Paxman Power Super Saturday

41001 Soapy-suds ©125 Group

Join us tomorrow Saturday 19th November at Great Central Railway Nottingham for HSTs@40, a unique celebration of the Inter-City 125 High Speed Train. Featuring public runs by Prototype Power Car 41001 with its screaming Paxman Valenta engine, working trains together with East Midlands Trains’ Paxman VP185 powered power car 43048 ‘T.C.B. Miller MBE’.

Preserved 41001 has been receiving a wash and brush up ready for the big day. The visiting East Midlands Trains power cars and coaches will be running empty from Derby Etches Park depot on Saturday morning to GCRN Ruddington, and back again late afternoon. Schedules and links to live reporting courtesy of Realtime Trains below:

5Z01 07+34 Derby Etches Park – Hotchley Hill / Rushcliffe Halt which will continue to Ruddington:
www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J72427/2016/11/19/advanced

5Z02 17+05 Hotchley Hill /Rushcliffe Halt which will start from Ruddington at 16+30:
www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/J72426/2016/11/19/advanced

A charity raffle will take place on-board, with exciting prizes including a cab ride on 41001, two 1st class tickets with East Midlands Trains, a first class ticket for a forthcoming Branch Line Society railtour plus many more!

Power Car 43082 will be on display at Ruddington and open for cab visits for most of the day. Funds raised from the event will benefit charities Railway Children and 125 Group. Services operate between 1000 and 1552, trains will feature Buffet 125 serving hot and cold food including bacon and sausage breakfast baps, hot dogs and burgers. Hot and cold drinks plus real ale will also be available. The full timetable is available at www.125group.org.uk with further details of the event at www.gcrn.co.uk

Passenger debut for Mk3 Coach 12087

125 Group Mk3 TSO 12087 arrived at Ruddington GCR(N) having just worked its first passenger train in preservation, the 1800 ‘Firework Spectacular Special’ from Rushcliffe Halt, 04/11/2017. © James Trebinski

125 Group is delighted to announce successful entry to passenger service of Mk3 coach Tourist Standard Open (TSO) 12087, which our volunteers have restored to working order in just over two months since it arrived at Great Central Railway (Nottingham).

12087 ran as part of the consist for the Guy Fawkes weekend GCR(N) Firework Spectacular services on Saturday 4th November, bringing local folk from Rushcliffe Halt to Ruddington for the evening firework display and taking them home again after the event. Passengers enjoyed the deep cleaned saloon, working air-conditioning / heating and air-powered internal doors, not to mention the silky smooth ride of the Mk3!

Restoration has also included roof repairs, replacement brake distributor, electrical work including a new set of batteries, air and electrical systems testing, new buckeye coupler and new vestibule carpets. Efforts will now turn to vehicles 12065 and 12134, which were purchased at the same time, and like 12087, had previously been in storage for many years.

Thankyou to everyone who has recently bought merchandise from our on-line shop, joined 125 Group, or signed up to our Direct Debit regular donations scheme. All of these contributions are greatfully received and go towards our restoration efforts and long term aim of production HST preservation.