Who we are
125 Group is the largest and oldest HST interest group and primary preservation organisation and the only Charitable organisation promoting the memory of the High Speed Train.
Over the last few years, we have obtained a small fleet of HST vehicles, comprising five power cars and nine trailers, together with some loco-hauled support vehicles and have these across two sites in the East Midlands currently where we are keeping them fully maintained and fit for operation on Network Rail tracks. We continue looking to operate public services and display events to support our charitable aims, together with giving members and enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the HST in its earlier slam-door format.
In addition to our fleet, we have a large collection of spare parts for all vehicle types, and an increasing archive of historic and technical details and photographs. Many of these were acquired during fleet re-power projects, and when HSTs ceased to use some of the former key depots.
Since its creation in 1994, 125 Group has grown from a small information group for those interested in HST operations, to a fully-fledged preservation group. We have already successfully transformed the National Railway Museum’s prototype HST power car into a working exhibit for the first time in thirty years, then gone further by recreating a prototype train and carrying passengers on preserved lines – something we were able to do for five years. This gave us great experience in working on and maintaining HST vehicles and the return of the power car to the National Railway Museum coincided with the start of our preservation adventure with our own production vehicles.
Our quarterly group magazine ‘One Two Five’ keeps members informed about the latest happenings with our own vehicles as well as containing news, features, information and photographs from the remaining InterCity 125s left in public service.