Farewell East Midlands Trains!

125 Group would like to say a massive Thank You to East Midlands Trains for 11 years of support and friendship, helping us grow from an enthusiast group into a fully fledged preservation group and registered charity, still the only one focused on the Inter-City 125.

Project Miller – our restoration of the National Railway Museum’s Prototype HST Power Car 41001 from static museum exhibit to fully working iconic treasure – received help from many companies in the railway industry but East Midlands Trains’ massive input hosting 41001 at Neville Hill and giving expert guidance was key. Three very special events ‘The Screaming Valenta’, ‘HSTs@40’ and ‘The Screaming Valentas’ all featured EMT HSTs running with 41001 at GCRN, providing entertainment to thousands of enthusiasts of all ages. Numerous other railtours, also run by volunteer EMT staff in their own time, took their HST fleet where no Inter-City 125 had gone before, all raising money for charitable causes including 125 Group, for which we are most grateful.

As East Midlands Trains draws to a close, we send best wishes to the excellent staff at all levels who are transferring to the new operator, starting a new exciting chapter with East Midlands Railway. We look forward to working with you in the future!

Farewell Bo’ness

Prototype HST 41001 meets Virgin Highland Chieftain HST at Manuel © Andy McLean

Prototype Power Car 41001 and 125 Group’s matching Mk3 coaches have been storming the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway all weekend, entertaining enthusiasts at the Summer Diesel Gala. 125 Group is grateful to everyone at the B&KR for giving us such a friendly welcome and for hosting a great event. Special thanks to all who came along, bought tickets and rode the trains, we hope you enjoyed the screaming historic HST as much as we did!

Our High Speed Train is now heading for home base, Ruddington on the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). Traction for the mainline transit should be Michael Owen’s splendid locomotives 20205 + 20189, hauling consist 12092 + 10206 + 11074 + 41001. Below is a summary of the planned non-passenger workings with live schedule links courtesy of Realtime Trains.

Monday 25th July 2016

5M20 08+40 Bo’ness Junction Exchange Siding – York Holgate via Linlithgow, Suburban Line, Millerhill, Drem, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Newcastle, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Eaglescliffe, Thirsk, York Avoiding Lines, arrive York Holgate 18+07. Note this movement is booked to be recessed in many loops for a great deal of time, see schedule for the full timing details. http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K91057/2016/07/25/advanced

Tuesday 26th July 2016

5M20 12+54 York Holgate – Hotchley Hill/Rushcliffe Halt via Milford, Pontefract Baghill, Swinton, Old Road, Chesterfield, Langley Mill, Loughborough, Leicester, Wigston North Jn (run-round/reverse), Leicester, Loughborough South Jn 18/06, booked to arrive Hotchley Hill/Rushcliffe Halt 18+38. http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K91057/2016/07/26/advanced

UPDATE: The class 20s are formed top and tail on the set, there is a possibility 5M20 may reverse at Loughborough South Jn at 1627 and run onto GCR(N) early missing out Leicester, subject to operating conditions at the time. 

The class 20s are then planned to part company with the HST and run light to Butterley. Power Car 41001 will then haul 11074, 10206 and 12092 as 5Z41 19+00 Hotchley Hill/Rushcliffe Halt – Ruddington.

Please note, as always, all of this information is provided in good faith but these movements, traction, consists and even routes taken can change at short notice on the day subject to operational constraints, the trains may run early or late or be cancelled.