Railway Herald
Class 81 No. 81017 stabled in Mossend Yard near Motherwell on Saturday 3rd June 1978. Delivered to Crewe EMD during April 1961 for duties on the Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester lines as Class AL1 No. E3020, it would gradually extend its area of operations to London and eventually Glasgow as the 25KV overhead was installed all along the West Coast Main Line. Renumbered under TOPS as No. 81017, three class members having been destroyed by fire or accidents hence the number disrepancy, the Class was transferred en masse to Glasgow Shields Road EMD in 1975. Mainly employed on freight duties No. 81017 continued in service until 1989 when she was transferred to Willesden TMD, restricted to 40mph, and used to supplement and ultimately replace Class 83s on Euston to Wembley ECS duties. Withdrawal came in July 1991 and scrapping was undertaken by Coopers of Attercliffe, Sheffield during November 1991.
Bob Woolnough
