Porterbrook donates recordbreaking power car to 125 Group

Preservation beckons for second 148mph record holder

THE future of HST power car No. 43159 has been assured with its donation to the 125 Group by Porterbrook Leasing in June. It follows the handover to the NRM of the other power car involved in the record-breaking run, No. 43102, just a few weeks earlier. The pair attained 148.5mph between Darlington and York on November 1, 1987, a world diesel speed record which has yet to be beaten.

Currently stored at Burton,

No. 43159 is expected to be moved to the GCR(N) at Ruddington by road. It last saw service on April 7, 2019 as part of the GWR fleet, after which it ran under its own power with No. 43079 and eight coaches from St Philip's Marsh to Long Marston 14 days later. It was moved to

Nemesis Rail (Burton) on December 3, 2020.

During its 38 years in regular service, it saw action on a wide range of routes. Entering traffic as part of the ECML fleet in April 1981, it later saw use with CrossCountry, on the Midland Main Line (as part of both the regular fleet and with ‘Project Rio') and the Great Western routes with FGW and GWR.

The addition of No. 43159 to its fleet means that the 125 Group will be able to fulfil its wish of operating HST power cars with all the different power units which saw widespread use. No. 43159 will retain its MTU engine, working alongside No. 43044 (Valenta) and Nos. 43048/89 (VP185). All four power cars are planned to retain their main line certification.

■ No. 43044, which is destined to receive a Valenta power unit, has been repainted into InterCity ‘Executive' colours at Neville Hill, the first power car to carry this livery since 1992.

Commons (CC BY 2.0) Tony Hisgett/Creative Now owned by the 125 Group, No. 43159 has had an active career with multiple operators. While employed by First Great Western it was displayed at the National Railway Museum, York, during the Railfest event on June 7, 2012.