British Rail Class 80
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British Rail allocated Class 80 to its prototype 25kV AC electric locomotive, numbered E1000 initially, and later E2001. It was converted in 1958 by Metropolitan Vickers from the prototype mainline gas turbine-electric locomotive that they had built for BR in 1951, number 18100.It was later converted and given Number E2000 it was allocated to Old Oak Common.
It was of A1A-A1A wheel arrangement and it was rated at 2500hp. It had a maximum speed of 90mph and weighed 109tons. It retained its original BR black livery, with a silver stripe around the middle of the body and silver numbers.
It was used to prepare the ground for the 25kV AC electrification being installed on the West Coast Main Line, including the testing of overhead line equipment and staff training. However, once the production locomotives (Class 81 onwards) were in service, E2001 was no longer required. It was put into store at the end of 1961, and lasted for over ten years at various locations. It was officially withdrawn in April 1968 and scrapped in November 1972 at J.Cashmore in Great Bridge.
Footnote: it is debatable whether this locomotive was ever actually allocated a TOPS classification. No BR documents referring to it as such have ever come to light. As such it would be more correct to term this entry "British Railways/Metropolitan Vickers Prototype 25kV locomotive".
