British Rail Class 87

British Rail Class 87
No.87028 Lord President in InterCity livery at Crewe station in 1988.
Type and origin Power type Electric Builder BREL Crewe Works Build date 1973–1975 Total produced 36
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte Bo-Bo  • UIC Bo'Bo' Wheel diameter 3 ft 9+1⁄4 in (1.149 m) Loco weight 83.30 long tons (84.64 t) Electric system/s 25 kV AC Current pickup(s) Pantograph Traction motors 1,250 hp (930 kW) GEC G412AZ, 4 off Train heating Electric Train Heating Train brakes Air
Performance figures Top speed 110 mph (180 km/h) Power output 5,000 bhp (3,730 kW) Tractive effort 58,000 lbf (258 kN)
Career Railroad(s) British Rail, Virgin Trains, GBRf, Cotswold Rail, Bulgarian State Railways Number 87001–87035, 87101 Axle load class Route availability 6

The British Rail Class 87 is a type of electric locomotive built from 1973 to 1975 by British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL). 36 of these locomotives were built to work passenger services over the West Coast Main Line (WCML). They were the flagships of British Rail's electric locomotive fleet until the late 1980s, when the Class 90s started to come onstream. The privatisation of British Rail saw all but one of the fleet transferred to Virgin Trains; they continued their duties until the advent of the new Pendolino trains, when they were transferred to other operators or withdrawn. The last Class 87 in UK mainline use was withdrawn from service on 31 December 2007. Most have now been sold for reuse in Bulgaria.