LNER Class 91/Mk4 service status/withdrawals/2021 refurbishment

[158747]

Suprised to see in the video that they still seem to have the nameplates attached.

Hopefully someone at the scrapyard realises the value of the nameplates and removes them to sell off separately. Will be a shame if they end up going into the shredder with everything else.

 

[Rhydgaled]

So, to update DanNCL's list from a few pages back with the news of the latest scrappings:

91 101 - On overhaul at Doncaster Works
91 102 - To be scrapped imminently at Simms Newport
91 103 - Stored at Doncaster Works (parts donor)
91 104 - Stored at Doncaster Works (assumed parts donor)
91 105 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 106 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) awaiting return to service with LNER
91 107 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 108 - Withdrawn at Doncaster Works (parts donor)
91 109 - On overhaul at Doncaster Works
91 110 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER - 'Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight'
91 111 - On overhaul at Doncaster Works - 'For The Fallen'
91 112 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 113 - To be scrapped imminently at Simms Newport
91 114 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) awaiting return to service with LNER
91 115 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 116 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 117 - Stored in Leicester - Europhoenix Livery
91 118 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 119 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) awaiting return to service with LNER
91 120 - Stored in Leicester - Europhoenix Livery
91 121 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 122 - Used on Midland Main Line overhead wire test train in debranded VTEC livery
91 132 - Scrapped at Sims Nottingham
91 124 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 125 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 126 - To be scrapped imminently at Simms Newport
91 127 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 128 - Used on Midland Main Line overhead wire test train in debranded VTEC livery, still has 'INTERCITY 50' nameplates
91 129 - To be scrapped imminently at Simms Newport
91 130 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 131 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease

I don't have any updates other than what others have posted in this topic so this may not be entirely correct. As a bit of a sense check, from the above list I make it 12 class 91s still on-lease with LNER and 7 off-lease in Belmont Yard. Is that correct?

I note the 91 131 is listed as stored in Belmont yard where today's unfortunate four were until recently. This leaves me rather worried that somebody has/will forgotten/forget it's designated status. I know it has been rumoured that 91 131 is to go to the Crewe Heritage Centre, but I'm yet to see any hard evidence.

The EuroPhoenix was a pre-Covid speculative project to try and find demand for these locos abroad. The Pandemic has dried up most railways finances across the world for now.

I don’t think a deal had ever actually been signed.

Rail freight (in the UK at least) hasn't been hit nearly as hard as passenger rail - in fact it may have fully recovered from the pandemic now - and the EuroPhoenix project was to convert them for freight use wasn't it? Still, with only 7 class 91s left off-lease in Belmont Yard and four others not in use with LNER (the Europhoenix and MML pairs) it doesn't look like there's much for EuroPhoenix and potentially Grand Union to play with unless EuroPhoenix are looking at picking up the LNER locos a few years down the line. I note that Grand Union have submitted an application for a reduced Cardiff service and the current Welsh Government consultation on the proposed Swansea Bay Metro includes Grand Union services as one of the options. Does anyone know how many 91s the reduced Cardiff service and the as-yet-undetermined-by-ORR Stirling service would need?

 

[DanNCL]

So, to update DanNCL's list from a few pages back with the news of the latest scrappings:

91 101 - On overhaul at Doncaster Works
91 102 - To be scrapped imminently at Simms Newport
91 103 - Stored at Doncaster Works (parts donor)
91 104 - Stored at Doncaster Works (assumed parts donor)
91 105 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 106 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) awaiting return to service with LNER
91 107 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 108 - Withdrawn at Doncaster Works (parts donor)
91 109 - On overhaul at Doncaster Works
91 110 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER - 'Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight'
91 111 - On overhaul at Doncaster Works - 'For The Fallen'
91 112 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 113 - To be scrapped imminently at Simms Newport
91 114 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) awaiting return to service with LNER
91 115 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 116 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 117 - Stored in Leicester - Europhoenix Livery
91 118 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 119 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) awaiting return to service with LNER
91 120 - Stored in Leicester - Europhoenix Livery
91 121 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 122 - Used on Midland Main Line overhead wire test train in debranded VTEC livery
91 132 - Scrapped at Sims Nottingham
91 124 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 125 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease
91 126 - To be scrapped imminently at Simms Newport
91 127 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 128 - Used on Midland Main Line overhead wire test train in debranded VTEC livery, still has 'INTERCITY 50' nameplates
91 129 - To be scrapped imminently at Simms Newport
91 130 - Stored at Neville Hill, awaiting return to service with LNER
91 131 - Stored at Belmont Yard (Doncaster) off lease

I don't have any updates other than what others have posted in this topic so this may not be entirely correct. As a bit of a sense check, from the above list I make it 12 class 91s still on-lease with LNER and 7 off-lease in Belmont Yard. Is that correct?

I note the 91 131 is listed as stored in Belmont yard where today's unfortunate four were until recently. This leaves me rather worried that somebody has/will forgotten/forget it's designated status. I know it has been rumoured that 91 131 is to go to the Crewe Heritage Centre, but I'm yet to see any hard evidence.

A few more changes to note:
91107 is now on overhaul at Doncaster Works
91110 is expected to return to service tomorrow (11th May)
91111 is now at Neville Hill awaiting return to service, expected back in service later this week.

 

[Fuzzytop]

Hopefully someone at the scrapyard realises the value of the nameplates and removes them to sell off separately. Will be a shame if they end up going into the shredder with everything else.

The cynic in me wonders if that's a deliberate attempt from Eversholt to get these moves noticed, as a reminder to anyone considering their off-lease stock that they won't hang around? Pretty far fetched though.

As an enthusiast it's sad to see. But their time has come, and we know stuff sent to Newport only comes out one way. I suspect those nameplates will have gone through the shredder with everything else by the end of the week, swiftly followed by the rest of the off-lease 91s.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I suspect those nameplates will have gone through the shredder with everything else by the end of the week

The Nameplates are metal so why wouldn’t they go through the shredder if that’s how the scrap metal is recycled?

 

[malc-c]

Caught them being dragged by 57305 just south of Stevenage

 

[alexf380]

I know things can change at the drop of a hat, but are any 91s planned to be in service this coming Sunday?

 

[Rhydgaled]

The Nameplates are metal so why wouldn’t they go through the shredder if that’s how the scrap metal is recycled?

Because there are probably enthusiasts who will pay more for the nameplate than the scrap metal is worth. On the subject of the shredder, assuming rail vehicles are made mainly of aluminum and magnetic steel, are any components made of other metals removed before shredding? The aluminum shreds could then be seperated from the steel ones with a big magnet - but I'm only guessing here how they work.

 

[Ianigsy]

As an enthusiast it's sad to see. But their time has come, and we know stuff sent to Newport only comes out one way. I suspect those nameplates will have gone through the shredder with everything else by the end of the week, swiftly followed by the rest of the off-lease 91s.

The other thought which occurred to me is whether the nameplates are the ROSCO's property to sell to Sims- I was under the impression that such things belonged to the operators and were supposed to be removed when stock went off lease. In the circumstances I suppose you could argue that they'd been abandoned to the leasing company, but as an asset of a directly operated TOC, they'd still fetch more for the public purse than I pay in income tax over the course of a year!

 

[43096]

The other thought which occurred to me is whether the nameplates are the ROSCO's property to sell to Sims- I was under the impression that such things belonged to the operators and were supposed to be removed when stock went off lease. In the circumstances I suppose you could argue that they'd been abandoned to the leasing company, but as an asset of a directly operated TOC, they'd still fetch more for the public purse than I pay in income tax over the course of a year!

It depends when the name was applied and any specific contractual agreements as to who owns it.

 

[warwickshire]

I'm a little surprised to see 91102 & 91126 still have their nameplates attached. I would've thought they would've been removed to sell off separately?

Caught them nice in goring and Streetly 57 late though names was Darlington hippodrome and the city of York on 3rd and rear locomotive respectively

 

[D6975]

Just west of Westerleigh Jn.

 

[43096]

Just west of Westerleigh Jn.
View attachment 95913

So they’re route cleared to Newport. Might come in handy....

 

[Gordonman]

A class 91 is booked to work 1A09 Bradford - KGX and diagram tomorrow

 

[ChilternTurbo]

Hopefully someone at the scrapyard realises the value of the nameplates and removes them to sell off separately. Will be a shame if they end up going into the shredder with everything else.

The nameplates still attached caused me to do a double take! I do follow railwayana auction prices quite closely and those would be worth well into four figures give the collectability of locomotive nameplates. The former LNER HST nameplates were auctioned off for charity and raised a lot of cash. I'm perplexed as to why these were not removed and given how quickly stock is 'processed' at Newport, they'll probably be shredded by tomorrow afternoon

The HST nameplates auction:

LNER NAMEPLATES AUCTION RAISES MORE THAN £40,000 FOR CHARITY

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) nameplates have raised £41,000 for charity, after famous names from the iconic Intercity High Speed Train (HST) fleet attracted interest from around the world at an online auction.

www.lner.co.uk

 

[adrock1976]

Regarding 132 (formerly 123), was that the 91 that experimented with a square (or rhombus) pantograph?

I am aware that this exact loco was involved in a couple of serious accidents as well.

 

[43096]

Regarding 132 (formerly 123), was that the 91 that experimented with a square (or rhombus) pantograph?

Do you mean the one that had a second pantograph fitted? As far as I know the 91s have always been fitted with Brecknell-Willis high-speed pantographs.

 

[800001]

Do you mean the one that had a second pantograph fitted? As far as I know the 91s have always been fitted with Brecknell-Willis high-speed pantographs.

Think the loco was 91114

 

[43096]

Think the loco was 91114

That’s my recollection as well.

 

[35B]

That’s my recollection as well.

It was

 

[Versa274]

Fair enough.
Am I right in thinking though that there are no Newcastle terminaters operated by LNER?

most likely the late evening services which start from Newcastle the following morning which stay in Heaton over night

 

[800001]

most likely the late evening services which start from Newcastle the following morning which stay in Heaton over night

7 Newcastle terminators each evening.
Work 1S00, 1S03, 1Y03, 1Y05, 1Y08, 1Y11 and 1Y14 the following morning.

 

[Versa274]

7 Newcastle terminators each evening.
Work 1S00, 1S03, 1Y03, 1Y05, 1Y08, 1Y11 and 1Y14 the following morning.

does one stay at Heaton overnight for Berwick to KX the following morning and one for Edinburgh

 

[800001]

does one stay at Heaton overnight for Berwick to KX the following morning and one for Edinburgh

Yes, 1Y14 starts from Heaton as and ecs 3Y14 to Berwick.

 

[swt_passenger]

does one stay at Heaton overnight for Berwick to KX the following morning and one for Edinburgh

There are two 1S services that run through to Edinburgh - as an ”S“ destination normally indicates.

 

[XAM2175]

The former LNER HST nameplates were auctioned off for charity and raised a lot of cash. I'm perplexed as to why these were not removed and given how quickly stock is 'processed' at Newport, they'll probably be shredded by tomorrow afternoon

Have you considered asking LNER? It's not outside the realm of possibility that the plates have simply been overlooked.

 

[alistairlees]

The plates are owned by Eversholt, not LNER. I’m trying to get them rescued!

 

[ChilternTurbo]

Have you considered asking LNER? It's not outside the realm of possibility that the plates have simply been overlooked.

That's an idea I'll tweet them as I suspect it's an oversight as you suggest. Mind you LNER probably are rather preoccupied Azuma issues at the moment...

 

[alistairlees]

That's an idea I'll tweet them as I suspect it's an oversight as you suggest. Mind you LNER probably are rather preoccupied Azuma issues at the moment...

As I said, they are owned by eversholt. Not LNER.

 

[43096]

That's an idea I'll tweet them as I suspect it's an oversight as you suggest. Mind you LNER probably are rather preoccupied Azuma issues at the moment...

I suspect messing around with tweeting is going to be useless - be razorblades by the time it gets to someone who can do anything about it. "alistairlees" is right - they're Eversholt property if handed back with them on.