World’s fastest passenger diesel donated to National Railway Museum
THE High Speed Train power car which holds the world speed record for a diesel train carrying passengers, has been repainted in its original Intercity Swallow livery for presentation to the National Railway Museum (NRM).
Class 43 No. 43002, which is operated by East Midlands Railway (EMR) and owned by Porterbrook, has been restored to its original identity of No. 43012, in which it set the record of 148.5mph on the East Coast Main Line between Northallerton and York on November 1, 1987, trailed by No. 43159.
HSTs are being withdrawn from the Midland Main Line after 39 years and when No. 43102 comes out of service in May, it will be donated to the NRM, joining power car No. 43002 Sir Kenneth Grange, which on October 21, 2019, was presented to the museum by Angel Trains and Great Western Railway.
It was officially named after the train's designer who created the iconic wedge-shaped nose cone.
EMR fleet director Neil Bamford said: “The team at our Neville Hill depot in Leeds has been working hard behind the scenes to strip unit No. 43302 of its current livery, repaint it in its legacy colours and reinstate its original number in homage to the ‘end of the HST' era.
“What an incredible way to pay tribute to the HSTs and the magnificent efforts from all our staff, who have operated and maintained the fleet over the years.
“I personally remember as a 19-year-old, way back in 1980, going on HST commissioning runs from Derby to Darlington, putting the trains through their paces and doing various tests before they entered into service – such happy memories.
“This is a fitting way to recognise the end for this iconic machine; a massive slice of railway heritage and history.”
Porterbrook fleet services director Neil Foster said: “These trains are much loved by the millions of passengers they have carried over the decades. With their reputation for comfort and speed these icons of British engineering reinvigorated rail travel between Yorkshire, the East Midlands and London.”