Photo Collection Class 43 HST Intercity 125 Trains 31 Images

 31 Class 43 Intercity 125 HST Train Photos

The Class 43 HST trains, also known as the Intercity 125's, were introduced on to the British Rail network in the early 1970's.

Built at British Rail Engineering Ltd., Crewe Works, between 1975 and 1982, 197 sets were manufactured.  Initially the classes of power cars were designated '253' and '254'.

Officially, the Brel/Paxman Class 43 (HST) is the fastest diesel locomotive in the world with a maximum speed of 148 mph (238 km/h), though its speed in service is restricted to 125 mph (201 km/h).

*********************************

Class 43010 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43010 Intercity 125 in First Great Western livery waits at Didcot station, Oxfordshire.  A DB Schenker locomotive stands on a siding on the far right of the picture.

*************************************

Class 43023 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Rear Power Car 43023 Intercity 125 waits at Didcot station, Oxfordshire.

**************************************

Class 43033 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43033 Intercity 125, in First Great Western livery at Didcot station, Oxfordshire, en route to London Paddington.

************************************************

Class 43043 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43043 Intercity 125, in East Midlands Trains livery, waits at Wellingborough station, Northamptonshire.

*********************************************

Class 43043 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Close-up of Class 43043 Power Car at Wellingborough station, Northamptonshire.

******************************

Class 43044 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

East Midlands Trains, Class 43044 Intercity 125, powers through Wellingborough station, Northampton, heading north.

******************************

Class 43045 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Midland Mainline Class 43045 Intercity 125 in Meridian livery waits at Wellingborough station.

 

*********************************************

Class 43046 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Midland Mainline Class 43046 Intercity 125, 'Royal Philharmonic' stands at platform 1, Wellingborough.

************************************************

Class 43046 Nameplate
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Close-up of Midland Mainline Class 43046 nameplate, 'Royal Philharmonic.

******************************************

Class 43047 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

East Midlands Trains Class 43047 Intercity 125 passes through Wellingborough station heading for London St. Pancras.

************************************************

Class 43048 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

East Midlands Trains, Class 43048 Intercity 125, pulls away from Wellingborough station forming the rear power car of a train heading north.

****************************************************

Class 43050 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Intercity 125 Class 43050, in East Midlands Trains livery, enters Wellingborough station heading a train going north from St. Pancras.

*****************************************************

Class 43055 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Forming the rear of a train waiting at Wellingborough station, East Midlands Trains Class 43055 Intercity 125 is about to head north.

*******************************************************

Class 43058 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Close-up photo of the side of East Midlands Trains power car Class 43058 Intercity 125 standing at Wellingborough station.

*********************************************

Class 43066 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

Night photo of East Midlands Trains Class 43066 Intercity 125 waiting at Wellingborough before heading south to London St. Pancras.

*******************************************

Class 43066 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43066 passes through Wellingborough station heading north.

 

****************************

Class 43069 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43069 Intercity 125 in Midland Mainline 'Meridian' livery stands at platform 1, Wellingborough station.

**************************************

Class 43075 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

On a service heading north, East Midlands Trains Class 43075 Intercity 125, waits at Wellingborough station.

*************************************************

 

Class 43075 HST 
Photo: Charles Moorhen

East Midlands Trains Class 43075 powers into Wellingborough station heading towards London St. Pancras.

*******************************************************

Class 43079 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43079, in Intercity livery, enters Basingstoke station in the 1990's.
*********************************

Class 43081 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

East Midlands Trains Class 43081 Intercity 125 waits at Wellingborough station before continuing its run north.

*****************************************************

Class 43082 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

As the sun sets on Class 43082 Intercity 125, in Midland Mainline livery it stands at platform 1, Wellingborough station.

****************************************************

Class 43083 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

East Midlands Trains Class 43083 Intercity 125 photographed powering through Wellingborough station heading north.

********************************************

Class 43083 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

East Midlands Train Class 43083 Intercity 125 waits at Bedford for the all clear to proceed north.
*****************************************

Class 43089 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43089 in early Intercity 125 livery waits at platform 1, Wellingborough station, before heading north.
*****************************************************

Class 43089 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Looking totally different in East Midlands Trains livery, amid the long shadows of late afternoon, Class 43089 Intercity 125 thunders through Wellingborough station as can be seen by the exhaust smoke above the power car.

*********************************

Class 43098 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43098 in 'Swallow' Intercity livery makes a smoky start from Basingstoke station in the 1990's.
***********************************

Class 43116 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 43116, in early Intercity 125 livery, waits at platform 2, Wellingborough station, before continuing south to London St. Pancras.
*********************************************************

Class 43126 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

In 'Fag Packet' livery, First Great Western Class 43126 Intercity 125 stands at Didcot station, Oxfordshire.

***************************************

Class 43151 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

First Great Western train, Class 43151 Intercity 125, stands in St. Austell station, Cornwall, before continuing its journey to London Paddington.

************************************

Unidentified Class 43 HST
Photo: Charles Moorhen

Unidentified First Great Western Class 43 Intercity 125 about to enter Didcot station en route to the south-west.

***********************************

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Night Photo Class 220009 Voyager Cross Country Trains DEMU Banbury 2017

Class 220009 'Voyager' DEMU, Banbury Train Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Night photo of 'Cross Country Trains' Voyager diesel multiple unit Class 220 009 spotted waiting at Banbury station while heading south in January 2017.

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

 Blog Update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Photo BR Class 319372 EMU Thameslink Train Bedford UK 2017

Class 319372 EMU, Bedford Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Early night photo of electric multiple unit Class 319 372, commuter train, built at BREL York between 1987-88, in Thameslink Trains livery, photographed at Bedford station in 2017 waiting to proceed south.

By 2019 Class 319372 was running in the north of England, operated by Northern Rail.

 

 

First Hydrogen-Powered Train:

A Class 319-bodied train made history on the 30th September 2020, when it became the first hydrogen-powered train to run on the British railway network.

The train, carrying the number 799001, reached speeds up to 50 mph while completing a 25-mile trip in Warwickshire.

 

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Photo Class 66044 General Motors EMD EWS Diesel Loco Northampton 2014

Class 66044 EWS Diesel Loco, Northampton Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen 

Running north on the up line, General Motors EMD Class 66044 in English, Welsh & Scottish Railway livery spotted passing through Northampton station in 2014.

Class 66 diesel locomotive, Class 66044, was built in December 1998 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) and allocated to Toton TMD (Notts.).

At the time that this photo was taken Northampton station was still in the process of reconstruction, as can be seen by the temporary footbridge above the train.

Finished its operations for the day a London Midland Trains Class 350 stands on the station sidings in the background.

The new, modernised Northampton station was opened on the 12th January 2015, three months later than its proposed date.

More Class 66 Locomotive Images on 'Along These Tracks'.

Class 66005 at Wellingborough

Class 66013 & 66502 at Rugby (Scroll down for '66502' image)

Class 66086 at Didcot

Class 66086 and 66237 at Didcot

Class 66117 at Northampton

Class 66130 at Banbury

Class 66145 at Banbury

Class 66187 at Wellingborough

Class 66206 at Northampton

Class 66414 at Northampton

Class 66509 at Wellingborough

Class 66536 at Banbury

Class 66551 at Rugby

Class 66717 at Wellingborough

Class 66729 at Wellingborough 

Class 66765 at Wellingborough

Four Unidentified Class 66s Didcot.

Four Unidentified GBRF Class 66s Wellingborough

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Photo Class 350104 London Midland Trains Desiro EMU Rugby 2012

Class 350104 'Desiro' EMU, Rugby Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Class 350/1 350104 electric multiple unit (EMU), in London Midland Trains livery, (now West Midlands Trains) spotted in Rugby station on the 2nd of February 2012 just ahead of the dark clouds of an approaching thunderstorm.

Personally, I like the reflection of the storm clouds in the front window.

 

Class 350/1 350104 is a 4-car unit and the coach numbers for the set are as follows: 63764  66814  66868  63715.

Built between 2004 and 2005, there are 87 Desiro UK commuter trainsets in the class with 77 trains operated by London Midland Trains (now West Midlands Trains) and 10 are operated by TransPennine Express.

 

 

 

 Video Clip - Two Class 350 EMUs Passing at Bletchley Station

 

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

 Blog update:

Previous posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Night Photo Class 222011 Meridian DMU Train 'Honouring Our Veterans WW1 Centenary' 2016

Class 222011 Diesel Multiple Unit, Loughborough

Photo: Charles Moorhen 

East Midlands Trains Class 222011 is spotted at Loughborough station on the 30th August 2016 bearing the poppy decals, "Hounouring Our Veterans WW1 Centenary".

The Meridian diesel multiple unit carries the name, "Sheffield City Battalion 1914-1918".

Capable of a top speed of 125mph., the 5-car units were built between 2003 and 2005 by Bombardier in Derby and carry the coach numbers: 60251  60921  60631  60531  60171.

27 Class 222 dmu trainsets in total were manufactured made up of a mix of five and seven-car sets.  All 27 trains are operated by East Midland Trains and allocated to Derby.

 

 

News Update:

Seeing East Midlands Trains colourful livery of red, white, orange and red flashing along the railway tracks, will soon become a thing of the past.

Abellio will take over the East Midlands Trains franchise on Saturday 18th August 2019. 

The Class 43 HST Intercity 125 and Class 222 diesel multiple unit will gradually be phased out by brand new Hitachi trains that will be a variant of the bullet-nosed Class 800 bio-mode DMU.

The new trains will have a lavender livery and be branded with 'EMR' on both sides.


Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Photo Class 150102 Sprinter 2-Car DMU Train St. Austell Cornwall 2016

Class 150102 'First Group' DMU at St. Austell Train Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

In First Group Trains livery, at St. Austell station in Cornwall, Class 150102 is about to depart with a local service to Penzance in February 2016. 

150102 is one of fifteen Class 150/1 Sprinter diesel multiple units currently operating on Great Western Railway lines.

Throughout the UK rail network at present (June 2018) there are 48 Class 150/1 units in service.  Fifteen on the Great Western, thirty on the Northern and three on London Midland (now West Midland Trains).

Class 150102 was built between 1985/86 at BREL York and is allocated to St. Philip's Marsh (Bristol).

The unit coach numbers are as follows: 52102  57102.


Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Photo Well Worn BR Class 31101 Diesel Loco Northampton 1988

Class 31101 BR Diesel Loco, Northampton Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

In BR Blue livery, Class 31101 passes through Northampton station on the 27^th July 1988 hauling a rake of empty flatbed trucks. 

The locomotive was built in October 1958 at Brush Traction in Loughborough and originally numbered D5518 and allocated to Crewe TMD.

Although in 1988 the Class 31's were coming close to the end of their working lives on British Rail, they were still a fairly common sight on Northampton's sidings, or passing through the station on various freight duties.

An unidentified Class 31 diesel locomotive entering Northampton station in the 1980's

 

Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

 

Recorded in my old spotting notebooks I found that during a short time, over a two-day period in 1988, the following Class 31 locomotives were seen at Northampton and Bletchley stations.

Northampton: 31101 31317 31135 31112 31141 31205 31215 31420 31108.

Bletchley: 31166 31296 31306 31168 31434 31152 31284.

According to information provided on the Avon Valley Railway website, the locomotive was the first Class 31 to work passenger services on the Southern Region and as a Royal Train locomotive.

 

 

Class 31 Diesel Locomotive Historical Note:

Whilst hauling a train in which Queen Elizabeth II was travelling on 4th January 1961, D5667 (31240), broke down south of Cambridge.  

 

Two onboard Brush fitters, on hand to deal with any mechanical problems that may occur, were unable to fix the problem and a steam loco had to be sent for in order to rescue the stricken diesel adding over an hour to the completed journey.

 

Finally withdrawn from service on British Rail on the 11^th January 1993, Class 31101 escaped the fate of the scrapyard and, along with sister locomotive 31130 “Calder Hall Power Station”, has been preserved and resides on the heritage Avon Valley Railway at Bitton Station, Bath Road, Bristol, South Gloucestershire BS30 6HD.

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Photo The Southern Railway Tavern That Travelled On Rails

Southern Railway Tavern Coach, Waterloo Station

Tavern Coach at Waterloo With Exterior 'Brickwork'

A bar serving alcohol on a train has, in some guise or other, been a feature of railway travel for countless decades. But, imagine if it were possible to have not only a mere bar on your train – but a tavern! 

A real pub that ran on rails providing the same amenities as your local – beer, wine, spirits, bar snacks or a meal. Somewhere to relax, chat with friends or a work colleague in a convivial atmosphere while enjoying a drink on the way home after a hard day at the office.

Well, the notion of such a scheme is not as far-fetched as one might imagine. In fact, more than simply a fanciful idea, it was a reality for a time on the Southern Railway during what is now regarded by many as the 'golden age of steam'.

During the 1930's, New Zealand-born Oliver Bulleid was Chief Mechanical Engineer on the Southern Railway; during which time he designed such steam locomotives as the 'Merchant Navy Class', the 'West CountryClass', the 'Battle of Britain Class' and the somewhat ugly wartime austerity class of 'Q1's', in addition to two double-decker electrictrains and the ill-fated 'Leader' locomotive.

West Country Class Locomotive 34016 'Bodmin' Designed by Oliver Bulleid

Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

In addition to steam locomotives, he also designed coaches for the Southern Railway. And in 1949 he hit upon the radical idea of providing a better, classier refreshment car than those in use at the time.

Oliver Bulleid's idea was to create a tavern.

Between 1949 and 1951, Bulleid took the standard buffet/refreshment car and gutted the whole interior. He then furnished the entire carriage in a style similar to that of a typical English country tavern. It is believed that he modelled his 'tavern' on The Chequers Inn at Pulborough, Sussex.

Interior and Bar of a Bulleid Tavern car

Internally, the 'tavern' compartment consisted of a low ceiling with the addition of fake oak beams. Settles and benches abutted onto panelled or rough-rendered walls.

Long narrow leaded windows were set high up in the carriage sides and illumination came from miniatures of the carriage- lamp type; beloved of the 'semi-detached' middle classes of the time.

The bar, solely made from wood, provided everything a tavern, or inn, would offer; including draught and bottled beer.

All that was missing were the horse brasses and a blazing log fire in an open hearth.

Scale Model of a Bulleid Tavern Car Showing 'Brickwork', Leaded Windows and Pub Sign

The external decoration was a joy to behold. The usual Southern Railway paintwork was removed and replaced with a totally unique design. The outside of the coach was divided horizontally. The bottom half looked like brickwork, while the top half was coloured cream intersected by black timbering (much like that seen on the old wood panelled shooting-brake cars).

To top everything off, the cream and timber section displayed a pictorial pub sign panel with lettering saying, 'At the sign of the Jolly Jack Tar', (or 'At the sign of the White Horse/George and Dragon/Red Lion' etc.).

Four of 'Bulleid's Taverns' became a reality and were subsequently put into service.

On the whole the public enjoyed travelling and drinking in a 'pub-on-wheels'; however, there were dark clouds gathering on the horizon.

The 'Bulleid Taverns' became a hot topic for debate in the House ofCommons, where the majority of MPs denounced the unusual coaches as nothing more than “shoddy Tudoresque monstrosities”. A letter of protest, published in The Times, was signed by heads of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal College of Art, the Council of Industrial Design and the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

JamesCallaghan MP, who was at the time Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, went on to say that “nobody likes these tavern cars except for the public”. (A rather pompous remark when one considers that it was the public that were using them).

Regardless of the opinions of those in power, who had totally misjudged the popular mood, the taverns remained in service for around ten years with their interiors intact before being returned to the standard design of the time. The highly controversial 'brickwork' however was removed within a couple of years of entering service. (Pressure from above, maybe?).

Bulleid's Taverns may have been a bit outlandish, some may even say tacky; but they came at a time when Britain was devoid of colour and originality as it struggled to recover from the deprivation of the war years.

It seems a shame that no examples of the Bulleid Tavern survived to the present day. Perhaps our modern railways could have learned a thing or two about pleasing the public.

 

Bulleid Railway Tavern Coach on YouTube:

Tavern On The Train (1949). British Pathe.

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Photo Class 43126 Intercity 125 HST Cigarette-Packet Livery Didcot 2004

Class 43126 Livery Intercity 125 HST, Didcot Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Trainspotting First Great Western Trains, Class 43126 HST Intercity 125, built in June 1979 and allocated to Landore T&RSMD (Swansea), at Didcot station on the 6th October 2004, displaying the somewhat bizarre and none-too-popular 'Fag Packet' livery introduced around 1998.

The FGW train livery was apparently nicknamed by some enthusiasts 'Fag Packet', due to its resemblance to the packaging of a particular brand of Dunhill cigarettes, while others say it looked more like a packet of Golden Virginia rolling tobacco.

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

                                

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

A Look Back at Banbury Lane West Coast Mainline Signal Box 1988

Victorian Banbury Lane Wooden Signal Box Remembered

Wooden Banbury Lane Signal Box with Class 86 Loco Approaching
Photo: Charles Moorhen 

Former Banbury Lane Signal Box, and photographer location (red star next to railway line)            Courtesy: Google Maps

Back to the year 1988 for this photo of Banbury Lane signal box, as an unidentified Class 86 locomotive, in Intercity livery, storms towards it on the West Coast Main Line heading north on an overcast, gloomy day.

Situated on one of the oldest drovers roads in England, which is believed to have ran from Aust crossing on the River Severn to Northampton in the Midlands, Banbury Lane signal box was built by Saxby & Farmer and opened in 1878 for the London & North Western Railway.

On what was then the London & North Western Railway, it was the first signal box controlling a level crossing reached after leaving London's Euston station.

Banbury Lane Signal Box Levers
Photo: Charles Moorhen

The levers in the photo replaced the original Saxby & Farmer lever frame in 1891 with one of the LNW's own design.

Banbury Lane Signal Box Electronic Signalling Board
Photo: Charles Moorhen

The box was closed on the 13th September 1988 and demolished soon afterwards.

The level crossing itself is also no longer there (though some traces of it can still be seen); replaced by a bridge over the West Coast Main Line.

 


Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".

Photo Class 31 BR Blue Diesel Locos Double-Heading at Bletchley 1980s

Class 31 Diesel Locos Double-Heading Through Bletchley Station

Photo: Charles Moorhen

Trainspotting a pair of unidentified Class 31 diesel locomotives, in BR blue livery, double-heading a train through Bletchley station in the late 1980's heading in the direction of Northampton.

Please note that the platform canopy supports at the right-hand side of the picture still bear the colours of the former London Midland & Scottish Railway.

 

 

Class 31 Diesel Locomotive Historical Note:

Whilst hauling a train in which Queen Elizabeth II was travelling on 4th January 1961, D5667 (31240), broke down south of Cambridge.  

 

Two onboard Brush fitters, on hand to deal with any mechanical problems that may occur, were unable to fix the problem and a steam loco had to be sent for in order to rescue the stricken diesel adding over an hour to the completed journey.

                                              

Don't forget to subscribe to  'Along These Tracks' railway blog to get all new posts and updates sent directly to you.

Blog update:

Previous photo posts are now easier to find.  

All blog posts are now listed alphabetically on the right side of your screen; under the heading, 'Previous Photo Posts'.


"I hope this makes your search easier".