I believe that the word ‘Iconic’ has become much overused in our language, being trotted out daily in the media to mark some insignificant event.
I think for something to be truly iconic, it should be meaningful and lasting.
The HST as been just that.
Born out of the necessity for finding something to replace the Advanced Passenger Train which was years before its time.
Now approaching their final days, the class 43’s have stood the test of time.
I think that it will live in the collective memory like Sir Nigel Gresley’s A4 or Sir William Stanier’s Black Five before it.
Friend Peter Rose and I have been photographing HSTs for many years and this short series of blogs are our joint tribute to it.
43002 ’First Great Western’ running as set No. 253 001, Inter-City 125, Sir Kenneth Grange.
BREL Crewe built Diesel Electric Power Car
on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
When the trains were first (no pun intended) introduced they were classed as either class 253 eight car sets for use on the Western Region of British Rail, or class 254 seven car sets for use on the Eastern Region of British Rail on the East Coast Main Line.
Sir Kenneth Grange was responsible for the exterior design and interior layout of the HST.
Pictured at Westbury, Wiltshire.
43049 ‘East Midlands Trains’.
BREL Crewe built Diesel Electric Power Car
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Operating an ‘LNER’ service, the power car being on hire.
Pictured at Montrose, Scotland.
43296 ’Virgin Trains’.
BREL Crewe built Diesel Electric Power Car
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Peter Rose has supplied these details.
‘East Coast’ was the ‘operator of last resort’ set up by the Department for Transport when ‘National Express’ gave up their franchise on the East Coast Main Line.
‘Virgin East Coast’ took on the franchise and this image is a Virgin service with the stock still carrying ‘East Coast’ livery but with the power car lettered for ‘Virgin’.
‘LNER’ is the current ‘operator of last resort’ having taken over from ‘Virgin’.
‘Virgin’ introduced the red livery which was later lettered ‘LNER’, and indeed ‘EMR’ when they took on some sets.
Pictured at Dunkeld & Birnam, Scotland.
43078 ‘First Great Western’.
BREL Crewe built Diesel Electric Power Car
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Pictured at Westbury, Wiltshire.
43357 ‘Cross Country’.
BREL Crewe built Diesel Electric Power Car
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Pictured at Duffield, Derbyshire.
43180 ‘Grand Central’.
BREL Crewe built Diesel Electric Power Car
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Pictured at Doncaster.
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