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Built in 1960, the ten AL4's, numbered E3036 to E3045 were built by North British to a GEC design. As with the Class 83, the 84's suffered problems with their mercury arc rectifiers. Although returned for repair, by 1967 they were all placed in storage. The extension of the WCML to Glasgow required more electric locomotives and BR decided to rebuild the class using silicon rectifiers in 1971. By now, the class had become Class 84 under TOPS and renumbered 84 001 to 84 010.

The rebuild didn't cure some of the more persistent problems with the class and they were withdrawn from 1976 to 1980. 84 003 and 84 009 went to the Research Division, with 84 009 being rebuilt as a load bank tester and 84 003 for spares. 84 009 was broken up in 1995. 84 002 and 84 010 were bought by GEC for experiments, but were scrapped quite quickly. 84 001 however, was moved to the National Railway Museum, being claimed for the National Collection in 1995.

This is another of the very few mainline locomotives I don't have a model for. Well almost! A few kits have been produced over the years and I did manage to acquire one of DC Kits early versions. This is a kit with etched brass sides and white metal cabs, roof and bogie side frames. The trouble is that the Class 84 cab front is very distinctive and the kit just doesn't capture it. In fact it looks more like a Class 81 or 85. The white metal castings are quite heavy and crude and would produce a 'top heavy' model. So, as a result, I haven't completed it in the hope a better version might appear. It hasn't yet, but who knows!

MTK produced a white metal kit and I believe L&J Models produced a resin bodied version. DC Kits also produced a kit with white metal ends, roof and bogie sideframes with etched brass sides.