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Description
First of the class, last of the line, the Class 89 was built by Brush of Loughborough in 1986 as their contribution to the electrification of the East Coast Mainline in competition with the BREL Class 91. Although the Class 89 was indeed successful and popular among drivers, but wasn't enough to beat the 140mph InterCity 225. Being a single unit of a non-standard nature, parts became hard to come by and the locomotive was retired from InterCity service in 1991 after a major engine failure. Entering preservation, it was held in store until the new operator of the East Coast Mainline, the Great North Eastern Railway or GNER, brought it back into front-line service due to low fleet availability in 1997. Primarily working services from London Kings Cross the Leeds and Bradford Forster Square, the locomotive remained in service with GNER until 2000, when it again suffered a major engine failure, making a brief comeback in 2001 before being retired fully following the introduction of the 'White Rose' Class 373 Regional Eurostar sets. Now in the hands of the AC Locomotive Group, the engine has been preserved at their Barrow Hill base, with the hope of returning it to working order.

Here it is seen in 1990, climbing away from London Kings Cross at Copenhagen Gardens with the 'Railway Magazine 500' railtour to York.

Description
First of the class, last of the line, the Class 89 was built by Brush of Loughborough in 1986 as their contribution to the electrification of the East Coast Mainline in competition with the BREL Class 91. Although the Class 89 was indeed successful and popular among drivers, but wasn't enough to beat the 140mph InterCity 225. Being a single unit of a non-standard nature, parts became hard to come by and the locomotive was retired from InterCity service in 1991 after a major engine failure. Entering preservation, it was held in store until the new operator of the East Coast Mainline, the Great North Eastern Railway or GNER, brought it back into front-line service due to low fleet availability in 1997. Primarily working services from London Kings Cross the Leeds and Bradford Forster Square, the locomotive remained in service with GNER until 2000, when it again suffered a major engine failure, making a brief comeback in 2001 before being retired fully following the introduction of the 'White Rose' Class 373 Regional Eurostar sets. Now in the hands of the AC Locomotive Group, the engine has been preserved at their Barrow Hill base, with the hope of returning it to working order.

Here it is seen in 1990, climbing away from London Kings Cross at Copenhagen Gardens with the 'Railway Magazine 500' railtour to York.