Prototype HST & Scotrail 47765 running at GCR Nottingham this Saturday 27th May

Prototype HST 41001 & Scotrail Liveried 47765 at GCRN – ©125 Group & Mick Barstow

This Saturday 27th May, Prototype HST Power Car 41001 will be working passenger services at Great Central Railway (Nottingham), running top and tail with Scotrail liveried 47765. Coaching stock will be 125 Group’s sleek matching air-conditioned Mk3s, plus classic fresh air Mk2a coach 5376 coupled next to the class 47 locomotive.

Trains will operate to the ‘Yellow Timetable’ with departures from Ruddington at 1030, 1215, 1400 and 1545, the journey takes you almost 10 miles south along the former Great Central mainline to Loughborough High Level which has no station but gives a great view of the Midland Mainline and rolling stock inside Brush Locomotive Works. Each out and back trip takes 1 hour 22 minutes and tickets can be purchased from the friendly Guard on-board the train with fares of £12 Adult / £30 Family (2 Adult + 2 Children) which give unlimited rides all day!

Join us on Saturday and experience 41001’s marvellous original screaming Valenta engine, get out of the hot weather on our cool air-conditioned train complete with Buffet 125 serving hot bacon baps, hot dogs, cheese and ham toasted sandwiches, hot and cold drinks plus alcoholic beverages including wine and bottled ale. The 125 Group Sales Stand will also be open – buy your HST merchandise here.

GCR(N) is a great place to visit for the whole family, our Ruddington base features a hugely popular miniature railway providing rides, Railway Workshops, Model Railway and Road Transport displays courtesy of Nottingham Area Bus Society. Plus Rushcliffe Country Park provides a green children’s’ play area right next to the line. Car parking is available (sat-nav postcode NG11 6JS) and buses connect with Nottingham and Loughborough. Train formation and times provided in good faith but as always subject to operating conditions on the day. For full details on GCR(N) and how to get here, see website HERE.

Sir Kenneth on a Desert Island

Power Car 43002 ‘Sir Kenneth Grange’ leads GWR service 1A83 1000 Penzance-Paddington along the sea wall at Teignmouth, 21st December 2016. © D.Langham

125 Group Honorary President Sir Kenneth Grange is the guest on BBC Radio 4 ‘Desert Island Discs’ programme, at 11:15am on New Years Day. Sir Kenneth is of course eminent industrial designer of many things including the nosecones of both Prototype and Production High Speed Trains. The show will also be repeated during the week and should be available on the BBC iPlayer here www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b086l4zd

2016 has been a fantastic year for the HST and 125 Group, with many great events celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Inter-City 125, including St.Philips Marsh depot open day in May and HSTs@40 at Great Central Railway (Nottingham) in November, plus 41001’s many visits around the UK. Thanks to all of the railway industry folk and preservation volunteers who have toiled to organise the events and to everyone who has attended, raising funds for some excellent causes.

2017 promises to be an interesting year for the High Speed Train, with the first new replacement Hitachi units scheduled for introduction. If you are interested in HSTs and want to support our preservation cause then why not join 125 Group? Members receive our quarterly magazine ‘One Two Five’, packed with information and informed comment on mainline fleet developments plus the latest exciting news on our Prototype power car 41001. Join here: www.125group.org.uk/group-membership

Happy New Year from all at 125 Group!