#br class 86

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Intercity Swallow appreciation

Intercity Swallow livery, as carried by HST, class 47s, 73s, 86s, 87s, the 89, 90s and 91s in the early 1990's. A very smart colour scheme which suited all of these classes and is leagues above most modern rail company liveries!

[the-time-lord-oracle]

86212 Preston Guild 1328-1992 at Birmingham New Street in the 1990's.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

An unusual visitor at Birmingham Moor Street on January 22nd 1985 in the form of 86226, which was renamed Royal Mail Midlands in a ceremony at Moor Street. Class 86s were an everyday sight at New Street in those days, but to see one at the non-electrified Moor Street was certainly a novelty. The reason for taking the locomotive here for the naming ceremony was simply because Moor Street was a quieter station than New Street, thus providing a suitable venue for a naming ceremony. This must have been the first, and as far as I know, the only time an electric locomotive ever visited Moor Street.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

86247 Abraham Darby and two class 87s await their next duties at Oxley sidings, Wolverhampton, in 2000.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Looking back at the early days of Virgin Trains, when they still used proper trains!

[the-time-lord-oracle]

87002 Royal Sovereign, 86101 Sir William A. Stanier F.R.S, 89001 Avocet and 90001 Royal Scot in Locomotive Services Group's yard at Crewe, 13/06/2026.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

EWS' 86261 The Rail Charter Partnership on loan to Virgin West Coast at Birmingham International in 2001. Of the 15 class 86s EWS inherited at privatisation, 86261 was one of only three to receive EWS' red and gold livery and the only 86/2 so adorned. The loco was regularly hired out to Virgin during this time and so was a common sight on Virgin services.

[the-time-lord-oracle]

86244 The Royal British Legion calls at Wolverhampton with the 17:10 Manchester- Paddington Virgin Cross-Country service in March 1999.