Did 87002 ever haul the Royal Train?

[USRailFan]

I know diesel power was always the preferred even on electrified lines (the Royal Train having a pair of dedicated Class 47s at least from around 1990), but given it's name, it'd have to at least be very tempting to put 87002 at the head of the Royal Train if it was travelling on an all-electrified line?

 

[43096]

I know diesel power was always the preferred even on electrified lines (the Royal Train having a pair of dedicated Class 47s at least from around 1990), but given it's name, it'd have to at least be very tempting to put 87002 at the head of the Royal Train if it was travelling on an all-electrified line?

Back in BR days it was reported that 87002 and 87004 were the LMR’s preferred electric traction for the Royal Train. However, they were nothing like as synonymous with as 73142.

 

[Magdalia]

87018 was used when HM Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Preston-Glasgow electrification in 1974.

For the Silver Jubilee 87003 was used for the Scottish tour in May 1977 and 87004 was used for the North-West tour in June 1977.

These were all before the locos were named.

87002 did work the Royal Train at least once while named "Royal Sovereign". There's a picture here at Crewe in May 1983, which I suspect is an ecs move after taking the then Prince of Wales to the Kyle line for launch of an oil platform.

87002

Crewe: passing through with the Royal Train 14/05/1983. Rescanned.

www.flickr.com

In steam days 61671 was named "Royal Sovereign" and was Cambridge's Royal loco. 61671 hauled HM Queen Elizabeth II on journeys to and from Sandringham many times in the first few years of her reign.