Two HST power cars are revived on same day

TWO CONSECUTIVELY numbered and Class 43 HST power cars were started for the first time in preservation on November 21 after attention from their new owners.

Firstly, 43081 was coaxed back into life at Crewe Heritage Centre (CHC), having been inactive for the past 18 months.

It is planned that the power car will be started periodically to keep it in good order, but there are no current plans for it to move from Crewe on loan.

As exclusively revealed in our sister title, Rail Express, 43081 – the 8000th locomotive to be built at Crewe Works – was donated the heritage centre by Porterbrook, arriving at its new home in mid-september.

It is considered to be in good condition.

CHC is also home to 43018, which has been cosmetically restored to original blue, grey and yellow livery, but the power car has been heavily stripped internally and will remain a static exhibit.

At the Colne Valley Railway, volunteers from 125 Heritage also successfully revived the first of its trio of HST power cars – 43082 – on the same date, with the power car being taken on a trip along its new home railway coupled to 43073, which has not yet had its engine started since arriving on the CVR. As with 43081, this was the first time 43082 was successfully started following it coming off lease with East Midlands Railway.

125 Heritage also own former Gwr-leased 43071, but it is believed this will be the last of the group’s power cars to be reactivated.