Wikipedia

British Rail Class 92

The British Rail Class 92 is a dual-voltage electric locomotive, which can run on 25 kV AC from overhead wires or 750 V DC from a third rail. It was designed specifically to operate services through the Channel Tunnel between Great Britain and France. Eurotunnel indicates the Class 92 locomotive as the reference for other locomotives which railway undertakings might want to get certified for usage in the Channel tunnel.

British Rail Class 92
A GBRF Class 92 in Caledonian Sleeper livery at London Euston
Type and origin
BuilderABB Transportation and Brush Traction
Build date1993–1996[1]
Total produced46
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARC-C
 • UICCo′Co′
 • CommonwealthCo-Co
Gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Wheel diameter1.14 m (3 ft 9 in)[2]
Minimum curve120 m (6 chains)[2]
Wheelbase17.22 m (56 ft 6 in)[2] ​
 • Bogie4.29 m (14 ft 1 in)[2]
Pivot centres12.764 m (41 ft 10.5 in)[2]
Length21.36 m (70 ft 1 in)[2]
Width2.64 m (8 ft 8 in)[2]
Height3.96 m (13 ft 0 in)[3]
Loco weight
Electric system/s
Current pickup(s)
Traction motors
Train heating
  • Electric (1500 V, 800 A)[4]
  • On 25 kV: index 180 (900 kW)
  • On 750 V: index 108[2] (540 kW)
Loco brake
Train brakesPneumatic
Safety systems
Performance figures
Maximum speed87 mph (140 km/h)
Power output
  • On 25 kV: 5.04 MW (6,760 hp)[2]
  • On 750 V: 4.00 MW (5,360 hp)[2]
Tractive effort
Career
Operators
Numbers92001–92046
Axle load classRoute availability 8[2]

Locomotives of this type are operated by GB Railfreight/Europorte 2 and DB Cargo UK. In France, a number were also owned and operated by SNCF; these were classified as CC 92000 on French railways.

The Class 92 was intended as a mixed-traffic locomotive both for hauling international freight trains and the ill-fated, never introduced Nightstar passenger sleeper trains though the Channel Tunnel. Since introduction, the fleet was exclusively allocated to freight; however, in March 2015, six locomotives owned by GB Railfreight have begun passenger operations hauling the Caledonian Sleeper on behalf of Serco between London and Scotland, marking the first use of the class in commercial passenger service.

Design

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The fleet of 46 locomotives was built by a consortium of Brush Traction and ABB Traction. Parts construction was sub-contracted, with final construction and commissioning being undertaken at Brush's erecting shops at Loughborough between 1993 and 1996. The first unit was produced from 1992 and finished in April 1993.

The bodyshells, of a similar design to Brush's Class 60 diesel locomotives but with a modified front end, were fabricated by Procor Engineering[6] of Horbury and delivered pre-painted in the then-standard Railfreight triple-grey livery.[citation needed] The traction system was provided by ABB and comprises GTO thyristor traction converters and ABB's then-new microprocessor-based MICAS-S2 modular electronic control system.[7] Maximum power is 5 MW (6,700 hp) on 25 kV or 4 MW (5,400 hp) on 750 V; with a tractive effort of 360 kN (81,000 lbf).

The locomotive is fitted with both rheostatic and regenerative braking, in addition to standard Westinghouse air brake equipment.[2] An electrical train bus is fitted to enable two locomotives to work in multiple formation, either double-heading or push-pull train with a Driving Van Trailer or DBSO.[citation needed]

To reduce the possibility of locomotive failure in the Channel Tunnel, most of the electrical systems are duplicated.

Operations

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Prior to introduction to service, two locomotives (92001 and 92002) were extensively tested at the Czech Railway's test track at Velim near Kolín. One locomotive was temporarily moved from here to Vienna Arsenal for climatic testing.

The majority of the class are named after European composers and writers.

Prior to the privatisation of British Rail, ownership of the class was split between Railfreight Distribution, European Passenger Services (later Eurostar UK) and SNCF. After privatisation the ownership of the Railfreight Distribution fleet was passed to the English, Welsh & Scottish Railway (EWS, later DB Schenker/DB Cargo UK).

During 2000, Eurostar (UK) offered their seven members of the class (92020, 92021, 92032, 92040, and 92044–92046) for sale, as they were surplus to requirements following the cancellation of Nightstar services. However, no buyer could be found[6] so they were decommissioned and stored at Crewe International electric depot. Five of these locomotives have now been purchased by Eurotunnel to be used by their Europorte 2 rail freight undertaking for short haul rail traffic in France.[1] In July 2011, Europorte 2/Eurotunnel purchased the five remaining locomotives that had belonged to SNCF, bringing Eurotunnel's total up to 16 Class 92s.[citation needed]

In 2009, an upgrade project was undertaken to allow the class to operate on High Speed 1; chiefly by installing TVM signalling. The project received funding from the European Commission and it was anticipated services would begin in early 2010.[8][9] On 25 March 2011, a Class 92 locomotive ran from Dollands Moor to Singlewell using the TVM-430 signalling system for the first time.[10] A loaded container train ran for the first time on 27 May 2011 and further trials with loaded wagons were planned until the end of June 2011.[11][12] In July 2011, a trial run of wagons carrying curtain-walled swap bodies built to a larger European loading gauge was run from Dollands Moor to east London.[13] From 11 November 2011, a weekly service using European-size swap bodies has run between Barking, London, and Poland using High Speed 1.[14]

In April 2015, GB Railfreight commenced a contract to haul the Caledonian Sleeper. Class 92s haul it from London Euston to Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central.[15] On 31 March 2015, the first Serco Caledonian Sleeper hauled by 92018 left London Euston for Scotland.

On 18 January 2017, the specially-branded locomotive 92015 hauled the first train of twenty flatcars loaded with 40-foot (12 m) intermodal containers to Ripple Lane, near Barking; thus completing the first direct rail freight service between China and the UK. The train left Yiwu station in eastern China's Zhejiang province on 1 January[16] and covered 7,500 miles (12,100 km).[17]

In 2018, DB Cargo Romania sold their fleet of Class 92s to Russian company Locotech, on the grounds that the weight of the locomotive was too high for the Romanian railway network (6 tonnes heavier than an Electroputere LE 5100, for example). Locotech rented four locomotives to Croatian open-access freight operator Transagent Rail, and these commenced operations in Croatia in September 2018. Three locomotives (92001, 92003, and 92039) were later returned to DB Cargo Romania.[citation needed]

Liveries

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92032 was displayed at Railfest 2012 in newly painted Europorte GBRf livery.
 
Repainted 92009 in DB Schenker red livery at Dollands Moor, during trials over High Speed 1.
 
Midnight Teal liveried 92033 at Crewe, having been moved from Brush Traction to Crewe for testing.

All units were originally painted in a simplified version of the sub-sector railfreight livery of two-tone grey livery, but with a dark blue roof; the same shade as used on Eurostar trains.

To reflect their Channel Tunnel role, all were fitted with three O-shaped tunnel logos, each smaller than the next. Names were mainly blue stickers, but a limited number of locomotives gained cast nameplates. Only 92031 did not receive a name during construction, however, it did gain one under EWS ownership.

The locomotives were fitted with Crewe Electric depot plaques to reflect their maintenance facility and to reflect ownership; the nine SNCF owned machines had SNCF branding, six Eurostar owned locos had EPS (European Passengers Services) branding, with the rest having standard cast BR arrows under the drivers window reflecting British Rail ownership.

A number of Railfreight Distribution locomotives had "Railfreight Distribution" written along the locomotive side panels with a small RfD logo included.[18]

Following the privatisation of British Rail and the EWS purchase of Railfreight Distribution, the intention was to paint the RfD Class 92s into the EWS gold and dark red colours. In the end, only two locomotives received EWS livery (92001 and 92031).[19] Locomotive no. 92001 had an additional three flags (English, Welsh and Scottish) below the EWS logo on the cabsides, the only one so treated. The rest of the locomotives had a large EWS Logo applied halfway along the side.

Six Class 92s allocated to Eurostar retained their two-tone grey livery, although there had been a plan to repaint these locomotives into Nightstar two-tone green livery.[citation needed] The combination of rail privatisation, technical problems and the growth of "point to point" low cost airlines undermined the Nightstar venture; the project was abandoned before a single revenue-earning service had even begun. The locomotives remained in two-tone grey until they were purchased by Europorte 2 in the 2000s. Europorte applied the designation "Europorte 2" inside a large Eurotunnel-style circle.

Following the takeover of EWS by DB Schenker, most of the fleet of Class 92s will likely move to DB Schenker Red liveries, matching that on previously repainted Class 66s. 92009 was the first locomotive to be outshopped in the new DB Schenker Red livery. The name "Elgar" had been removed[12] and the locomotive was subsequently renamed "Marco Polo" later during August 2011.[20][21]

In 2009, locomotive 92017 (formerly Shakespeare) was painted into Stobart Rail's blue and white livery and named Bart the Engine.

On 10 March 2011, locomotive 92032 appeared in the new Europorte GB Railfreight livery.[22]

In May 2014, Serco won the franchise to operate Caledonian Sleeper services for fifteen years from 2015, with GBRf to provide traction as part of its franchise bid.[23] In February 2015, 92033 was first to be released from Brush Traction after component refresh and subsequent repaint into a "Midnight Teal" livery. 92006/010/014/018/023/038 have also been painted into this livery, bringing the total number of locomotives now in "Midnight Teal" to seven.[24]

Fleet

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Key: In service Stored Exported
T.O.P.S. Number EVN[25] Other Number(s) Names carried[26] Year Built Operator Livery Notes Commons Link
92001 91 53 0 472 002-1   Victor Hugo
Mircea Eliade 		1993 DB Cargo Romania DB Schenker Red exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92001 (EVN 91 53 0472 002-1) on Wikimedia Commons
92002 91 53 0 472 003-9   H. G. Wells
Lucian Blaga 		1993 Transagent Rail Croatia DB Schenker Red exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92002 (EVN 91 53 0472 003-9) on Wikimedia Commons
92003 91 53 0 472 007-0   Beethoven 1994 DB Cargo Romania British Rail two-tone grey. exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92003 on Wikimedia Commons
92004     Jane Austen 1994 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey. Stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92004 on Wikimedia Commons
92005 91 53 0 472005-4   Mozart
Emil Cioran 		1994 Transagent Rail Croatia   exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92005 (EVN 91 53 0 472005-4) on Wikimedia Commons
92006     Louis Armand 1994 GB Railfreight Caledonian Blue for Caledonian Sleeper[27]
92007     Schubert 1994 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey. Stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92007 on Wikimedia Commons
92008     Jules Verne 1994 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey. Stored
92009     Elgar
Marco Polo 		1994 DB Cargo UK DB Schenker Red Stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92009 on Wikimedia Commons
92010     Molière 1994 GB Railfreight Caledonian Blue for Caledonian Sleeper
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92010 on Wikimedia Commons
92011     Handel 1994 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92011 on Wikimedia Commons
92012 91 53 0 472 001-3   Thomas Hardy
Mihai Eminescu 		1994 Transagent Rail Croatia DB Schenker Red exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92012 (EVN 91 53 0472 001-3) on Wikimedia Commons
92013     Puccini 1994 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey. Stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92013 on Wikimedia Commons
92014     Émile Zola 1994 GB Railfreight Caledonian Blue for Caledonian Sleeper
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92014 on Wikimedia Commons
92015     D.H. Lawrence 1994 DB Cargo UK DB Schenker Red  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92015 on Wikimedia Commons
92016     Brahms 1994 DB Cargo UK DB Schenker Red stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92016 on Wikimedia Commons
92017     Shakespeare 1994 DB Cargo UK Stobart Rail livery stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92017 on Wikimedia Commons
92018     Stendhal 1994 GB Railfreight Caledonian Blue for Caledonian Sleeper
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92018 on Wikimedia Commons
92019     Wagner 1994 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92019 on Wikimedia Commons
92020     Milton

Billy Stirling[28][29]

1994 GB Railfreight GB Railfreight Blue & Yellow.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92020 on Wikimedia Commons
92021     Purcell 1994 GB Railfreight British Rail two-tone grey. Harry Needle Railroad Company Worksop Depot.[30]
92022     Charles Dickens 1994 DB Cargo Bulgaria British Rail two-tone grey. exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92022 on Wikimedia Commons
92023     Ravel 1994 GB Railfreight Caledonian Blue for Caledonian Sleeper
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92023 on Wikimedia Commons
92024 91 53 0 472 004-7   J. S. Bach
Marin Preda 		1994 Transagent Rail Croatia   exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92024 (EVN 91 53 0472 004-7) on Wikimedia Commons
92025 91 52 1 688 025-1 88 025 Oscar Wilde 1995 DB Cargo Bulgaria British Rail two-tone grey. exported
92026     Britten 1995 Transagent Rail Croatia   exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92026 on Wikimedia Commons
92027 91 52 1 688 027-7 88 027 George Eliot 1995 DB Cargo Bulgaria British Rail two-tone grey. exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92027 (EVN 91 52 1 688 027-7) on Wikimedia Commons
92028     Saint-Saëns 1995 GB Railfreight GB Railfreight Blue & Yellow.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92028 on Wikimedia Commons
92029     Dante 1995 DB Cargo UK DB Cargo UK Red.[31] Stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92029 on Wikimedia Commons
92030 91 52 1 688 030-1 88 030 De Falla
Ashford 		1995 DB Cargo Bulgaria British Rail two-tone grey. exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92030 (EVN 91 52 1 688 030-1) on Wikimedia Commons
92031     Schiller
The Institute of Logistics and Transport 		1995 DB Cargo UK DB Schenker Red Stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92031 on Wikimedia Commons
92032     César Franck
I Mech E Railway Division 		1995 GB Railfreight GB Railfreight Blue & Yellow.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92032 on Wikimedia Commons
92033     Railway Heritage Trust
Berlioz 		1995 GB Railfreight Caledonian Blue for Caledonian Sleeper
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92033 on Wikimedia Commons
92034 91 52 1 688 034-3 88 034 Kipling 1995 DB Cargo Bulgaria British Rail two-tone grey. exported
92035     Mendelssohn 1995 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey. Stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92035 on Wikimedia Commons
92036     Bertolt Brecht 1995 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92036 on Wikimedia Commons
92037     Sullivan 1995 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey. Stored
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92037 on Wikimedia Commons
92038     Voltaire 1995 GB Railfreight Caledonian Blue for Caledonian Sleeper
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92038 on Wikimedia Commons
92039 91 53 0 472 006-2   Johann Strauss
Eugen Ionescu 		1995 DB Cargo Romania DB Schenker Red exported
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92039 (EVN 91 53 0472 006-2) on Wikimedia Commons
92040     Goethe 1995 GB Railfreight British Rail two-tone grey. Harry Needle Railroad Company Worksop Depot.[30]
92041     Vaughan Williams 1995 DB Cargo UK British Rail two-tone grey.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92041 on Wikimedia Commons
92042     Honegger 1995 DB Cargo UK DB Schenker Red  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92042 on Wikimedia Commons
92043     Debussy 1995 GB Railfreight GB Railfreight Blue & Yellow.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92043 on Wikimedia Commons
92044     Couperin 1995 GB Railfreight British Rail two-tone grey.  
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92044 on Wikimedia Commons
92045     Chaucer 1995 GB Railfreight British Rail two-tone grey. Harry Needle Railroad Company Worksop Depot.[30]
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92045 on Wikimedia Commons
92046     Sweelinck 1995 GB Railfreight British Rail two-tone grey. Harry Needle Railroad Company Worksop Depot.[30]
 
Category:British Rail Class 92 92046 on Wikimedia Commons

Model railways

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In 1995, Hornby Railways launched its first version of the BR Class 92 in OO gauge. It has since released a number of models in different livery.[32]

In 2019, Accurascale announced their intention to release a new OO gauge model of the Class 92, with the first examples being available in December 2022.[33]

Notes

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  1. ^ The rheostatic/regenerative brake is the primary locomotive and train brake and is used at speeds down to approximately 3 mph (4.8 km/h); below this speed it is blended with the conventional pneumatic brakes. On Network Rail infrastructure, the rheostatic brake is used with the regenerative capability disabled.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Development for Europorte 2: Eurotunnel buys five Class 92 locomotives". Paris: Groupe Eurotunnel. 15 February 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Marsden & Fenn 2001, p. 133
  3. ^ a b "Class 92 locomotives". Bucharest: DB Cargo Romania. Archived from the original on 1 August 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  4. ^ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 9. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  5. ^ Rail Accident Report 05/2020: Loss of brake control on a sleeper train approaching Edinburgh, 1 August 2019 (PDF). Derby: Rail Accident Investigation Branch, Department for Transport. 23 September 2020. p. 17. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  6. ^ a b Morrison 2013, p. 95
  7. ^ Schneider, Heinz; Vitins, Janis. "MICAS-S2 Distributed Traction Control for Motive Power Units" (PDF). ABB Review (5/1995). Zürich: ABB: 13. ISSN 1013-3119. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  8. ^ Tuplin, Richard (ed.). "Class 92 modifications for HS1 freight" (PDF). Railway Herald. No. 179. Northallerton. p. 3. ISSN 1751-8091. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Freight trains set to use High Speed 1". Doncaster: DB Schenker Rail UK. 16 April 2009. Archived from the original on 25 April 2009.
  10. ^ "European sized rail freight to arrive in the UK soon, following successful locomotive trial". Doncaster: DB Schenker Rail UK. 25 March 2011. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  11. ^ "DB Schenker Rail operates first freight train over High Speed 1". Doncaster: DB Schenker Rail UK. 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  12. ^ a b Tuplin, Richard (ed.). "Class 92 repaint is precursor to next HS1 freight trial" (PDF). Railway Herald. No. 269. Northallerton. p. 6. ISSN 1751-8091. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  13. ^ "DB Schenker Rail operates first European sized freight train over High Speed 1". Doncaster: DB Schenker Rail UK. 27 July 2011. Archived from the original on 22 April 2012.
  14. ^ Silvester, Katie (December 2011). "Interview: Alain Thauvette". Rail Professional. Cambridge: CPL. Archived from the original on 20 April 2012.
  15. ^ "The Sleepers are Stirring". Rail Magazine. No. 756 (3 September 2014). p. 70.
  16. ^ "First China to UK rail freight service arrives in London". Railway Gazette International. Sutton: DVV Media International. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  17. ^ Carvalho, Ritvik (18 January 2017). "First freight train from China to Britain arrives in London". London: Reuters. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  18. ^ Morrison 2013, p. 99
  19. ^ Morrison 2013, p. 98
  20. ^ Samuel, Amanda (18 August 2011). "Opening of the UK to European sized rail freight celebrated with locomotive naming". Rail.co. Rail Media Group. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2011. officially name the locomotive 'Marco Polo'.
  21. ^ "DB Schenker opens way for Continental sized freight trains". Logistics Manager. 18 August 2011. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2011. Brian Simpson MEP, chair of the European Parliament's Transport and Tourism Committee officially named the locomotive "Marco Polo".
  22. ^ "Weekly Pictorial" (PDF). Railway Herald. No. 259. 14 March 2010. p. 24. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  23. ^ "Serco to run Scotland sleeper route". BBC News. BBC. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  24. ^ Booth, Chris (January 2018). "Class 92s finally come good". Today's Railways UK. No. 193. p. 40. ISSN 1475-9713.
  25. ^ Pritchard, Robert (2021). British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock. Sheffield, GB: Platform 5. ISBN 978-1-909431-86-7.
  26. ^ Harris, Roger (2004). The Allocation History of BR Diesels & Electrics (Part Four). Roger Harris, Bromsgrove, UK.
  27. ^ Holden, Michael (15 July 2019). "GBRf's £2m Class 92 locomotive to enter service with Caledonian Sleeper". RailAdvent. Archived from the original on 19 September 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  28. ^ "GB Railfreight names Class 92 electric locomotive at COP26". GBRf. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  29. ^ Smith, Roger (11 November 2021). "Class 92 electric locomotive named by GB Railfreight at COP26". RailAdvent. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  30. ^ a b c d "Class 92 Storage Locations". WNXX.
  31. ^ "92029 repainted into DB Red". WNXX. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  32. ^ "Hornby - BR Class 92 1995". Hornby Railways Collector Guide. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  33. ^ Wild, Mike (5 December 2022). "Accurascale OO gauge Class 92". Key Model World. Retrieved 16 December 2022.

Sources

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Further reading

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