The Class 86 AL6 was the production class of AC electrics built for the West Coast Main Line following on from the pilot-scheme AL1-5 (Classes 81 to 85). The AL6 took advantage of experience gained from the earlier locomotives including the fitting of only one pantograph and with changes to equipment. The AL6 is very similar to the Class 85 AL5 technically except for the stub nose cab ends.
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| Freightliner 86 622 at Crewe Heritage Centre |
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Number built: | 100 |
| Built: | 1965-66 |
| Builder: | BR Doncaster / English Electric |
| Engine: | 4 AEI 282AZ or GEC G412AZ (86/1) traction motors (25kV AC OHLE) |
| Power: | (86/0) 5, 900 hp (4, 400 kW) max output |
| Wheel arrangement: | Bo-Bo |
The AL6 was designed for mixed traffic including travelling at up to 100mp/h on West Coast Main Line expresses. Unfortunately this caused some problems with the original axle-hung traction motors, with troublesome riding qualities and damage caused to the track and to bogies. Following research at BR Derby, a "flexicoil" suspension system was adopted for fifty eight of the class which were designated Class 86/2 [1]. Another early sub-class was the 86/1, a trio rebuilt to help develop the follow-on Class 87 and able to reach 110mp/h [2][3].
A later sub-class was the 86/3 which were fitted with SAB resilient wheels for improved high speed running and reducing track wear, and with equipment for multiple-working. The Class 86/4 were fitted with flexicoil suspension and SAB wheels for mixed-traffic duties. The 86/5 was a trial locomotive to test ways of improving performance on heavy freights. The 86/6 were a sub-class used on Freightliner trains, finally the 86/9s were a couple of locomotives used as load banks by Network Rail.
Despite their advancing years the Class 86 can still be seen on the network, they have recently been withdrawn from hauling Freightliner trains though can appear on some passenger charters (86 259 as shown below has been returned to it's original Electric Blue livery [4]). Some have also been exported to Eastern Europe.
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| 86 259 at Tyseley |
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| Freightliner 86 639 and friend head through Stafford |
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| Also heading through Stafford is 86 259 |
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| Most Freightliner 86 hauled duties uses pairs of locomotives |
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| Another Freightliner 86 pair head through Rugeley Trent Valley |
[1] Brian Haresnape, Electric Locomotives (Ian Allan, 1983) p. 64
[2] Gavin Morrison, AC Electric Locomotives in Colour (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 25
[3] Pip Dunn, British Rail Main Line Locomotives Specification Guide (Crowood Press, 2013) p. 161
[4] David Lawrence, British Rail Designed 1948-97 (Ian Allan, 2016) p. 155