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British Rail Class 85
The British Rail Class 85 (also known by the designation AL5) is an electric locomotive that was designed and produced at British Rail’s (BR) Doncaster Works during the early 1960s. While largely developed by BR, much of its systems can be attributed to the British manufacturing interest Associated Electrical Industries (AEI).
The locomotive was developed as a part of the programme of works to electrify the West Coast Main Line during the late 1950s and early 1960s. BR deliberately opted to procure multiple batches of locomotives from a range of manufacturers, leading to the procurement of five prototype classes (Classes 81-85) and subsequently placed a larger order for a refined model of one of these, eventually leading to the development of the Class 86 locomotive.
The Class 85 proved to be a relatively reliable workhorse of the London Midland region, particularly following a refurbishment during the 1970s that saw the replacement of their rectifiers. Some members of the type were in service for thirty years, their withdrawal having commenced during the mid 1980s and lasting into the early 1990s, having been effectively displaced by the arrival of newer types such as the Class 87 and later Class 90. Following the retirement of the Class 85, a single example was preserved.
During the late 1950s, British Rail (BR) embarked upon the electrification of the West Coast Main Line, a strategy which necessitated the procurement of a large number of electric locomotives to utilise the newly-installed infrastructure. A detailed specification, listing various performance attributes for such a locomotive, was produced by the British Transport Commission.
It was decided that, instead of a bulk order from a single manufacturer, several batches of similar locomotives would be ordered from several companies, the first of these being the AL1 series. Further contracts were awarded, including one to BR's own Doncaster Works, to procure a similar locomotive, thus resulting in the Class 85. Under the earlier BR classification, the type was given the designation AL5 (meaning the fifth design of 25 kV AC locomotive), and locomotives were numbered E3056–E3095.
While BR planned had intended for this procurement strategy to have led to work being spread out to a variety of different manufacturers, many of the systems used across the different prototype classes were similar or in some cases identical, having been supplied by the same firm, the Metropolitan-Vickers division of the British manufacturing group Associated Electrical Industries (AEI). Between 1961 and 1964, a total of forty such locomotives were constructed, all of which were built at Doncaster.
The Class 85 is an AC electric locomotive intended for express services on the West Coast Main Line. Its design bore considerable similarities to the earlier British Rail Class 81, particularly in terms of their shared AEI-supplied equipment. One key area of difference was its adoption of semiconductor-based rectifiers and a rheostatic braking system; the latter was viewed as likely to generate considerable cost savings in comparison to conventional braking by reducing wheel wear. A small proportion of the locomotive's equipment, such as the bogies, were designed by the French industrial group Alstom.
In order to achieve the minimal weight requirement stipulated by BR, while still maintaining sufficient structural strength, the lower halves of the body sides were merged into the locomotive's underframe, while the roof and sides above the base of the windows were built from a relatively light steel frame with an aluminium covering. The underframe is a welded steel assembly divided into seven box-like sections, while the bogie frame is built from rolled steel members that were welded together. On the outer faces of the underframe, the coupler and oleo-pneumatic buffers were fitted. The locomotive was seated upon each bogie via a double-ended rubber cone-shaped pivot, the alignment of which was defined by a transverse spring anchorage. Much of the weight was carried by two sets of four spring-loaded side-bearers, which used rubber brushes wherever practical to eliminate the need for lubrication.
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British Rail Class 85
The British Rail Class 85 (also known by the designation AL5) is an electric locomotive that was designed and produced at British Rail’s (BR) Doncaster Works during the early 1960s. While largely developed by BR, much of its systems can be attributed to the British manufacturing interest Associated Electrical Industries (AEI).
The locomotive was developed as a part of the programme of works to electrify the West Coast Main Line during the late 1950s and early 1960s. BR deliberately opted to procure multiple batches of locomotives from a range of manufacturers, leading to the procurement of five prototype classes (Classes 81-85) and subsequently placed a larger order for a refined model of one of these, eventually leading to the development of the Class 86 locomotive.
The Class 85 proved to be a relatively reliable workhorse of the London Midland region, particularly following a refurbishment during the 1970s that saw the replacement of their rectifiers. Some members of the type were in service for thirty years, their withdrawal having commenced during the mid 1980s and lasting into the early 1990s, having been effectively displaced by the arrival of newer types such as the Class 87 and later Class 90. Following the retirement of the Class 85, a single example was preserved.
During the late 1950s, British Rail (BR) embarked upon the electrification of the West Coast Main Line, a strategy which necessitated the procurement of a large number of electric locomotives to utilise the newly-installed infrastructure. A detailed specification, listing various performance attributes for such a locomotive, was produced by the British Transport Commission.
It was decided that, instead of a bulk order from a single manufacturer, several batches of similar locomotives would be ordered from several companies, the first of these being the AL1 series. Further contracts were awarded, including one to BR's own Doncaster Works, to procure a similar locomotive, thus resulting in the Class 85. Under the earlier BR classification, the type was given the designation AL5 (meaning the fifth design of 25 kV AC locomotive), and locomotives were numbered E3056–E3095.
While BR planned had intended for this procurement strategy to have led to work being spread out to a variety of different manufacturers, many of the systems used across the different prototype classes were similar or in some cases identical, having been supplied by the same firm, the Metropolitan-Vickers division of the British manufacturing group Associated Electrical Industries (AEI). Between 1961 and 1964, a total of forty such locomotives were constructed, all of which were built at Doncaster.
The Class 85 is an AC electric locomotive intended for express services on the West Coast Main Line. Its design bore considerable similarities to the earlier British Rail Class 81, particularly in terms of their shared AEI-supplied equipment. One key area of difference was its adoption of semiconductor-based rectifiers and a rheostatic braking system; the latter was viewed as likely to generate considerable cost savings in comparison to conventional braking by reducing wheel wear. A small proportion of the locomotive's equipment, such as the bogies, were designed by the French industrial group Alstom.
In order to achieve the minimal weight requirement stipulated by BR, while still maintaining sufficient structural strength, the lower halves of the body sides were merged into the locomotive's underframe, while the roof and sides above the base of the windows were built from a relatively light steel frame with an aluminium covering. The underframe is a welded steel assembly divided into seven box-like sections, while the bogie frame is built from rolled steel members that were welded together. On the outer faces of the underframe, the coupler and oleo-pneumatic buffers were fitted. The locomotive was seated upon each bogie via a double-ended rubber cone-shaped pivot, the alignment of which was defined by a transverse spring anchorage. Much of the weight was carried by two sets of four spring-loaded side-bearers, which used rubber brushes wherever practical to eliminate the need for lubrication.