Locomotives

This list below provides details of Locomotives in the UK. Information provided are top speed, power, when introduced, how many are in use and who owns them. The number in brackets after each company shows how many are owned by that particular company. Some locomotives come in a special freight version, which usually involves having a lower top speed. Speeds given in italics are for the freight versions of the locomotive. A key to railway companies can be found below. This is not a complete list of classes, this is a list of those engines in service now. For a complete list, click here

The Class 08 is the UK's Slowest Locomotive with a top speed of 15mph - 24kph
The Class 91 is the UK's Fastest Locomotive with a top speed of 140mph - 225kph

See also: Diesel Multiple Unit list, Electrical Multiple Unit list, Ordered Locomotives in the UK

Class Introduced # in use Company Maximum Speed Power Type Comments
08 1953 265 AR(3)
CA (1)
CT (2)
Eurostar (1)
SR (2)
GNER (5)
MML (8)
VWC (9)
EWS (224)
Freightliner (10)
15mph 24kph 194 kW Diesel Electric Standard BR/English Electric 350hp diesel shunters. Pictures
09 1959 36 CSC(3)
EWS (33)
27mph 43kph 201 kW Diesel Electric Shunters, updated version of class 08 with higher top speed Pictures
20 1957 40 DRS (17)
EWS (13)
Racal-BRT (4)
Hunslet-Barcley (6)
60mph 96kph 574 kW Diesel Electric Used for freight services only.Pictures
31 1957 138 EWS (138) 90mph
60mph
144kph
96kph
872 kW Diesel Electric The Slower version used for freight.Pictures
33 1960 30 EWS (30) 60mph 96kph 906 kW Diesel Electric Freight locomotive with electrical train heating Pictures
37 1960 289 Eurostar (6)
DRS (6)
EWS (277)
80mph 128kph 935 kW Diesel Electric One of the early diesels that replaced steam engines for express trains Pictures
43 1976 196 GNER (22)
GW (82)
MML (31)
VWC (7)
VXC (54)
125mph 200kph 1320 kW Diesel Electic Engine for the Inter-city 125 high speed train push/pull set. Pictures
47 1963 331 GW (4)
VXC (24)
C&T (7)
EWS (251)
Freightliner (45)
95mph 152kph 1550 kW Diesel Electric One of the more famous engines in the UK Pictures
56 1976 126 EWS (126) 80mph 128kph 1790 kW Diesel Electric Brush 3250hp freight diesels based on class 47 mechanical design Pictures
58 1983 50 EWS (50) 80mph 128kph 1780 kW Diesel Electric Freight diesel locomotives with double ended hood design Pictures
59 1985 15 Rendip Rail (9)
National Power PLC (6)
60mph 96kph   Diesel Electric Built by General Motors(Canada), EMD SD40-2s(+elem. SD60) Pictures
60 1989 100 EWS (100) 60mph 96kph 1800 kW   Brush freight diesel locomotives Pictures
73 1965 44 Eurostar (2)
GX(14)
ME (4)
SWT(1)
EWS (23)
90mph
60mph
144kph
96kph
1060 kW Diesel
And Electric @ 750V DC 3rd Rail
3rd Rail Electric engines with a small diesel for running on non-electrified lines. This engines pulls the Gatwick express. Pictures
86 1965 95 AR(14)
VWC (18)
VXC (18)
EWS (25)
Freightliner (20)
100mph
75mph
160kph
120kph
3010 kW Electric @ 25kV AC 50hz General purpose mainline electrics Pictures
87 1973 36 VWC (35)
EWS (1)
110mph 176kph 3730 kW Electric @ 25kV 50hz General purpose mainline electric, used often for west coast inter-city services. Pictures
89 1987 1 GNER (1) 125mph 200kph 2390 kW Electric @ 25kV 50hz Former test locomotive "Avocet", now used on London-Leeds/Bradford Pictures
90 1987 50 VWC (15)
EWS (25)
Freightlinter (10)
110mph
75mph
176kph
120kph
3730 kW Electric @ 25kV 50hz Development of class 87 in (slightly) more streamlined body Pictures
91 1988 31 GNER (31) 140mph 225kph 4540 kW Electric @ 25kV 50hz Currently the fastest engine operating in the uk, used on the inter-city 225 trains. Pictures
92 1994 37 Eurostar (7)
EWS (30)
88mph 140kph 5000 kW Electric @ 750V DC & 25kV AC 50 Hz Used for channel tunnel freight services Pictures

Key to companies

Passenger Train Operating Companies

Abbreviation
Company Name Company Website
AR Anglia Railways Train Services Ltd.  
CA Cardiff Railway Co. Ltd.  
CSC Connex SouthCentral Ltd.  
CT Central Trains Ltd.  
Eurostar Eurostar (UK) Ltd.  
GNER Great North Eastern Railway Ltd.  
GW Great Western Trains Co. Ltd.  
GX Gatwick Express Ltd.  
ME Merseyside Electrics Ltd.  
MML Midland Mainline Ltd.  
SR ScotRail Railways Ltd.  
SWT South West Trains Ltd.  
VWC Virgin West Coast Ltd.  
VXC Virgin CrossCountry Ltd  

Freight Operating Companies

C&T Carriage & Traction Co. Ltd.  
DRS Direct Rail Services Ltd.  
EWS English, Welsh & Scottish Railways Ltd.  
Freightliner Freightliner (1995) Ltd.