43002

Happy 90th Birthday Sir Kenneth!

Illustrious Inter-City 125 Designer and 125 Group Honorary President Sir Kenneth Grange celebrates his 90th Birthday today (17th July).

Grange’s prolific work in Industrial Product Design over half a century has included Kenwood food mixers, Kodak cameras, Anglepoise lamps, Parker pens and the TX1 London taxi cab, however the creation which has given him most pleasure is the Inter-City 125. This instantly recognisable design has endured for over 40 years, its iconic nosecone becoming the defining image of an express train both in the UK and around the world in countries which have never seen a 125.

Knighted in 2013 for services to design, 125 Group was delighted in May 2014 when Sir Kenneth became our Honorary President, he has been actively supporting us on-board railtours and at fund-raising events ever since.

Inter-City 125 liveried power car 43002 which carries the name ‘Sir Kenneth Grange’ is on display at Swindon STEAM Museum today and tomorrow only (17/18th July), launching a six month exhibition of GWR High Speed Train nameplates. Withdrawn from service, 43002 is eventually making its way into retirement at York National Railway Museum.

Sir Kenneth Grange himself however, now in his ninth decade, is still practising and lecturing today. Happy Birthday Sir Kenneth from everyone at 125 Group!

GWR Inter-City 125 Farewell

Sir Kenneth Grange with his namesake power car 43002 before departure of the last HST service train from Paddington.  ©125 Group

This evening Great Western Railway celebrated the end of High Speed Trains serving Paddington after 43 years. Introduced in 1976, the Inter-City 125 was an immediate success and transformed long distance rail travel in the UK.

The event was marked by the last four HST services being lined up side by side in platforms 1 to 4, with the final 125 formed of power cars 43198 and 43002 working the 1830 to Exeter St.Davids. Sir Kenneth Grange, designer of the High Speed Train and 125 Group Hon President was VIP guest at Paddington and travelled on the final service. Thank you to GWR for working so hard behind the scenes to mark this historic occasion in style!

Now in our 25th year, 125 Group is the High Speed Train preservation group, our aim is to preserve at least one production class 43 power car and reinstall the original Valenta engine type. For the past seven years we have been custodians of the National Railway Museum’s prototype HST power car 41001, which we restored to working order with funds raised by us and the kind help of the railway industry.

Help us achieve our goal of preserving an Inter-City 125. Sign up to our monthly donation scheme HERE, which includes free membership with four quality exclusive magazines delivered to you each year, detailing our preservation efforts and with informed articles on the current HST scene.