Class 90 Loocmotive Fleet Operations

Current Fleet Situation As new there were 50 Class 90 locomotives, which were split between passenger and freight operations. Jumping forward to the present day (29/6/25), it is with regret to inform readers of this website that the fleet size has now been reduced from 50 to 40 locomotives following the sale of 90017, 90022, 90023, 90025, 90027, 90030, 90031, 90032, 90033 and 90038 to scrap merchants in April 2024 and sub- sequently disposed off. The loss of 10 class 90s arose as a result of neglect and poor management by their owners and the reluctance to spend money on them when they were much younger and had little wrong with them at the time of being stored. See below for more details on which loco’s are left and who uses them.

Which Class 90s are currently out of traffic for maintenance? For the latest information regarding the status of the Class 90 fleet, please refer to the Fleet Summary section below on this webpage or by visiting the Daily Gen Reports or by going to the Fleet Status News section on the homepage.

Which Class 90s have been sold for scrap? In December 2023, DB Cargo decided to put up for sale 10 Class 90s, which had been in long-term storage at Crewe IEMD dating back as far as 2005. At the time of being stored, there was little wrong with these 10 loco’s (listed below) sofaras they needed some work being done to them like wheelsets and mid-life overhauls (the former EWS operator had run them into the ground since new to this point) and were not prepared to spend money on them going forward. As a consequence the loco’s were placed into stored and left to rot from the early 2000s (an unacceptable way of treating these fine machines). Jumping forward to May 2024, in a surprise move, 90017, 90022, 90023, 90025, 90027, 90030, 90031, 90032, 90033 and 90038 were all sold for scrap (see below). At the time of writing (29/6/25), 90017, 90023, 90027, 90030, 90032, 90033 and 90038 had all been moved by road to a scrap merchant site in Middlewich where they have now been disposed off with the exception of 90017 and 90023 cabs, As for 90025 and 90031, these were moved by road to the EMR site in Liverpool Docks and have been disposed off too In addition, technically not part of the long-term store fleet, 90018 and 90040 were sold at the same time, and subsequently transferred to Freightliner on the 26/4/24.

Which Class 90s are in short-term storage? At the time of writing, the following DB Class 90s were still in warm storage at Crewe IEMD: 90019, 90020, 90021, 90024, 90028, 90029, 90034, 90035, 90036, 90037 and 90039. The future of the above DB Cargo Class 90s is unclear (really hope they do not go the same way as the others i.e. being left to rot), Click here for more details on the stored fleet owned by DB Cargo.

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DB Cargo

Fleet Profile The DB Cargo fleet now comprises of 11 locomotives only. ------------------------------------------------ Current Availability None. ------------------------------------------------ Current Short-term Stored (tactical) 90019, 90020, 90021, 90024, 90028, 90029, 90034, 90035, 90036, 90037, 90039. Former Long-term stored fleet 90017, 90022, 90023, 90025, 90027, 90030, 90031, 90032, 90033, 90038 (largely disposed off now). ---------------------------------------------------

Locomotive Services

Fleet Profile The LSL fleet consists of 3 class 90s, which are 90001, 90002 and 90026. ------------------------------------------------ Current Availability 90001, 90002, 90026 (?) ------------------------------------------------ Stopped for maintenance ---------------------------------------------------

Freightliner

Fleet Profile Freightliner has 26 Class 90s which include 90003-90016, 90018, and 90040-90050. ------------------------------------------------ Current Availability 90003, 90004, 90006, 90007, 90008, 90011, 90012, 90013, 90014, 90015. 90018, 90040, 90041, 90042, 90043, 90044, 90045, 90048, 90049. ------------------------------------------------ Stopped for maintenance 90005, 90009, 90010, 90046, 90047. ---------------------------------------------------

Crewe Heritage Centre

Fleet Profile 90050 is on long-term loan from Freightliner to the Crewe Heritage Centre. ------------------------------------------------ Current Availability None. ------------------------------------------------ Stored Unserviceable 90050 (Crewe Heritage Centre) ---------------------------------------------------

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