ANGLIA Railways is set to hire in a fleet of more modern locomotives to haul its InterCity trains to London.Experiments with Class 90 locomotives, which are between 12 and 15 years old, on the main line between Norwich and London, through Ipswich, are proving successful.

By Paul Geater

ANGLIA Railways is set to hire

in a fleet of more modern

locomotives to haul its InterCity trains to London.

Experiments with Class 90 locomotives, between 12 and 15 years old, on the main line between Norwich and London, through Ipswich, are proving successful.

And the company may hire in more of the 4,000 horsepower engines to take over many of its services.

"We are still learning things about the operation of the locomotive, and no

decision has yet been taken, but it is

proving pretty successful," said Anglia spokesman Peter Meades.

"Our staff are having to make

adjustments in relation to operating the locomotive from the other end of the train, as happens on its return trips from London.

"But we knew adjustments would

have to be made and that's what the experimental period is for. There have been no major problems that were not foreseen," he added.

The Class 90 locomotives are more powerful than the 35-year-old Class 86 electrics which currently haul trains between East Anglia and London.

They were introduced in the late 1980s for high-speed services between London and Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham – and also for heavy freight work on electrified lines.

Now Freightliner, which has a small fleet, are replacing theirs with modern diesel locomotives and there is a pool available for hire.

Anglia took delivery of its locomotive in August, and it has been used on three return passenger journeys a day since the middle of last month – clocking up about 700 miles a day.

"If the experiment continues to be

successful we may hire in more from the end of the year and by the middle of next year most of our services may be hauled by Class 90s," said Mr Meades.