British Rail Class 91

British Rail Class 91
LNER Class 91 at London King's Cross
Type and origin Power type Electric Designer GEC Transportation Projects[1] Builder BREL Crewe Works Build date 1988–1991 Total produced 31 Rebuilder Adtranz Rebuild date 2000–2003 Number rebuilt 31
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR B-B  • UIC Bo′Bo′  • Commonwealth Bo-Bo Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge Bogies BREL BP52[1] Wheel diameter 970 mm (3 ft 2 in)[2] Minimum curve 80.000 m (262 ft 5.6 in)[1] Wheelbase 10.500 m (34 ft 5.4 in)[3] ​  • Bogie 3.350 m (10 ft 11.9 in)[3] Length: ​  • Over body 19.400 m (63 ft 7.8 in)[2] Width 2.740 m (8 ft 11.9 in)[1] Height 3.757 m (12 ft 3.9 in)[1] Loco weight 85.25 tonnes (83.90 long tons; 93.97 short tons)[1] Electric system/s 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead Current pickup(s) Pantograph (Brecknell Willis high speed) Traction motors 4 × GEC G426AZ DC[1] Gear ratio 1.741:1[1] MU working TDM[4]: 8  Train heating Electric Train Supply, index 95 (1000 V, 600 A,[4]: 9  max 475 kW) Loco brake Pneumatic (disc and tread) and rheostatic[note 1] Train brakes Pneumatic Safety systems AWS TPWS[1] Couplers Drophead Buckeye
Performance figures Maximum speed Design: 140 mph (225 km/h)[1] Service: 125 mph (201 km/h)[1] No. 2 cab leading: 110 mph (177 km/h) As light locomotive: 75 mph (121 km/h)[note 2] Power output: ​  • Starting 4.70 MW (6,300 hp) at rails[3][1]  • Continuous 4.54 MW (6,090 hp) at rails[1][5] Tractive effort: ​  • Starting 190 kN (43,000 lbf)[2]  • Continuous 107 kN (24,000 lbf) at 95 mph (153 km/h)[2] Brakeforce Rheostatic: 83 kN (19,000 lbf) max.[note 3]
Career Operators Current: London North Eastern Railway Europhoenix[6] Former: British Rail (InterCity) Great North Eastern Railway National Express East Coast East Coast (DOR) Virgin Trains East Coast Numbers As built: 91001–91031 Post 2000–2003 refit: 91101–91122, 91124–91132 Official name Electra Axle load class Route availability 7 Current owner Eversholt Rail Group Europhoenix[7] Disposition In service: 12 Stored: 6 Scrapped: 12 Preserved: 1

The British Rail Class 91 is a high-speed electric locomotive, which produces power of 4,830 kW (6,480 hp); it was ordered as a component of the East Coast Main Line modernisation and electrification programme of the late 1980s. The Class 91s were given the auxiliary name of InterCity 225 to indicate their envisaged top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph); they were also referred to as Electras by British Rail during their development and throughout the electrification of the East Coast Main Line.

The locomotive body shells are of all-steel construction. Unusually, the motors are body mounted and drive bogie-mounted gearboxes via cardan shafts; this reduces the unsprung mass and hence track wear at high speeds. The locomotive also features an underslung transformer, therefore the body is relatively empty compared to contemporary electric locomotives. Much of the engineering specification for the locomotive was derived from the research and operational experience of the APT-P.^[2][5]

The other end of the InterCity 225 train set is formed of a Mark 4 Driving Van Trailer, built with a similar body shell to the Class 91 locomotives but with only one driving cab.

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