Class 88
Welcome to scot-rail.co.uk, Scotland's online railway community. The group is for any rail enthusiast interested in the railways and trains of Scotland. It not only consists of the wiki that you're reading now, but a busy online forum and mailing list, which was accessible to registered users. From April 2024 the forum has closed, with a replacement started on Groups.io.
Breadcrumb navigation
Class 88s are Electro-Diesel locomotives, a fleet of ten were introduced in 2017 by operator DRS.
First Visit to Scotland » DRS 88004 Passing Through Holytown with 0Z06 Kingmoor to Motherwell, on 9th June 2017 Photo by newyorknixxie
- First visit of a class 88 to Scotland was 88004 'Pandora' running as 0Z06 light engine from Carlisle Kingmoor to Motherwell on Friday 9th June 2017
- First freight working on Monday 12th June 2017, 88003 'Prometheus' hauling the 4S43, 06:16 Daventry to Mossend Intermodal train. 88004 then worked the return 4M48 19:05 Mossend to Daventry.
88008 Ariadne at Beattock, 10 July 2017, hauling 4M48 Mossend - Daventry Photo by holbeck
88005 works the delayed 1230 departure from Boness on 29/12/17 Photo by tmz06003
- 88005 'Minerva' on diesel power featured in the Bo'ness and Kineil Railway's Winter Diesel Gala on 29th December 2017.
- 88002 'Prometheus' hauled the Branch Line Society's Gourock Growler tour from Carlisle Kingmoor to Mossend Yard (1Z86) on 27th April 2019. A change to the plan saw the tour continue with a Class 68 top and tail with the Class 37s.
Flask trains
Class 88s often work flask trains to Torness and Hunterston88009 + 88004 » 6S43 Carlisle - Torness on 28/02/18 at Niddrie Junction Photo by tmz06003
On the Grangemouth Branch
- The newly installed overhead line electrification from Grangemouth Junction to Fouldubs Junction was tested in the early hours of Saturday 23 March 2019, by loco 88002 'Prometheus'.
- On Tuesday 25/06/2019, 88004 'Pandora' ran light as 0Z88 13:59 Motherwell TMD to Grangemouth Docks FPA, and returned as 0Z69 17:15 Grangemouth Docks FPA to Motherwell TMD. <Flickr>
- On the Morning of Saturday 29/06/2019, 88001 'Revolution' hauled a new 4Z41 Daventry - Grangemouth Docks FPA service to Fouldubs Junction on electric power, before switching to diesel for the short journey into the FPA Docks sidings. Unfortunately, the loco suffered a damaged pantograph (said to be caused by overhanging trees), and the 4Z41 return working had to be made on diesel power to Mossend.
- No other electric hauled trains ran to Grangemouth in 2019 or 2020.
Venturing North
- On the evening of 22nd October 2020, 88002 'Prometheus' hauled the two vehicle Network Rail 'snow train' as 6Z22 from Motherwell TMD to Perth, returning light as 0Z22.
- On 24th February 2021, 88008 'Ariadne' ran light from Motherwell to Perth, before returning as 6Z16 with the two vehicle Network Rail 'snow train'. <Flickr>
- On 30th August 2022, 88003 'Genesis' ran light from Mossend to Blackford Freight Terminal as 0Z55. The next day, Wednesday 31st, it was present for the offical opening ceremony of the terminal, before running light south to Motherwell TMD as 0Z56. <Flickr>
Diverted trains
- Class 88 and diesel only Class 68 are often paired on intermodal trains diverted off the WCML route.
88003 + 68017 on 4M48 12.13 Mossend Euroterminal to Daventry diverted via Millerhill and ECML Photo by PIERSHILL2001