Trev52A Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 Three versions of 91109 'Sir Bobby Robson' at Newcastle (fittingly) in three (or should that be two and a half?) different liveries: 23rd February 2015 24th August 2015 28th June 2019 Trevor 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 (edited) 14 year old me was just so excited to see my first class 91s at Doncaster in 1989. My Dad and I had glimpsed two from a passing train in April that year, but it wasn't until 13 July that I was able to make a day trip to Donny to see them close up. So here is my first class 91: a broadside view of 91009 in the sidings next to Doncaster Works. 91009, front three quarter view: 91005, with Mk 3 HST coaching stock and class 43 DVT, waits to depart platform 4 for Leeds the same day. Rear three quarters view of 91007 attached to a driver training train made up of blue/grey Mk 3 Sleepers and an HST DVT in the Down sidings at Doncaster, also on 13 July 1989. And finally that day we saw 91003 in another Mk 3 HST DVT combination, this time on platform 8 waiting to depart for Leeds. Edited July 27, 2019 by tiger 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covkid Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Have to say "Tiger" those 91+43 combos absolutely flew. I now regret only ever experiencing one trip Kings Cross-Grantham, but will never forget the departure from Stevenage. "Full bore" with a 91 and a HST powercar was really awesome - after BR had decided that the power cars should power instead of continuously idling. Difficult to comprehend that that was when the 91s were new - and before the Mk4s were built, and now they are being withdrawn !!! Thanks for the memories "Tiger" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev52A Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 @ tiger What super photos from 1989! They also reminded me how tiny the numbers were on these locos when new - a nightmare for spotters/photographers when passing at speed. The GNER examples were almost as bad with their small black numbers on the red stripe. Trevor Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev52A Posted July 27, 2019 Author Share Posted July 27, 2019 Some close-ups of 91110, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight loco. All at Newcastle in July 2019. It's worth a good look on both sides (they are different) if you get the chance Trevor 10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 (edited) Hi again everyone. Thanks for the positive comments about my previous post with pics from 1989. One year later, on a wet 4 July 1990, I had my first ride: from Doncaster to Leeds, behind "series two" locomotive 91012, with brand new Mk IV coaching stock. I never did get to experience the power and acceleration of a 91+43 combo! Seminar on arrival in Leeds. I'm the lanky guy nearest to 91012 in the blue anorak (complete with binoculars...I can't possibly think why trainspotters get a bad image). My wife and kids find photos of me like this extremely funny. I'm not in touch with anybody else in the picture - we were all Scottish based kids on a summer holiday camp. If you happen to recognise yourself please get in touch. In early 1991, 91019 was used in Scotland for crew training prior to introduction of the fleet on ECML services from London to Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central. She is seen here on Platform 21 at Waverley. I was experimenting, doing my own developing and printing with black and white film (Ilford FP4?) in a school photography club darkroom, hence the black and white print. A few weeks later 91019 has been cleaned and polished (but only above the solebar) and named "Scottish Enterprise" for the launch of electric train services between Glasgow (Central) and Edinburgh, via Carstairs. The service was officially launched with a special train on 30 May 1991, which ran between Glasgow and Edinburgh and is seen here arriving at Waverley. Members of the press were conveyed, along with the then Secretary of State for Transport, Malcolm Rifkind MP. From memory, the full ECML electric timetable was supposed to start from the beginning of the summer 1991 timetable in May, but this was delayed until July 1991 due to late deliveries of Mk IV coaching stock - in the meantime there was a gradual introduction of Class 91/Mk IV sets replacing HST diagrams from May or June that year. I can't remember whether this press special marked the actual launch date of London Kings Cross-Glasgow Central, via Edinburgh services, or whether they followed a few weeks later. My final class 91 shot from the archives shows 91028 resting on platform 19 at Waverley in the shadow of the North British Hotel, on Sunday 16 February, 1992, having arrived with a train from London Kings Cross. This was my final class 91 "for sight", which also happened to mark the end of my career as a notebook carrying trainspotter! I hope everybody has enjoyed these photos of class 91s in their early years. They seemed so powerful, futuristic and modern at the time; it is hard to believe that 30 years has passed since their introduction and that they are now starting to be withdrawn. I guess every generation of enthusiasts has this experience of seeing traction come and go, whether it be Gresley's A4s, Deltics, or HSTs, to use some ECML examples. Cheers Tom. Edited July 27, 2019 by tiger 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandora Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 (edited) The whisperings from platform 10 at The Cross were 3 locos to be withdrawn per week to finish the class 91 in September, seems rather harsh and pessimistic. Edited July 27, 2019 by Pandora Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted July 27, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 27, 2019 5 minutes ago, Pandora said: The whisperings from platform 10 at The Cross were 3 locos to be withdrawn per week to finish the class 91 in September According to WNXX.com, the planned Class 91 rundown and withdrawals is as follows; July 2019 - 91108, 20, 32 August 2019 - 91103 January 2020 - 91104, 17 February 2020 - 91111, 16 March 2020 - 91110, 22, 28 April 2020 - 91102, 07, 15, 25, 29, 31 May 2020 - 91106, 26, 27 June 2020 - 91105, 09 These require heavy work soon to keep them in traffic and suitable candidates for withdrawal. The balance of the fleet has yet to be scheduled. The only Class 91 I’m aware of slated for preservation is 91110, which is the UK electric loco record holder. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Phil Mc Posted July 27, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 27, 2019 Close-up shots of 91111, including 2 versions of the front end. Cheers, Phil. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted July 27, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 27, 2019 When did Class 91’s lose the the two flaps under the windscreen at the No1 end? I assume they held the TDM cables but as they were hardly ever used, so largely redundant. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken.W Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 7 hours ago, Pandora said: The whisperings from platform 10 at The Cross were 3 locos to be withdrawn per week to finish the class 91 in September, seems rather harsh and pessimistic. Well, good luck there, as at Newcastle - the largest depot - we currently only have around half the drivers trained, with training scheduled to continue until at least January. Edinburgh probably similar at present, and Kings X / Leeds probably mostly done. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete the Elaner Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 8 hours ago, tiger said: I never did get to experience the power and acceleration of a 91+43 combo! I did once. 91 on the front with HST DVT at the rear. Never got it the other way around though. I remember it arriving with an HST set into King's X. Once my friend worked out that it was stopping at Stevenage on its outbound journey, we got tickets to get on it. What I remember is that we really got the sensation of being pulled all the way. We both lived in Colchester at the time so were used to being pulled by an 86, but this was different. It was several years before I travelled in a Mk4. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieK Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 Many years ago there was an open weekend at Wabtec - the former Doncaster BREL Works. One of the 91s (possibly 91110) was on public display. On the Sunday of the open weekend, one of my colleagues was there with his family. He overheard an enthusiast slagging off the 91. He then pointed out to the enthusiast that the 91 was more reliable than the entire selection of BR traction on display alongside it. The enthusiast queried my colleague's source of information. My colleague then pointed out that he was the chief engineer for GNER which rather stumped the enthusiast. Well said Tony Brown, my former colleague! 2 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandora Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 (edited) My recollections of a 91 + 43 combination was being swept along a down train starting off a station with an up gradient an a tunnel in quick succession, I think it would have been Grantham. The 91 s and stock would also work a triangle turning move, would that have been on the Leeds - Skipton route? Edited July 27, 2019 by Pandora Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Phil Mc Posted July 28, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 28, 2019 A few scans. I wonder what had happened to 91004, to end up with a missing valance and what looks like a replacement front bogie ? Cheers, Phil. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mc Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 Four unique liveried 91s, on 24.7.19 91110 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Doncaster, 91129 heads South in the background. 91111 For the Fallen at Retford. 91114 Durham Cathedral at Doncaster. 91119 Bounds Green - Intercity Depot 1977-2017 seen just North of Retford station from a HST. Jack 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) I thought I heard at the time of their special livery introductions, that both 91110 and 91111 were to be preserved, anyone else heard that? Stewart Edited July 28, 2019 by stewartingram Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mc Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 27 minutes ago, stewartingram said: I thought I heard at the time of their special livery introductions, that both 91110 and 91111 were to be preserved, anyone else heard that? Stewart 91111 and 91131 are on the list of things earmarked for entering the national collection, 111 in it's livery at present, and 131 as it was the last loco built by BREL and is the record holder for fastest electric loco to run a passenger service. At present I don't think 91110 has any certain place in preservation, however considering it is the fastest electric loco the country has ever had and is currently in a unique livery, I would imagine it will end up with a preservation group, somebody like the AC Loco Group? Jack 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev52A Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 East Coast variations at Newcastle: 91125 in interim livery on 24th May 2011, with East Coast branding on top of GNER, although technically I suppose it is East Coast over National Express, which had themselves just put their own new stripe and branding over the GNER red stripe and left the base colour of dark blue 91116 in full East Coast livery on 11th May 2012, with coaches still awaiting a full repaint... ... in comparison with 91121 awaiting repaint on 10th July 2013, with coaches which have had the job done If anybody is still as confused as I was(!), here's another reminder of who ran the 91s: InterCity up to 1996 GNER 1996 to 2007 National Express 2007 to 2009 East Coast 2009 to 2015 Virgin Trains East Coast 2015 to 2018 LNER 2018 to present Trevor 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev52A Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 I don't think we have had a picture yet of 91106's special livery, to advertise the Great Exhibition of the North which ran from 22nd June to 9th September 2018: Crossing the King Edward Bridge over the Tyne on 7th June 2018 Here's the other side at Newcastle on 15th September 2018, after rebranding to LNER Trevor 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev52A Posted July 28, 2019 Author Share Posted July 28, 2019 (edited) In contrast with the Class 91 locos, the Driving Van Trailers (DVTs) at the other end hardly get photographed (by me, anyway!) I couldn't resist this one at Darlington on 12th July (I had just travelled from Newcastle on the train with 91118 'The Fusiliers' providing the power). Were any other DVTs given the special treatment like this? EDIT: YES, see reply from Phil Mc three posts down Trevor Edited July 29, 2019 by Trev52A Refer to post from Phil Mc 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Claude_Dreyfus Posted July 28, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 28, 2019 I have shared this picture before, but I do like it. 91011, 91027 and 91003 along with an unidentified class-mate stand at Kings Cross, some time back in about 1994. 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 I will miss them passing the office Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Phil Mc Posted July 28, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 28, 2019 2 hours ago, Trev52A said: In contrast with the Class 91 locos, the Driving Van Trailers (DVTs) at the other end hardly get photographed (by me, anyway!) Were any other DVTs given the special treatment like this? Another view of the 'Scotsman' DVT ( Virgin branded this time), and another couple of unique liveries. Cheers, Phil. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TravisM Posted July 28, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 28, 2019 91108 is back in service, taking over from 91129 on the 1Y38 Newcastle - Kings Cross at Doncaster. I don’t know how long the reprieve will last. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now