British Rail Class 87

British Rail Class 87
A Class 87 at Kenton in 1979
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder British Rail Engineering Limited Crewe Works Build date 1973–1975 Total produced 36
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Bo′Bo′ Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Bogies BP9[1] Wheel diameter 3 ft 9+1⁄2 in (1.156 m)[2] Minimum curve 80 m (4 chains)[2] Wheelbase 43 ft 6+1⁄8 in (13.262 m)[3] ​  • Bogie 10 ft 9 in (3.280 m)[3] Pivot centres 32 ft 9 in (9.98 m)[3] Length: ​  • Over beams 58 ft 6 in (17.83 m)[3] Width 8 ft 8+1⁄4 in (2.648 m) (over body)[3] Height: ​  • Pantograph 13 ft 1+1⁄4 in (3.994 m)[2]  • Body height 12 ft 4+1⁄4 in (3.766 m)[3] Axle load 19 long tons 13 cwt (20.0 t)[3] Loco weight 80 long tons (81 t; 90 short tons)[2] Electric system/s 25 kV AC Catenary[2] Current pickup(s) Brecknell Willis high speed pantograph[2] Traction motors 4 × 1,250 hp (930 kW)[4] GEC G412AZ (87/0) 4 × GEC G412BZ (87/1)[2] ​  • Rating 1 hour 885A[5] Gear ratio 32:73[2] MU working TDM Train heating Electric Train Heating index: 66[3] ETH index: 95 (87/0, later) ETH isolated (87/1, later)[2] Loco brake Air & Rheostatic[3] Train brakes Air Safety systems AWS[6] Train Protection & Warning System
Performance figures Maximum speed 110 mph (180 km/h) Power output: ​  • 1 hour 1,270 hp (950 kW) per motor[5]  • Continuous 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) (87/0) 4,850 hp (3,620 kW) (87/1)[2] Tractive effort 58,000 lbf (258 kN) Brakeforce 40 long tons (41 t)[2]
Career Operators Current: Bulgarian Railway Company (2007–) Bulmarket (2012–) Locomotive Services Limited (2019–) Former: British Rail (1973–1997) Caledonian Sleeper (1997–1998, 2015–2019) Cotswold Rail (2005–2006) Direct Rail Services (2004–2005) EWS (1997–2002) First GBRf (2004–2007) Virgin Trains (1997–2006) Class 87 Number in class 36 Numbers 87001–87035, 87101 Axle load class Route availability 6 Locale West Coast Main Line Withdrawn 2002-2007 Preserved 87001, 87002, 87035 Disposition 3 preserved 21 exported 12 scrapped

The British Rail Class 87 is a type of electric locomotive designed and built by British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) between 1973 and 1975. A total of thirty-six locomotives were constructed, to work passenger and freight services over the West Coast Main Line (WCML).

The type was developed in response to the need to add extra capacity to the electric traction fleet operated by British Rail (BR), in addition to the desire to introduce a higher performance electric locomotive than the existing Class 86, upon which the Class 87 was based. Class 87s were British Rail's flagship electric locomotives from their introduction until the late 1980s, at which point they began to be superseded by members of the newly-developed Class 90 fleet – itself an improved derivative of the Class 87 design.

As a consequence of the privatisation of British Rail during the mid 1990s, all but one of the Class 87s were transferred to Virgin Trains. Under this operator, the type continued their passenger duties until the advent of the new Class 390 Pendolinos, after which they were gradually transferred to other operators or withdrawn between 2002 and 2007. For a time, the type was a staple of electrified freight operations, before it was displaced by the Class 90 in this capacity as well. By the end of the 2010s, there was only one Class 87 that remained in an operational condition in Britain, 87002, which had been initially preserved by the AC Locomotive Group and is presently owned by Locomotive Services Limited. It was previously in use with Serco Caledonian Sleeper and is intended for use on charter services. A large proportion of the fleet has been exported to Bulgaria, where they have entered regular use once again.