Ex-LNER HST set bound for East Midlands is scrapped

One of nine High Speed Train sets that were planned to cascade from LNER to East Midlands Railway has gone for scrap without ever being used on the Midland Main Line.

Set NL59, previously EC63, had been stored at Gascoigne Wood for several months before moving first to Neville Hill and then to Long Marston. Owned by Porterbrook, the set was taken to Newport Docks for scrap on

November 4.

The nine LNER HSTs were moving from the East Coast

Main Line, where they had been displaced by Hitachi Class 800/801s, to take over from EMR’s High Speed Trains that did not meet accessibility requirements.

Although the LNER sets also failed to meet the regulations that came into force from January 1, they were seen as more compliant because of their modern interiors and passenger information systems.

However, the condition of the nine sets meant their entry into service was delayed, and by the summer only three had been used by EMR. It’s planned that five will be used from the December timetable, and that these will remain in traffic until May 2021.

At this point, EMR should be able to use Class 222s in their place, following the entry into service of Class 360 electric multiple units cascaded from Greater Anglia on the newly electrified Corby route.

Forming NL59 was Trailer Kitchen Buffet First (TKFB) 40708, Trailer First (TF) 41083, 41159, Trailer Standard (TS) 42130, 42228, 42322 and Trailer Guard’s Standard (TGS) 44050.

JACK BOSKETT. Class 50 Alliance 50007 Hercules, hired to GB Railfreight, approaches Homedowns Crossing (near Ashchurch) on November 4, hauling redundant former LNER Mk 3s from store at Long Marston for scrapping at Newport. This rake of stock was destined for East Midlands Railway but was never used.