East Midlands Railway, alongside Porterbrook, have today unveiled HST Powercar No. 43302 into Intercity Swallow livery and has reinstated its original number, 43102.
The 43s will be retired by East Midlands Railway after 39 years of service in May 2021, making way for newer trains to operate services.
43102 is a famous power car, having broken the Intercity World Speed Record in November 1987 when it ran at 148.5mph between Northallerton and York.
43102 was renumbered 43302 by its previous operator, London North Eastern Railway, but has today regained its original number and livery that it carried when it broke the world record.
When the Powecar is retired in May, it will be donated by owners Porterbrook to the National Railway Museum in York, and will join 43002 ‘Sir Kenneth Grange', which has been preserved in York after being withdrawn from service with Great Western Railway.
Neil Bamford, Fleet Director for EMR said: “The team at our Neville Hill depot in Leeds have been working hard behind the scenes to strip unit 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.”
Neil Foster, Fleet Services Director for Porterbrook said: “EMR and Porterbrook have worked closely together for many years to collaboratively manage the iconic HST fleet, these trains are much loved by the millions of passengers they have carried over the decades.
“Today's event was a great way to mark the role played by HSTs in transforming the Midland Main Line into one of Britain's premier rail routes. With their reputation for comfort and speed these icons of British engineering re-invigorated rail travel between Yorkshire, the East Midlands and London.
“Celebrity power-car 43102 will proudly display its original livery whilst it continues to serve EMR passengers, before undertaking its next journey to a new home at the National Railway Museum to be reunited with Sir Kenneth Grange.”
What do you think of the livery? Let us know in the comments below!
Where Next?
RAILADVENT NEWS
The latest railway news
FREE NEWSLETTERS
Signup to our daily and weekly newsletters
RAILADVENT SHOP
Railway Prints, DVD's / Blu-Ray's, books and more
LOCOSTOP COMMUNITY
Come and share your railway pictures
UK STEAM INFO
Upcoming mainline steam tours/loco movements
East Midlands Railway
Visit their website
I still can’t get over their retirement…
I wonder east midlands railway will do a last intercity 125 railtour
Absolute classic livery and so much better than any other liveries carried by HSTs. Well done Porterbrook and the staff who did the relivery. Look forward to seeing it at the NRM when next in York.
Where can we see it, What route will it run before withdrawal?
Brilliant news.
This has always been my favourite livery and the HST is my favourite train, so this is a great combination and historic too.
Looks very smart
I am pleased to see that some of these wonderful machines will be saved and this particular machine is in the best livery ever carried, I just hope that national railway museum doesn’t decide to do the same as they done with class 50 glorious in a few years time they deserve a place in history after the Sterling service they have given us.
I quite like the livery. It is classy and not garish like many others nowadays. Class and restraint should be the norm, a bit like the GWR trains. Everything flashy, not only in the world of trains, can quickly become vulgar, as, alas, the world is today.
It Great News the more the better long live HSTs
Had to be in “Swallow”, due to its historic significance. Couldn’t be in any other livery really. Well done all for a super job.
swallow is definely the best hst livery
Neville Hill have done a fabulous job! I can’t wait to see it!
We travelled behind the hst in super mk 3 coaches, so we should at least have two of them in the mix.
I like the intercity lively very much
hello all, will this be something that I jut have to wait about on the station to see, or is there a timetable for it? if so, when will it enter service and when will it end, so I can wait at my station to see it. Thanks.
The livery for 43102 is summed up in one word “Iconic”. It befits the whole HST fleet that contributed so much in taking rail travel to the next level in the UK. Fitting that the record holder for diesel traction is to be preserved. Well done to all involved in this project.
It looks fantastic! I just wish that modern intercity trains looked as good – and was as comfortable.
Great work by the people at Mantrain at Neville Hill.
A great tribute to the speed record. This brings back special memories for me because I was one of the test engineers on-board on that day 1st Nov 1987. The tests were being carried out to assess the new design SIG bogies that were eventually fitted to the Mk4 coaches a couple of years later. We were running between York and Darlington increasing the speed on each run, the record 148.5mile/h was attained running southbound near Beningborough, but the brakes had to be applied pretty sharpish before Skelton Bridge to bring the speed down for Poppleton Junction and into York. HAPPY DAYS !!!!!
I think this icon livery is the best as when I was growing up I remember it well, can’t wait to visit this when at York railway museum next… Good work neville hill depot… 👍
I love the livery and it looks beautiful but most of all I want to thank you all for keeping the legacy of these fantastic trains going I remember seeing them rolling into Peterborough station in GNER, National Express, East coast, Virgin East coast, LNER.
Would be more authentic in original Blue/Grey colours.
That is the exact livery it wore when it broke the world record. So it is very much authentic.
I’ve Always been fond of this British Rail Intercity Livery… To Me, it’s A Classic of A Livery/Paintwork…
It’s Great this Livery (as well as the Classic BR Blue & Yellow Livery) has been chosen, to mark not only the end of this infamous Power Car Loco’s Career on the Mainline, but also the Beginning of it’s New Lease of Life & Role within Preservation.
The UK Preservation Movement (as with the Railway Heritage Industry) Definitely needs some ex-BR Intercity 125 Express sets, Especially to Roam Heritage (Preserved ex-Cross Country) Railways & Play A Vital Role in Keeping Alive the History & Legacy of these Iconic British Passenger Express Trains,
Of whom are indeed A firm favourite, of all the kinds of Classic Passenger Train Designs put-together.
The NRM (York) must be so proud to have an Intercity Power Car (or 2) within the National Collection.
Fantastic to see this power car back to its former glory.
I was, a driver with GWR at London Old Oak Common depot from 1989 till around 2005.
Lots of HSTs we had along with other traction. Class 50s, 47s and the DMU.
Best part of my railway career was at Old Oak Common.
Still a driver with over 40 years service now but on the freight side now at Inverness.
The HSTs were a huge improvement on what went before, unlike their replacements. The livery brings back good memories.
I remember HSTs coming into service, they looked great but couldn’t beat the sound of the Deltic, still can’t!!