Class 91

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A fleet of thirty-one Class 91 electric locomotives was built for British Rail from 1988-1991 to operate on the newly electrified East Coast Main Line services between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
In November 2018, LNER marked the run-down of the Class 91 fleet by giving 91119 a vinyl wrap of its original BR InterCity livery. 91119 arriving at Platform 5, Edinburgh Waverley on 26/05/2019 Photo by PIERSHILL2001

Class 91s and the Mark 4 coaching stock they work with were replaced by Class 801 Azuma trains on London - Edinburgh services from 2020, although LNER retain a small fleet for London - Leeds & York workings.

  • The Class 91 locomotive and the Mk.4 coaching stock they operate with are known as InterCity 225 trains (IC225) from the original top speed specification (140mph = 225km/h), although in regular passenger service they have a maximum speed of 125mph (201km/h)
  • Following the privatisation of British Rail, the InterCity East Coast route and the IC225 trains have been operated by GNER from 1996, National Express East Coast (NXEC) from December 2007, East Coast from November 2009, Virgin Trains East Coast? from March 2015 and London North Eastern Railway? from June 2018.

Firsts and Lasts in Scotland

  • Some Class 91 acceptance testing was carried out on the WCML between Beattock Summit and Polmadie from 24th to 27th April 1989. 91009 was seen on 27 April on a test run to Polmadie, hauling a rake of Mk2 coaches with 43014 on the rear. <Photo (with wrong date)>
  • 91019 was named 'Scottish Enterprise' at Edinburgh Waverley on 12th September 1990. This was before electrification in the Edinburgh area was in use, so the loco and its' IC225 set were hauled by 47837 to Drem and back. <Photo>
  • 91011 & 91016 and a set of Mk4 coaches arrived at Craigentinny in mid-October 1990. Starting 29th October 1990, 91016 and a Mk.4 set was used on driver training runs from Polmadie to Carlisle.
  • On 19th December 1990, 91018 and four Mk.4 coaches including DVT 82219 were noted in Edinburgh Waverley, apparently after a Test run along the ECML. Testing (or driver training) resumed on 9th January 1991, and again with the same formation, the trains running to Dunbar or Gransthouse loop and return on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays.
  • Until Craigentinny Depot was wired in June 1991, Class 91s & Mk4s on driver training were based at Millerhill Yard. To help with stabling, the locos were at the South end of the trains. <Photo 1><Photo 2>.
  • On 30th May 1991, 91019 worked a VIP special between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central to promote the introduction of the new service from the (delayed) July Timetable change.
  • The first Class 91 to operate in public service in Scotland occurred on Wednesday 12th June 1991, as 91009 (with Mk4 set and DVT 82215) arrived on 11:00 London King's Cross - Edinburgh, and returned on 17:30 to London. <Photo>
  • From 8th July 1991, there were eight weekday departures from Glasgow Central to London Kings Cross running via Motherwell and Carstairs Junction to Edinburgh, plus an evening train to York. This pattern of service continued until May 2011, when the Glasgow service was reduced to a single morning departure '1E06' (none on Sundays), and an evening arrival '1S23' (none Saturdays, but 1S25 on Sundays).
  • Class 800/801 Azumas took over the 1S23/1E06 working to from Glasgow Central from Monday 23/09/2019, with 91102 propelling the 1E06 from Glasgow on the Monday. However, disruption on Monday 23/12/19 saw InterCity liveried 91119 work 1S23 15:30 London KX - Glasgow Central, and after stabling at Polmadie, it returned the next morning on 1E06 06:48 Glasgow Central - London KX. On Hogmanay, Tuesday 31/12/19, 91114 hauled 1S23 to Glasgow Central. After the new year shutdown, 91114 then worked 1E06 south on Thursday 2nd January 2020.
  • IC225s had run between Edinburgh and Carlisle on a few odd occasions during weather related disruption on the East Coast Route. From September 2012, IC225 sets were used during Autumn weekend diversions between Edinburgh and Newcastle via Beattock, Carlisle and the Tyne Valley, with Class 67s hauling the complete trains between Carlisle and Newcastle. Usually the Class 91 would be at the south end on the West Coast section. The first occasion was on Saturday 15th September 2012, with 91102 on train 1E06. The last time this occurred was Saturday October 13th 2018.
  • 91131 became the first electric locomotive to run to Stirling on 28th November 2019. This was a test run in passenger service for the start of regular class 91 operations to Stirling, with 91131 and its MK4 train taking over 1W22 15:00 ex London Kings Cross at Edinburgh Waverley from an Azuma. The 91 then departed with on the usual Empty stock 5W22 20:28 Stirling - Craigentinny.
  • On Weekdays from December 2019, Class 91s operated on both the morning 1E03 05:26 Stirling - London KX and evening 1W22 15:00 London KX - Stirling LNER services, although planned use on 1W22 ended on 24/1/20. Sporadic appearances in place of Azumas continued after this. On Wednesday 11th March 91107 hauled 1W22 to Stirling, and on Monday 16th March 91102 propelled 1E03 from Stirling to London. Unfortunately all LNER Class 91 workings to Stirling occurred during hours of darkness.
  • Use of Class 91s on the London King's Cross - Edinburgh route was progressively reduced during 2020 as more Class 801 Azumas were brought into service.
  • The last day with two class 91s to Edinburgh was Saturday 29th August with 91124 on 1S07/1E17 and 91119 on 1S08/1E18 <Photo>.
  • Planned use of Class 91s to Edinburgh ended on Friday 04/09/2020, with 91109 (and DVT 82225) arriving on 1S07 08:00 Kings Cross to Edinburgh and departing on 1E17 13:30 Edinburgh London. Commemorative window lables were used <Photo>. However, substitutions for class 801 Azumas did occur a few times later in September; 91124 worked 1S04 and 1E14 on Monday 7th, and 91109 worked 1S08 & 1E18 on Tuesday 8th.
  • 91127 worked 1S12 10:30 King's Cross - Edinburgh and 1E22 16:00 return on Friday 18th <Photo>.
  • The last known LNER working to Edinburgh was on Thursday 24th September 2020, with 91105 arriving on 1S08, 08:30 from London KX, returning on 1E18 14:00 Edinburgh to London. <Photo>.
  • At the end of September LNER withdrew the Thunderbird locos from Edinburgh & Newcastle and restricted the class 91s to services south of York and Leeds.


Notable Workings

  • On 28 June 1991, 91029 (named 'Queen Elizabeth II' before departure) hauled shortened Mk4 set as a 11:15 King's Cross to Edinburgh special conveying Her Majesty The Queen, to officially inaugurate the East Coast Main Line electrification <Photo>. On arrival at Edinburgh Waverley, the Queen named 91030 'Palace of Holyroodhouse' <Photo>.
  • On 26 September 1991, 91012 with a shortened MK4 set (12224+11247+10326+11247+11263+82220), ran as 1T01 09:00 King's Cross to Edinburgh, arriving at 12:29, a record breaking 3 hour 29 minute non-stop journey.
  • On 3rd May 1993, 91017 (running blunt-end first) hauled the return leg of the 'Cock of the North' Intercity land cruise from Edinburgh to London King's Cross, as substitute for a Class 90.<Photo>
  • In the early hours of April 19, 1994, 91031 hauled the previous night's 1M16 20:20 Inverness - Euston sleeper train, between Edinburgh and Carlisle (reported in RAIL 226).
  • On 18 June 1994, 91008 (with a MK4 set) hauled a London KX - Edinburgh - Carlisle - WCML - London Euston 'The North Briton (225 Special)' Railtour.
  • On 23 October 2007, GNER's 91130 hauled a failed HST set (with 43051) on 1S22, 1530 Kings Cross to Edinburgh. <Photo>
  • On Friday 3rd September 2021, LNER's 91130 ran light from Neville Hill to Polmadie (via Donacaster and Edinburgh). On Saturday 4th, it was booked to haul the 'GBRf 2021' tour as 1Z31 from Mossend to Newcastle via Edinburgh, however deviating from the plan, it ran light to Mossend via Carmyle, then hauled the tour blunt-end first to Carlisle via Beattock. <Photo>.



Withdrawals

At the start of August 2020, 19 Class 91 locomotives had been withdrawn from service with LNER.
LocoDateLast Passenger ServiceNotes
91101--N/AN/A
9110229/04/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster RMT
9110328/08/191A49 19:16 Leeds to Kings Cross (28/08/19)Spare parts at BN (mostly internal components so far)
91104xx/02/201E22 16:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross (08/02/20) Moved to Doncaster RMT on 05/03/20
91105--N/AN/A
91106--N/AN/A
91107--N/AN/A
9110831/07/191D28 18:33 Kings Cross to Bradford FS (30/07/19)0Z12 NL-Doncaster (31/07/19). Stripped at Doncaster. Nose is now on 91124
91109--N/AN/A
91110--N/AN/A
91111--N/AN/A
9111204/04/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster RMT
9111328/03/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster RMT
91114--N/AN/A
9111531/07/201E27 18:31 Edinburgh to Kings Cross (27/07/20) BN to Doncaster Belmont on 31/7/20
9111610/04/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster Belmont
9111725/09/191E18 14:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross (25/09/19) 0Z91 - BN to Leicester on 06/10/19 (Europhoenix livery)
91118xx/04/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster RMT
91119--N/AN/A
9112024/09/191E18 14:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross (24/09/19)0Z91 - BN to Leicester on 06/10/19 (Europhoenix livery)
9112127/06/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster Belmont
9112228/01/201E24 17:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross* (28/01/20)For ROG, 0Z91 - BN to Leicester (01/02/20)
91124--N/AN/A
9112531/07/201Y90 18:02 York - King's Cross (27/07/20) BN to Doncaster Belmont on 31/7/20
9112627/06/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster Belmont
91127--N/AN/A
9112829/01/201E24 17:00 Edinburgh to Kings Cross (29/01/20)For ROG, 0Z91 - BN to Leicester (01/02/20)
9112928/03/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster RMT
91130--N/AN/A
9113118/04/20Unknown Stored at Doncaster RMT
9113224/01/201E21 15:30 Edinburgh to Kings Cross (24/01/20)BN to Doncaster Belmont on 31/7/20. Scrapped Sims Nottingham April 2021

.*Due to major issues at Dunbar, 91122 took over the path of 1E25 (running as 1G25), before terminating at KGX for the final time.

  • Home Maintenance depot for class 91 and Mk4 stock was Bounds Green (Code BN) in London.

Fleet List (2020)

NumberNameNotes
91101 Flying ScotsmanFlying Scotsman vinyl branding
91102 City of York
91103 For spare parts at BN (mostly internal components so far)
91104
91105
91106
91107 Skyfall
91108 Nose removed at Doncaster Works, August 2019
91109 Sir Bobby Robson
91110 Battle of Memorial Flight Special WWII tribute branding since 2012
91111 For the Fallen Special WWI tribute branding since 2014
91112
91113
91114 Durham Cathedral Durham Cathedral vinyl branding
91115 Blaydon Races
91116
91117 West Riding Limited Europhoenix livery
91118 The Fusiliers
91119 Bounds Green INTERCITY DEPOT 1977-2017 Intercity Swallow liveried since November 2018
91120 Europhoenix livery
91121 #Trainbow (Love is Love)
91122 For ROG (MML OLE Tests)
91124
91125
91126 Darlington Hippodrome
91127
91128 INTERCITY 50 For ROG (MML OLE Tests)
91129
91130 Lord Mayor of Newcastle
91131
91132 "Time to Change" vinyl branding, loco originally numbered 91023


Coaching Stock


  • LNER Class 91s work with a rake of nine Mark 4 coaches and a Mark 4 Driving Van Trailer (DVT), with the Class 91 normally coupled to coach B at the Country (or North) end of the train.
  • In the early 1990s while the East Coast route was still operated by BR, class 90 locomotive occasionally substituted for class 91s on Mk.4 sets on services from London KX to Edinburgh and Glasgow. After privatisation, the hired-in Class 90s (and the class 89) were used only on the London - Leeds/Bradford route.

MkIV Set Lists

SetM (FOS)L (FO)K (FOD)H (RSB)F (TSOD)E (TSO)D (TSO)C (TSO)B (TSOE)
BN01 11401 11301 11298 10307 12307 12414 12415 12417 12207
BN02 11402 11302 11299 10302 12302 12448 12450 12402 12232
BN03 11403 11303 11277 10320 12301 12478 12459 12401 12201
BN04 11404 11304 11278 10303 12327 12518 12421 12480 12202
BN05 11405 11305 11219 10326 12300 12522 12520 12486 12209
BN06 11406 11306 11279 10309 12313 12422 12420 12406 12208
BN07 11407 11307 11280 10323 12329 12489 12405 12411 12231
BN08 11408 11308 11229 10300 12328 12407 12485 12481 12205
BN09 11409 11309 11281 10331 12308 12514 12483 12513 12230
BN10 11410 11310 11282 10304 12305 12443 12488 12419 12214
BN11 11411 11311 11283 10308 12315 12484 12436 12437 12203
BN12 11412 11312 11284 10333 12330 12426 12404 12431 12212
BN13 11413 11313 11285 10313 12311 12424 12430 12469 12228
BN14 11414 11314 11201 10332 12312 12423 12526 12410 12229
BN15 11415 11315 11286 10306 12309 12515 12409 12442 12226
BN16 11416 11316 11287 10315 12304 12433 12445 12428 12213
BN17 11417 11317 11288 10324 12303 12432 12427 12444 12231
BN18 11418 11318 11289 11305 12324 12467 12468 12453 12215
BN19 11419 11319 11290 10318 12310 12470 12400 12434 12211
BN20 11420 11320 11241 10321 12326 12440 12439 12477 12224
BN21 11421 11321 11244 10330 12323 12476 12441 12461 12222
BN22 11422 11322 11291 10301 12316 12473 12460 12452 12210
BN23 11423 11323 11292 10325 12318 12455 12456 12454 12225
BN24 11424 11324 11293 10328 12319 12403 12425 12447 12219
BN25 11425 11325 11294 10312 12322 12464 12519 12446 12217
BN26 11426 11326 11295 10311 12325 12429 12465 12474 12220
BN27 11427 11327 11237 10319 12317 12538 12466 12449 12216
BN28 11428 11328 11273 10310 12320 12533 12463 12458 12218
BN29 11429 11329 11998 10317 12321 12438 12457 12462 12204
BN30 11430 11330 11999 10329 12331 12472 12534 12471 12227


Coach Type Codes

  • FO: First Open (2+1 seats), FOS: with smoking compartment (all now non-smoking) FOD: with disabled access.
  • RSB: Restaurant Buffet Standard Open (2+2 seats)
  • TSO: Tourist Standard Open (2+2 seats), TSOD: with disabled access. TSOE: End coach with buffers and smoking compartment (all now non-smoking)
Notes:
  • Sets are numbered by the two first class coaches so for example if you seen 11410 it would mean Set 10 or BN10. The same happens for 113xx coaches.

Mark 4 Driving Van trailers (DVT)

Old and New at Waverley ยป DVT 82220 (with 91112 on the rear) on 1E17 13.30 Edinburgh to Kings Cross passing 800002 on 5X11 in platform 2 Waverley on 14/09/2017 Photo by PIERSHILL2001

  • The Driving Van trailers operate at the London end of the sets next to the first class coaches.
  • There were 32 Mk4 DVTs built, numbered 82200-231 (82221 was destroyed in an accident in 2001).
  • DVT number 82205 wears "Flying Scotsman" livery with the saltire flag, matching loco 91101, from 6 March 2020, 82205 was rebranded as 'Flying ScotsWOMAN'.

See Also

External Links