125 Group is proud owner of three MkIII coaches, FO 11074, RFM 10206 and TSO 12092, based at Ruddington on the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). Tomorrow the vehicles will be making the journey north to spend Christmas and Hogmanay in Scotland.
All being well, they will set off from Ruddington at 0700 (Fri 11th Dec 2015) hauled by Prototype HST power car 41001 as far as Rushcliffe Halt. After some shunting, the vehicles will depart in the charge of Rail Operations Group, hauled by locomotives 56098 and 56301, running via Leicester, Nuneaton and the West Coast Mainline to Carlisle and through to Kilmarnock.
Since acquiring 11074, 10206 and 12092 in March this year, 125 Group volunteers have toiled to restore the coaches to full working order. All electrical systems have been reinstated, including new batteries, replacement motor alternator, circuit and relay overhaul and replacement. Air-conditioning systems have also been brought back to life plus the RFM kitchen has been overhauled for culinary use and of course all coaches have received a deep clean. The vehicles normally operate with our Prototype HST Power Car 41001 on GCR(N).
For more information on our MkIIIs and 41001, check out the 125 Group website. Join us as a member and help us raise funds to preserve a production Inter-City 125 High Speed Train. www.125group.org.uk