As part of the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line, which included electrification, 100 locomotives of five types were acquired; each type from a different manufacturer. The first locomotives to be delivered were type AL1, designed by British Thomson-Houston, an order being placed for 25 examples. Of these, 23 were for use on passenger trains with a top speed of 100 mph and were designated Type A. The other two locomotives were intended for freight train use, and geared for a top speed of 80 mph, these were designated Type B. Before the work was completed, BTH amalgamated with Metropolitan Vickers to form AEI traction division and it was under this name that the locomotives were built in 1959 under subcontract by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon in Smethwick. The first locomotive, E3001, was handed over to British Railways on 27 November 1959. The type was initially used for crew training on the Styal Line between Manchester and Crewe. The AL1 were numbered E3001 - E3023 and E3096 / E3097; the first twenty-three being Type A and the last two Type B. However, these last two were actually geared for passenger service, being delivered in February 1964 as E3096 and E3097.
Power supply
The locomotives always worked on power provided by overhead catenary, energised at 25,000 V AC. However, the main transformer, normally operated with the four windings in series, could be operated at 6250V AC with the transformer windings in parallel. This voltage was initially to be used where limited clearances gave concern over use of the higher voltage. However, this approach was never used on the West Coast main line, although it was employed elsewhere such as Glasgow Central in the initial 'Blue Train' electrification there. By the time the WCML wiring was extended to Glasgow, it had been revised there to the mainstream 25 kV voltage.
Operations
The class only operated on the West Coast Main Line because they were restricted to lines electrified at 25 kV AC. Cities where these engines could be seen included London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. They operated passenger, freight and parcel trains. There is no record of operation on the ex-Great Eastern line, which was being electrified at the time of their introduction, nor subsequently on the East Coast Main Line when that was electrified in the 1980s.
Early withdrawals
Three locomotives were withdrawn before they could be renumbered under the TOPS system. E3002 and E3019 were damaged by fire and both were scrapped at British Rail Crewe Works. The remains of E3009 were also cut up at Crewe Works, the locomotive having been wrecked in the Hixon rail crash of January 1968. These were ‘replaced’ by Class 87s 87033-5.
Renumbering
Under the TOPS system, twenty-two examples were reclassified as class 81 and numbered 81001 - 81022.
Accidents and incidents
Withdrawal
Over the years, examples of this class were withdrawn from service following the arrival of newer and more reliable Class 87 locomotives. The Class was fully withdrawn as a result of the arrival of new Class 90 locomotives. The final examples were used for the transfer of empty coaches between and Willesden sidings between 1989 and 1991. The last two examples withdrawn from service were 81012 and 81017. The majority of the class were scrapped at Coopers Metals in Sheffield.
