New ‘glamping’ use found for the EX-LNER ‘Let’s Go Round Again’ HST farewell tour Mk.3 coaches
THE RAKE of seven Mk.3s used by LNER to mark the end of HST operation in December 2019 has been saved from the scrapman – although it will be used for a glamping site by the new owner, rather than returning to operational use.
LNER’S HST set EC56 was re-liveried into blue and grey at Wabtec Doncaster by the operator ahead of a fourday farewell charity charter that ran across the entire LNER network in late December 2019, prior to the removal of HSTS from long-distance services on the East Coast Main Line.
The coaches, Trailer Kitchen Buffet First (TFKB) 40720, Trailer First (TF) 41118/170, Trailer Standard (TS) 42242/243, 42363 and Trailer Guard Standard (TGS) 44098, along with power cars 43206 and 43312 (renumbered back to their original fleet numbers of W43006 and E43112 respectively), were sent to Potters Group, Ely, for storage by Angel Trains. They appeared on a recent tender list issued by Angel Trains, although the Class 43s and all 33 of the Mk.3 coaches offered for sale have since been removed from an updated tender list. The two power cars are not included in the sale.
An Angel Trains source told Railways Illustrated that the seven blue and grey coaches would be moving to a site in Cambridgeshire where they would be prepared for their new role. EC56 was not one of the nine EX-LNER sets planned to be transferred to East Midlands Railway after they were retired from use on the ECML. This was due to the overall condition of the stock and its high mileage. Likewise, the two power cars, while repainted, were also not selected for transfer to EMR.
The LNER HSTS were formed of nine Mk.3s, however, only seven coaches from EC56 were used for the charter, with TS 42241/244 not re-liveried. These two coaches have since been scrapped.