British Rail Class 90

English Welsh & Scottish acquired the largest fleet: 20 locomotives from Railfreight Distribution and five from Rail Express Systems. DB Schenker UK, now DB Cargo, were contracted to provide locomotives for the Caledonian Sleeper services between Scotland and London Euston; the Class 90s were frequently used for this purpose, as well as on freight duties. An agreement was reached in 2006 to livery a number of Class 90s for First ScotRail, for exclusive use hauling the Caledonian Sleeper. In 2015, with Serco taking over the Caledonian Sleeper franchise, the haulage contract went to GB Railfreight, who chose to use Class 92s on the West Coast Main Line legs. However, due to problems with the overhauled Class 92s, Class 90s had a brief reprieve on the Sleeper; first from DB Schenker and then Freightliner. Class 90s still sporadically appeared when a Class 92 was unavailable, until Autumn 2019.

DB Cargo UK Class 90s will be hired to Grand Central to haul Mark 4 carriages on its London Euston to Blackpool North services.[5]

Freightliner inherited 10 Class 90/1 locos, numbered 90041-50 and all leased from Porterbrook. These have since been returned to their original Class 90/0 configuration. Freightliner additionally acquired 90016 which was provided by EWS as a replacement for 90050 which was withdrawn in 2004 following fire damage while on lease to EWS. 90050, which is stored at Crewe Basford Hall, is used as a donor vehicle for spare parts for its other Class 90 locomotives. Freightliner has, as of May 2020, acquired the 13 locomotives formerly operated by Greater Anglia.[6] After a period of modification, these are expected to replace Freightliner's ageing fleet of Class 86 locomotives, dating from the mid-1960s.

Greater Anglia 90012 at London Liverpool Street in 2016

As part of the National Express East Anglia franchise bid, National Express provided a fleet plan to replace the ageing Class 86 locomotives on the Great Eastern Main Line with the more powerful and newer Class 90 locomotives, hoping this would improve performance and reduce operating cost. The Class 90s were to become available due to Virgin Trains' plan to replace all loco hauled passenger trains with Class 390 units, freeing up their 15 class 90 locomotives. 90001 - 90015 (hired from Porterbrook Leasing) were progressively delivered to Crown Point TMD to replace the Class 86s. This batch of locomotives had their original louvered horn covers replaced with a single plate design with V-patterned holes, matching the Mk3 DVT's.

The National Express franchise came to an end in February 2012, with the replacement franchisee Abellio Greater Anglia taking over and continuing to operate the locos.

The Greater Anglia fleet was replaced by a set of Class 745s in 2020.[7] Thirteen will move to Freightliner, while the other two will go to Locomotive Services Limited.[6] Following the introduction of these units, the loco-hauled sets have all been withdrawn from service, with the last set running its last services on 24 March 2020.[8]

Virgin Trains inherited 15 locomotives at privatisation, 90001-015, to work passenger trains on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). They were based at Willesden depot in London for services from London Euston to Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton, Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Preston and Glasgow Central.

90002 Mission: Impossible at Stockport in 2002

In 1998, 90002 became the first locomotive to be repainted in Virgin Trains' red and black livery. It was named Mission: Impossible to launch the challenge of upgrading passenger services on the WCML. The rest of the fleet was quickly repainted into the new livery.

In 2002, Class 390 Pendolino electric multiple units started to enter service to replace locomotive-hauled trains on the WCML. The first locomotives to be replaced were the elderly Class 86/2s and some of the less reliable Class 87 locomotives. However, since the Class 90 fleet was relatively small and subsequently non-standard, it was decided to retain the larger Class 87 fleet in preference to the Class 90s. Therefore, from March 2004, Virgin started to return its Class 90 fleet to the ROSCO, allowing the locos to transfer to the new 'one' (later National Express East Anglia) franchise.

The final service operated by a Virgin-liveried Class 90 was on 27 August 2004, 90015 London Euston-Glasgow Central and return.

Following the derailment of 390033 at Grayrigg in 2007, Virgin Trains had the need for an additional set. As a result, Virgin used Class 90 locomotives hired from DB Schenker, and later Freightliner, along with a rake of Mark 3 coaching stock and a DVT. Nicknamed the Pretendolino, this received re-upholstered seating, power points, wi-fi and a full external re-paint at Wabtec, Doncaster in 2009.[9] Virgin used this set with a Class 90 locomotive hired from Freightliner on a Euston to Crewe (via Birmingham) Friday relief service until December 2012 and also hired the train out as a charter train. It was sometimes used on London - Birmingham services in the event of a Pendolino shortage.

From the December 2013 timetable change, Virgin Trains used the Mark 3 set once again on London - Birmingham services on a Thursday and Friday only basis, Class 90s leased from Direct Rail Services (which were sub-leased from DB Schenker) were used once again. This set (and therefore the use of Class 90s) was retired from service on 25 October 2014 with a rail tour the following day.

• Marsden, Colin J.; Fenn, Graham B. (2001). British Rail Main Line Electric Locomotives (2nd ed.). Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 9780860935599. OCLC 48532553.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Morrison, Gavin (2013). AC Electric Locomotives in Colour. Ian Allan. ISBN 9780711035058. OCLC 812686430.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)