British Rail Class 83 - Definition

Class 83, no. E3035, on display at Doncaster Works open day on 27th July 2003. This locomotive is preserved by the AC Locomotive Group at Barrow Hill Engine Shed.

Description

The British Rail Class 83 is an electric locomotive built during the early 1960s, as part of BR's policy to develop a standard electric locomotive. Five protype classes (81-85) were built and evaluated, which eventually led to the development of the Class 86 locomotive. Fifteen of these locomotives were built from 1960-62 by English Electric at Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willow. The class were used to haul trains on the then newly electrified West Coast Main Line, from Birmingham, to Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool and later Preston. By 1965, electrification had spread south to London Euston.

Under the earlier BR classification, the type was given the designation AL3 (meaning the 3rd deisgn of AC Locomotive), and locomotives were numbered E3024-E3035 and E3098-E3100. In 1968, this was changed to Class 83, when BR introducted a new computer numbering system. From 1971 onwards, locomotives were progressively renumbered into the 83001-015 series.

Preservation

One locomotive has been preserved.

• 83012 / E3035 - Barrow Hill Engine Shed

External Links

• AC Locomotive Group - Owners of preserved locomotive no. 83012 / E3035 (http://www.aclocogroup.org.uk/)