History

The fleet of 31 Class 91 locomotives were built specifically to coincide with the completion of the ECML modernisation and electric operation between London and Edinburgh. They were built to operate in fixed formation sets, with the locomotive marshalled at the North end of the trainset. As the design specification called for the locomotives to be mixed traffic, two cabs were included; one end raked back for high-speed operation, and a slab end for slower speed passenger (such as sleeper) or freight operation. The raked back cab end is normally in use daily, although a locomotive will be run 'blunt end first' if there is a problem with the high speed cab or at the other end of the train on the Driving Van Trailer. This will see the maximum speed reduced to 110mph.

Reliability for the locomotives was a problem since introduction with failures causing train late running or cancellations extremely common. The locomotives owners' HSBC and operator GNER embarked on a mid-life refurbishment programme for the class between 2000 and 2002 and concentrated on the areas which were causing the largest amounts of failures on the locomotives. The programme was successfully concluded in 2002 and reliability of the locomotives has hit new, never seen before, levels.

Current Duties

Allocated to Bounds Green Depot in London since introduction, the locomotives work for GNER, painted in the distinctive dark blue livery, on the East Coast Main Line London Kings Cross-Leeds/Edinburgh/Glasgow routes.