works. The class were used to haul trains on the then newly electrified West Coast Main Line
, from Birmingham, to , Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool
and later . By 1965, electrification had spread south to London Euston.
Under the earlier BR classification, the type was given the designation AL5 (meaning the 5th design of 25 kV AC locomotive), and locomotives were numbered E3056-E3095. In 1968, this was changed to Class 85, when BR introduced a new computer numbering system. From 1971 onwards, locomotives were progressively renumbered into the 85001-040 series. Fifteen locomotives were converted for freight only use, numbered in the 85/1 series - see table below. These locomotives were restricted to 80 mph.
, who also have examples of Classes 81-86. at Barrow Hill Engine Shed
. It was named to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Doncaster Works, and is painted in Railfreight Distribution
livery, a livery it never carried in service. Their intention is to eventually restore this locomotive to operational condition.
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Class 85 is an electric locomotive built during the early 1960s, as part of BR's policy to develop a standard electric locomotive. Five prototype classes (81-85) were built and evaluated, which eventually led to the development of the Class 86
British Rail Class 86
The British Rail Class 86 was the standard electric locomotive built during the 1960s, developed as a result of testing with the earlier Classes 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85. One hundred of these locomotives were built from 1965-1966 by either English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows, or...
locomotive. The locomotives of Class 85 were originally fitted with germanium
Germanium
Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors tin and silicon. The isolated element is a semiconductor, with an appearance most similar to elemental silicon....
rectifiers which were eventually replaced by silicon
Silicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
rectifiers. Forty of these locomotives were built from 1961-64 by BR at Doncaster Works. The class were used to haul trains on the then newly electrified West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
, from Birmingham, to , Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
and later . By 1965, electrification had spread south to London Euston.
Under the earlier BR classification, the type was given the designation AL5 (meaning the 5th design of 25 kV AC locomotive), and locomotives were numbered E3056-E3095. In 1968, this was changed to Class 85, when BR introduced a new computer numbering system. From 1971 onwards, locomotives were progressively renumbered into the 85001-040 series. Fifteen locomotives were converted for freight only use, numbered in the 85/1 series - see table below. These locomotives were restricted to 80 mph.
Power supply
The locomotives always worked on power provided by overhead catenary energized at 25,000 V AC. However, the main transformer, normally operated with the four windings in series, could be operated at 6250V AC with the transformer windings in parallel. This voltage was initially to be used where limited clearances gave concern over use of the higher voltage.Preservation
One locomotive has been preserved, 85101 (having previously numbered E3061 & 85 006) This locomotive is preserved by the AC Locomotive GroupAC Locomotive Group
The AC Locomotive Group is the UK's only dedicated AC electric locomotive preservation society. It currently has ten AC locomotives in its care, numbers 81002, 82008, 83012, 84001, 85101, 86101, 86213, 86401, 87002, 89001.- Locomotives :...
, who also have examples of Classes 81-86. at Barrow Hill Engine Shed
Barrow Hill Engine Shed
Barrow Hill Roundhouse & Railway Centre, until 1948 known as Staveley Roundhouse & Train Centre, is a former Midland Railway roundhouse in Barrow Hill, near Staveley and Chesterfield, Derbyshire .-History:...
. It was named to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Doncaster Works, and is painted in Railfreight Distribution
Railfreight Distribution
Railfreight Distribution was a subsector of British Rail created by the division in 1987 of British Rail's previous Railfreight sector. It was responsible for non-trainload freight operations, as well as Freightliner and Intermodal services. In its early years the division was occasionally...
livery, a livery it never carried in service. Their intention is to eventually restore this locomotive to operational condition.
Fleet details
| Class | No. Built (* Converted) |
Loco Nos. | Withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 85/0 | 40 | 85001-85040 | 1991 |
| Class 85/1 | 14* | 85101-85114 | 1991 |
| Key: | Preserved | Scrapped |
|---|
| Numbers | Withdrawn | Disposal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class AL5 | Class 85/0 | Class 85/1 | ||
| E3056 | 85001 | - | 1985 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3057 | 85002 | - | 1989 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3058 | 85003 | 85113 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3059 | 85004 | 85111 | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3060 | 85005 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3061 | 85006 | 85101 | 1992 | Preserved at Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Engine Shed Barrow Hill Roundhouse & Railway Centre, until 1948 known as Staveley Roundhouse & Train Centre, is a former Midland Railway roundhouse in Barrow Hill, near Staveley and Chesterfield, Derbyshire .-History:... |
| E3062 | 85007 | 85112 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3063 | 85008 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3064 | 85009 | 85102 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3065 | 85010 | 85103 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3066 | 85011 | 85114 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3067 | 85012 | 85104 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3068 | 85013 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3069 | 85014 | - | 1989 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3070 | 85015 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3071 | 85016 | 85105 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3072 | 85017 | - | 1987 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3073 | 85018 | - | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3074 | 85019 | - | 1989 | Scrapped at Vic Berry's, Leicester |
| E3075 | 85020 | - | 1990 | Accident damaged Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3076 | 85021 | 85106 | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3077 | 85022 | - | 1989 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3078 | 85023 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3079 | 85024 | 85107 | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3080 | 85025 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at Vic Berry's, Leicester |
| E3081 | 85026 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3082 | 85027 | - | 1983 | Fire damaged Scrapped at Crewe Works |
| E3083 | 85028 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3084 | 85029 | - | 1988 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3085 | 85030 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3086 | 85031 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3087 | 85032 | 85108 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3088 | 85033 | - | 1984 | Scrapped at Crewe Works |
| E3089 | 85034 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3090 | 85035 | 85109 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3091 | 85036 | 85110 | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3092 | 85037 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3093 | 85038 | - | 1990 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3094 | 85039 | - | 1987 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
| E3095 | 85040 | - | 1991 | Scrapped at MC Metals, Glasgow |
External links
- AC Locomotive Group - Owners of preserved locomotive no. 85101 / E3061
- High-Voltage A.C. Locomotives Built by British Railways , Publisher:Associated Electrical Industries Ltd.