89001 Testing July 2024 

This is a project I've been following for the best part of two decades, as the Class 89 is a locomotive that has always held a place in my heart as a favourite. Exceptional work restoring this machine to operational service, and I look forward to the day when it starts running out on the mainline once again! Congrats! 😁

I want to thank everyone... and I mean EVERYONE... for all the hard work they put in in returning this unique Class 89 locomotive to operational condition. I hope that 'Avocet' (I think that's her name) returns successfully to the mainline.

I wasn’t aware that 89001 was being restored to working order, it’s nice to see her back!

Imagine if there'd been a small fleet of these beasts built by Brush Traction!

Great to see the badger moving with all 6 motors working - let's hope they stay that way for a good long time to come.

Incredible work from everyone involved - many congratulations! Very fond memories of seeing her run up the ECML in GNER guise when I was a youngster, can't wait to see her up and running again. One of the greatest modern preservation feats ever getting it back in running order.

Great job AC for bringing the class 89 back to life! The work must've been hard, but it will pay off to the trainspotters/train enthusiasts like me to finally see it back on the mainline in service! 😄 Great job once again! 😊❤

This is Great News, I remember the Class 89 when it was being built in Crewe Works in 1986 & saw it in GNER Livery in Leeds during the late 90's when it looked in Superb Condition in the Dark Blue GNER Livery, this was the last time I saw it, so nice to have another rare Loco put back onto the Main Line & I will look forward to seeing it again at Crewe LS depot in the near future.

Superb! Well done to all involved who is making this happen!!!

Fabulous to see...we might yet get to see what this loco is capable of.

Can’t wait to see her back on the mainline Brings back happy memories working on it

Merely one hour ago I was told by Joe Lycett (Radio 4) that the 89 is nicknamed "Badger" (which I didn't know) and lo and behold, an 89 in my video feed. Synchronicity. BTW 👍👍👍 as to this very good news.

Well done to everyone involved. I have good memories of being hauled from Wakefield to Leeds by it.

She's looking good. Can't wait to see her out on the mainline again...

Wow that's amazing. I never thought I'd see the day, well done to all. The noise is incredible.

The Badger is back!

That’s a beautiful looking locomotive.

A far better looking loco than the class 91. Shame it did not make it into full production on ECML.

My favourite - not an engineer, but happy days!!!

Fantastic stuff - congratulations to everyone involved! This brought a big smile to my face. :)

Beautiful loco can't wait to see her again. At the time i was always hoping foranother 31 of these but i do also like the 91s. You have worked hard through many issues and it is very apreciated. Well done!

Looking forward to seeing the 'Badger' in action. Glad NRM didn't get their grubby little mits on this one.

So amazing to see a loco running again after hours on end of work, great job to the teams who worked on it, hope to see the 89 on the mainline at some point

Awesome to see the Badger come back to life. Is the ability to join the ACLG going to come back to the website, as the page appears to have vanished in the update a year ago.

Wow, what an achievement. I was involved with the initial testing and commissioning of the Class 89 and it was so sad that the BRB didn’t order any, just class 90s and 91s but I think it was political (?). On one light engine test run from Crewe to Stafford, the Brush engineers temporarily raised the settings for the motor current limits and I was sat in the drivers seat in the back cab, the traction inspector asked the driver to accelerate to line speed using the speed set (cruise control) but he didn’t specify how much traction effort. The acceleration dropped me of the seat and left me in a heap on the floor. Very impressive. From memory, the final figures for the ride index were close to that of a mk 3 coach, not bad for a loco!

When she comes back into service, I will try to see it every time it goes to London

Glad to see the $5 I donated about 20 years ago has went to good use!

Excellent subbed 👍 love the 89 👍

Far superior to the Class 91. Well done everyone 👏

That's amazing! It's strange to think that it's spent more than half of its life out of service. Hope to see it soon!

Brilliant; great to see Avocet up and running again - well done to everyone involved in the restoration! I look forward to seeing her run on the mainline soon :D

Good to see something coming of the work!

This is brilliant to see .. keep up the good work

Lovely to see what is probably the best AC loco ever built in the UK. I was very much involved in the design of the brake control and WSP system for her. On test runs with the International Demonstrator coaches her performance was stunning. Well done to the team who have done the restoration job. Pity that politics got involved regarding a fleet build. Did you ever find the spares which I had concealed behind the brake frame ?😊

I remember seeing this parked up outside the sheds near Derby station back in the late 80,s. I'm so chuffed she's up and running again.

Amazing work! Well done!

Absolutely fascinating....well done all !!

YESSS, the badger is alive!! 🤩 I only ever saw her moving once under her own power, around 2000-ish in service with GNER. Had only ever seen her in a few books/magazines prior to that point and its been the same since - Definitely one of the UKs most unique and mysterious locos. Here's hoping she gets to VISIT the ECML again. Would be a wonderful sight to see, especially next to LNER's retro liveried Mk4 sets which also look amazing. Good work guys for getting this beast running again! 👌

Absolutely fantastic work!!!

Great Job ,Well done to all 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I was once hauled by Avocet from Leeds to Kings Cross. Alas the only thing i can remember about the journey is the football hooligans on the train. At least they were all arrested by the BTP on arrival.

Still remember it from back then even when it was in GNER's colours looked pretty decent still does!

The badger is back !

Incredible work and effort by all concerned! Well done! 👏🏻 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

love the class 89, what an amazing job you guys are doing to restore this beast and bring her back to life! I noticed that the AWS sounds like one of the new LED types, is this staying or are you going to put one of the older mechanical ones in?

Excited to see it on fully up and running!!

Amazing! Keep it up!

Excellent! Now it's time to give your other locos the same level of attention.

great to see her for a long time

the badger is up and running again 2 decades to late but hopefully it will join the rest of the preserved electric sparkie locomotives at crewe hopefully 🙏 nice video 😍🥰🤩

sexy ! used to see her with the 91's and buffer 43 's at bounds green , sounds awsome inside .

A pity that I missed it when I popped in to 25 shop a few months ago. But at least I know there are some very dedicated people working on this.

It's a shame only one Class 89 was built. #89001 is a lonely survivor. #89001 is returning to the mainline :]

Fabulous loco this. I have always had a soft spot for it. Well done to the people that have dedicated time and money to bring it back to life A complicated project this

Like many other railway relics, this locomotive should be maintained with pride in full working preservation. A one off, and unique item.

Good to see the project starting to see daylight. A lot of questions about its overall reliability back in the day left us wondering if the TM's were actually up to the job they were being asked to do and it would be a sad tale if a solution was not implemented during this refit.

What are those 60s doing outside the sheds. Are they going for overhaul? Great work on the 89, well done to all involved.

Awesome congrats it looks amazing!

Fabulous news.

Recently, I put down a £25 deposit for the Accurascale 00 scale Class 89 in GNER Blue with white lettering. Delivery expected anytime between now and September.

Awesome work! A question I have though is why the brake pipe was overcharged to 5.5bar during testing?

I’m sure it will look great going over its old routes. However,how about getting it route cleared for Cardiff-Paddington-Newbury for a tour on the old Western region. Or even lending it to GWR as a shore supply for when the Night Riviera goes into Euston!!!

Let's stay out of puddles from now on, eh?

Armstrong Powerhouse must be preparing to work a 89 EP at some point now…

hi great video, very interesting, as with all electric locos pure Dr Frankenstein insides which are great.pity there are no circular amps meters. the swiss crocodile was also a FAB loco with creepy noises and flashes,

UKRL in Loughborough? local to Loughborough and never heard of it - only heard of UKRL Leicester, looks like this being done near the Brush. i know the GCR run testing but they dont have overhead lines.

Never seen or heard of one of these before…

I always wondered why the Class 89 bogie design couldn't have been used on the 67s.

BREL would be stunned if they still existed.

Will this be for Passenger or Freight? I know it has the Inter City swallow livery but that's obviously from twenty-five years ago.

Do the fans rev down when stopped like on the 91s?

89 and posswibly mk4 coaches like when it ran on east coast from kx

Can't wait to hear her hauling carriages! Reminds me somewhat of Skoda locomotives of the same era. Is she chopper-controlled like them?

Are you looking to get ERTMS fitted for the East Coast Route now roll out has started?

Looking good, what was the original purpose of the class 89, as only one was built?.

is the pantograph powered by batteries to raise it

I've never seen a Class 89. Is it a one-of-a-kind?

are you guys going to save a few Class 91s (like you did with the Class 90s) when LNER retire them? their my favourite trains :)

Dont like look of these but good to see it back out i quess

Avocet yeah a cross with a 125 and a91

Badger Badger Badger…

Is this a new train

MEINE LORDZ 🔥

WHY was only one built of these ???

Did she use a Tap changer when taking power like an 86 / 87 ?

Would 6 traction motors have given her more "pulling power" than traditional Bo-Bo electric locos?🤔

Pity it never made a class of locos.

That Just Looks Ugly Ngl. It Needs A Headlight Rework

Looks disgusting... 😂

Fantastic video of the Badger,under test, especially the walk through the middle,whilst under power,lovely locomotive,glad it has managed to survive and be made operational again,a truly remarkable one off loco. 🦡💯👍🏻⚡⚡

Class 89 = class 43 × class 82/90