#3477· Class 81
British Rail Class 81
🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Associated Electrical Industries· from 1959· class of 25 AC electric locomotives
3 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. 81017 Manchester Piccadilly: Phil Sangwell· CC BY 2.0
- 2. 81004 at Birmingham New Street: Tutenkhamun Sleeping· CC BY 2.0
- 3. Class81: Steve Gregory ( Gasheadsteve )· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The British Rail Class 81 is a type of AC electric locomotives that formerly operated on the West Coast Main Line of British Rail's London Midland Region. Originally designated AL1, it was the first class of AC electric locomotive to be delivered to British Railways.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 67 years ago, in 1959.
- Top speed is 1.2× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- At full speed it would cover Amsterdam–Utrecht (≈ 40 km) in 15 minutes.
- 2.4 MW is about 28 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Served for 31 years (1960–1991).
electric locomotive: Draws power from overhead wires or a third rail and pulls separate carriages.
spec sheet
- built
- 1959–1964
- in service from
- 1960
- retired
- 1991
- status
- preserved
- number built
- 25
- kind
- Electric
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- builders
- Associated Electrical Industries, Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company
- operators
- British Rail, London Midland Region of British Railways
- top speed
- 161 km/h
- power
- 2.4 MW
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 25 kV AC Catenary
- wheel arrangement
- Bo′Bo′
- Dutch name
- Class 81
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q4970854, Wikipedia: British Rail Class 81 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.