Class 92Preservation Society

Railway heritage · United Kingdom

A future for Class 92.

One locomotive. A whole class of history. We’re working towards a lasting home for a Class 92, and bringing together the records and memories that tell its story.

Be part of the storyExplore our plans

92017 Bart the Engine is our preferred candidate. No locomotive has yet been secured.

Class 92 locomotive 92017 Bart the Engine in blue Stobart Rail livery on a Pathfinder railtour, 5 June 2010
92017 Bart the Engine · Pathfinder railtour, 5 June 2010Photo: Roger Templeman · “Bart the Engine” heads north through Birmingham International · CC BY-SA 2.0
01A complete locomotiveConserved for the future
02A class-wide archiveEngineering, people and stories
03A public purposeLearning through preservation

Our mission

Preserve the locomotive.
Keep the story alive.

Our focus is the Class 92: the machines, the engineering and the people behind them. One complete locomotive is our first acquisition goal.

01 / CONSERVATION

A future in preservation

Secure a suitable Class 92 for conservation and display in a covered home. We want to retain its identity and original equipment, with a realistic plan for its long-term care.

02 / COLLECTION

More than a machine

Build a record of the whole class through photographs, technical documents, relevant artefacts and first-hand memories. This work can begin before a locomotive is acquired.

03 / EDUCATION

History people can discover

Help future visitors understand what the class was built to do and the lives it touched. We welcome conversations with museums, heritage railways and potential education partners.

92017 remains our preference. We are also open to another suitable, representative Class 92.

Meet our preferred candidate
92017 Bart the Engine hauling a container train beneath the roof at Carlisle station
92017 at Carlisle · Photo: Roger Templeman · “Bart the Engine” heads north · CC BY-SA 2.0

Both photographs show 92017 during its working life. They do not establish its present condition or availability for preservation.

Our preferred candidate

92017Bart the Engine

With its distinctive Stobart Rail livery and familiar name, 92017 gives our project a recognisable starting point.

We would like to give it a lasting future where its engineering and working life can be shared with the public. First, we need to establish whether it could be available and whether a sustainable preservation plan can be agreed.

Preferred candidate · acquisition not agreed
Its original identity

92017 carried the name Shakespeare, part of the class’s tradition of names drawn from literature, music and the arts.

A familiar blue locomotive

As Bart the Engine, its Stobart Rail identity made it a distinctive sight on Britain’s railway.

A possible next chapter

Any acquisition would depend on ownership checks, condition, a suitable home and funding for transport and ongoing care.

Why the class matters

Built to connect
Britain and Europe.

The Class 92 was designed for Channel Tunnel traffic, combining overhead and third-rail power collection in one locomotive. Its story spans international freight, British railway engineering and sleeper passenger services.

Preservation would let people explore this engineering up close, alongside the experiences of those who built, maintained and worked with the class.

Overhead supply
25 kV ACIncluding the Channel Tunnel
Third-rail supply
750 V DCFor suitable electrified routes
Locomotive weight
126 tonnesA substantial conservation project
Our acquisition goal
One Class 92Complete and cared for

Technical background: GB Railfreight’s Class 92 fleet information.

A recognised place in railway heritage. The RHDAB designation register includes “Class 92 locomotives”, reference 2016/01. We are seeking guidance on a possible preservation role. Designation does not mean that a locomotive has been allocated to this society. About railway heritage designation.

The Class 92 archive

The stories are
part of the collection.

Did you help build a Class 92, maintain one, drive one or photograph its working life? We would love to hear from you.

Share a memory or record

Please contact us before sending original material. We’ll discuss provenance, permissions and how it could be cared for or shared.

  • PhotographsImages of the whole class, from construction and testing to depots, freight and passenger work. Dates, locations and photographer credits help bring them to life.
  • Technical recordsDrawings, manuals and documents that explain the locomotives’ design and maintenance, where their owners can authorise preservation and use.
  • Working memoriesFirst-hand accounts from railway staff, engineers and others who knew the class. The everyday details matter as much as the milestones.
  • Related artefactsAppropriate small items with a documented Class 92 connection, subject to a collection policy and the capacity to look after them.

A responsible route to preservation

A lasting home
starts with a plan.

We are in the early stages of building the society. Our priority is a credible arrangement for conservation, public access and long-term care.

Building the society

Our proposed structure is a Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), with an independent trustee board. The constitution and governance framework remain in draft; this website does not claim registered charity status.

  1. Bring the right people together

    Develop a capable trustee team and welcome experience in engineering, collections, finance, education and charity governance.

  2. Agree a suitable home

    Explore covered accommodation and public access with a museum or heritage railway. Ownership, a suitable loan or a partnership could provide a route forward.

  3. Assess the locomotive and the full cost

    Confirm title, availability, completeness and condition. Plan transport, insurance, conservation and ongoing care before committing.

  4. Secure care before acquisition

    Establish an affordable, funded plan and written arrangements with a host. Our initial approach is non-powered conservation and display; any hauled heritage movement would require separate technical assessment and approval.

Get involved

Help shape
what comes next.

You don’t need to own a locomotive or be an engineer to have something useful to offer. We welcome practical help, informed advice and an interest in the class.

  • Heritage hosts and partnersHelp explore accommodation, public access and a shared preservation project.
  • Volunteers and potential trusteesBring time, experience or a skill that could help establish the society.
  • Railway staff and archive contributorsHelp us document the class and the people behind it.
  • Interested supportersAsk a question or choose to hear about future progress.

Expressions of interest only. We are not accepting donations, payments or pledges at this stage.

Start a conversation

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How your details are used

This form does not upload or save your details on the website. It creates an email on your device. If you send it, your details will reach the society’s mailbox so we can respond to your enquiry. The optional checkbox tells us whether you also want progress updates. Contact info@cl92ps.org to ask about your details or stop updates.

A few useful answers

Where we stand

Has the society acquired 92017?

No. 92017 is our preferred candidate, and its availability and suitability need to be established. We would also consider another representative Class 92 with a viable preservation plan.

Would the locomotive run under its own power?

Our initial project is for an electrically isolated, non-powered locomotive conserved for display and education. Any movement on a heritage railway would be hauled by another locomotive, with the necessary technical checks, permissions and insurance. Powered or mainline running is outside the current plan.

Is there a home or an opening date?

No host or public opening date is being announced. Finding a suitable home and agreeing practical arrangements are essential steps before any acquisition.

Can I donate now?

We are gathering expressions of interest and practical support, rather than accepting money or pledges. Any future appeal would need an appropriate organisational structure and a clear, costed purpose.