The first of 54 HST power cars from Great Western Railway arrive at ScotRail, and will be used for training duties.
THE Angel Trains-owned High Speed Train Class 43 power cars transferring from Great Western Railway to ScotRail have been confirmed by the rolling stock leasing company.
Fifty-four HST power cars will move to SR, at a rate of around four per month until November 28. Angel has also confirmed the 12 Class 43s staying with GWR to operate short HSTs in the West Country.
The first pair to move were 43021 and 43132 ( RAIL 834), which took a rake of Mk 3s to Wabtec Rail’s Doncaster facility overnight on August 31/September 1, and then continued to Craigentinny on September 1 and Aberdeen on September 3, where they will be used for training purposes. The next pair to leave will be 43033 and 43148.
SR is introducing 2+4 and 2+5 HST sets on routes serving Scotland’s seven cities, allowing for an improved journey quality for passengers, and an internal cascade of diesel multiple units.
The power cars moving to Scotland are 43003/012/015/021/ 026/028/030-037, 43124-152/ 163/164/168/169/175-177/179/ 181-183.
Those staying with GWR are 43005/016/024/040-042, 43170/ 186-189/192. These will be supplemented by power cars owned by FirstGroup to allow 11 short HSTs to operate. Those owned by First are 43092-094/ 097/098, 43122/153-155/158/ 194/198.
Angel Trains spokesman George Eddy told RAIL that the company will continue to explore “future opportunities for the residual number of HST” that will be left.
The Angel HST power cars that GWR will send off-lease are 43002/004/009/010/017/018/020/ 022/024/025/027/029, 43165/ 171/172/174/185/190-193.
Great Western Railway’s HST fleet is being replaced by Intercity Express Programme Class 800s from October, with Class 802s being introduced on West of England routes from next summer. The final GWR HSTs will be withdrawn in the second week of March 2019.
One possible home for the offlease HSTs could be GB Railfreight, where Managing Director John Smith has spoken of using an
Angel Trains has confirmed which Class 43s will be leaving Great Western Railway for ScotRail, which ‘43s’ will remain with GWR, and which ‘43s’ will be sent off-lease. This will mean some power cars that were delivered together when introduced in the 1970s will be split up. One such pairing is 43020 and 43021, which were delivered as 253010. The former will be sent off-lease, while the latter will transfer to ScotRail as one of the first two to move north. On August 14, 43020 leads the 0830 Penzance-London Paddington on the approach to Teignmouth. On the rear is 43021.