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

Hybrid HSTs @40 – Saturday 19th November

EMT and Prototype HSTs ©125 Group

Saturday 19th November will see a special hybrid High Speed Train operating public services at Great Central Railway (Nottingham) to celebrate 40 Years of the iconic Inter-City 125. For this charity event, East Midlands Trains are kindly lending two of their power cars and two Mk3 coaches, funds raised will benefit 125 Group and Railway Children. The special HST formation will consist of an EMT power car at one end of the train, Prototype power car 41001 at the other, and coaches from both EMT and 125 Group in between, the first time such a combination has ever been seen. The hybrid HST will work public trains over the former Great Central Mainline, through the scenic Nottinghamshire countryside, making four return trips between Ruddington and Loughborough High Level. Confirmed Timetable below.

‘Buffet 125’ on-board our Mk3 RFM coach 10206 will be serving hot bacon rolls and burgers, hot and cold beverages plus alcoholic drinks including real ale. The 125 Group sales stand will also be open on the train, selling HST merchandise including badges, power car artwork and DVDs. Tickets are available on-line or on-board, reduced fares apply for 125 Group and GCRN members on production of a valid membership card, also for EMT staff with ID. 1st Class Upgrade available on the day. The second EMT power car will be on display all day at Ruddington, open for cab visits in return for a donation to Railway Children who will also have Xmas cards and other items for sale during the day. We are also expecting some special guests who were part of the original HST story 40 years ago and between 1115 and 1145 there will be an unveiling of a ’40 YEARS’ plaque, sponsored by 125 Group, on an EMT power car to mark this important anniversary year. More on the event, tickets and location here: www.gcrn.co.uk

We are very grateful to East Midlands Trains for their kind support. We hope you can join us and celebrate 40 years of the Inter-City 125 High Speed Train, the UK’s most successful train, while raising funds for Railway Children which does such great work fighting for street children abroad and at home. More information on Railway Children here: www.railwaychildren.org.uk