125 Group marks Project Rio 20th anniversary with Midland Mainline repaint

Group has repainted preserved Class 43 high speed train power car 43159 into the later Midland Mainline ocean blue livery – as carried when it was used a Project Rio power car – to mark the 20th anniversary of the commencement of Project Rio on the Midland Main Line in May 2003. The power car was donated to the 125 Group by former owner Porterbrook in June 2021 on account of it being one of the two HST power cars involved in the world record-breaking diesel rail speed run, along with 43102, setting a maximum of more than 148mph just south of Northallerton on November 1, 1987.

Stood down from active service in 2019, the locomotive carried First Great Western deep blue livery, but the paintwork on the power car was in poor condition. The decision was therefore taken for 43159 to be repainted at its current home base on the Midland Railway – Butterley.

The owning group has stated that while the eventual intention is for the power car to be repainted into the Intercity Executive livery it wore during its speed record-breaking run, the opportunity was taken to repaint it into the Midland Mainline livery to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Project Rio this time. Project Rio was the name given to train services operated by National Express franchise Midland Mainline (now East Midlands Railway) between London St Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly, operating over the Midland Main Line, Erewash Valley Line and the Hope Valley Line at the request of the Strategic Rail Authority while work on the upgrading of the West Coast Main Line was being carried out. Project Rio operated between May 2003 and September 2004. The HST power cars used for the Project Rio were mainly former Virgin Crosscountry Class 43s, which were repainted into Midland Mainline’s ocean blue livery and given a name with a Rio theme. 43159 was one of the power cars involved in the project and was named Rio Warrior. The power cars used on Project Rio services also received the letter ‘R’ just above the fleet number to denote the services they had been provided for. The 125 Group said it hopes to hold a running day on the MRB at some point in June, featuring 43159 in its new guise, along with one of its other preserved power cars based on the railway.

The 125 Group owns four Class 43 HST power cars, 43044/048/089 and 43159, along with a number of Mk.3 HST trailer coaches and some Mk.3 locomotive-hauled coaches, with its stock concentrated at the MRB and the Nottingham Heritage Railway at Ruddington.

All power cars, with the exception of 43044 Edward Paxman, are based at the MRB. Ruddington-based 43044 is due to have an original HST Paxman Valenta engine fitted over the coming months to reunite the Intercity Executive-liveried power car with one of the engines originally carried by the HST power car fleet until they were re-engined in the early part of the 21st century.

All of the 125 Group power cars and Mk.3 HST coaches are still registered for main line running, with the group also currently working on the installation of Controlled Emission Toilet retention tanks to its coaches.

More information on the 125 Group can be found at www.125group.org.uk

Robin Stewart-smith Midland Mainline HST 43159 Rio Warrior leaves Chinley on the last day of MML HST operations over the Hope Valley Line on September 9, 2004. This power car is now preserved on the Midland Railway – Butterley by the 125 Group and has been repainted into the livery it carried during the Project Rio era.