Electric Locomotive & Engine Classes

From post-war innovation to electrification of West and East Coast Main Lines, read about the engines that made it possible, from Class 70 to 92.

Eurostars at Gare de Nord

Ex-Southern Rail Class 70 Electric Locomotive

Discover more about this wartime Class that played a key role in influencing the design of subsequent booster-based electric locomotives.

British Rail Class 70

British Rail Class 71 Electric Locomotive

Explore the detail of this Southern Region locomotive designed to run exclusively on the third rail system throughout the 1960s and 70s.

British Rail Class 71

British Rail Class 73 Electric Locomotive

Find out more about this flexible locomotive Class able to run either on third rail power or on its own internal diesel engine.

British Rail Class 73

British Rail Class 74 Electric Locomotive

Get on board Class 74, rebuilt from the earlier Class 71 to deliver greater power – and line speeds of up to 100mph on the BR Southern Region.

British Rail Class 74

British Rail Class 76 Electric Locomotive

Explore more about this Electric Mixed Traffic 1 locomotive originally built at LNER Doncaster Works for eventual service on the Woodhead Line.

British Rail Class 76

British Rail Class 77 Electric Locomotive

Take a trip on the Class 77, an EM2 locomotive designed for service on the Woodhead Line, but which rapidly became obsolete.

British Rail Class 77

British Rail Class 80 Electric Locomotive

Discover more about this innovative a1a-a1a configuration gas turbine electric locomotive originally built in 1951 by Metropolitan-Vickers.

British Rail Class 80

British Rail Class 81 Electric Locomotive

Explore the detail of the Class 81 – the first class of AC locomotive entirely designed for and operated by BR.

British Rail Class 81

British Rail Class 83 Electric Locomotive

Discover more about the locomotive built as part of the comprehensive electric prototyping project for the West Coast Main Line.

British Rail Class 83

British Rail Class 84 Electric Locomotive

Get aboard this Bo-Bo configuration locomotive built in 1960.

British Rail Class 84

British Rail Class 85 Electric Locomotive

Explore more about this Bo-Bo configuration locomotive built in the early 1960s.

British Rail Class 85

British Rail Class 86 Electric Locomotive

Read more about the iconic Class 86, built in large numbers for use on the West Coast Main Line after electrification and throughout the 1960s and 70s.

British Rail Class 86

British Rail Class 87 Electric Locomotive

Explore the detail of this Bo-Bo configuration 5000 bhp WCML locomotive – and discover where you can still see it in service in Eastern Europe.

British Rail Class 87

British Rail Class 89 Electric Locomotive

Climb aboard the prototype Class 89, a one-off design used for testing on both the West and East Coast Main Lines.

British Rail Class 89

Class 90 Electric at Crewe Works Open Day

British Rail Class 90 Electric Locomotive

Learn more about Class 90, which was designed and built to replace the 1960s-built Classes 81 to 85 – and is still in regular service today.

British Rail Class 90

British Rail Class 91 Electric Locomotive

Get to know more about the Class 91.

British Rail Class 91

British Rail Class 92 Electric Locomotive

Find out about the flexible, international Class 92, built for freight operations through the Channel Tunnel and beyond.

British Rail Class 92

UK Train Tickets

British Rail Connection Info

Museums

UK Cities

Locomotives & Engines

The History of British Rail