Inter-City 125

Valenta Returns to Scotland!

41001 Crossing the Border 21st July 2016 ©125 Group

Prototype Power Car 41001 is now in Scotland, its first visit in preservation, together with 125 Group’s matching Mk3 coaches passed over the border on the ECML at Marshall Meadows at 1801 this evening. The historic HST is heading for the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway where it will be starring in their Summer Diesel Gala this weekend. The transit is running under schedule 5S20 12+14 York Holgate Sidings – Bo’ness Junction Exchange Siding hauled by superb locomotives 20189 + 20205. Follow progress courtesy of Realtime Trains here: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K91057/2016/07/21/advanced.

At the time of posting (2030 Thu) the convoy is running 76 minutes early passing Polmont, having been routed via Edinburgh Waverley station instead of the planned Suburban line. The train is expected to run through to Cadder Loop as booked, we can not be sure if the early running will be maintained or not.  Once at Bo’ness Junction Exchange Siding, the Class 20s will propel the train down the link line and are then expected to haul the HST to Bo’ness itself.

Join us at the B&KR Summer Diesel Gala this weekend and experience 41001’s fantastic Paxman Valenta engine, the screaming type originally fitted to all Inter-City 125s. The HST will be working passenger trains on all three days Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th July. More information, including ticket prices and a link to the special timetable and LOCOMOTIVE ROSTERS are available at the B&KR website HERE.

Welcome to 125 Group

A warm welcome to 125 Group, especially if you have come here after seeing us on TV! We are the High Speed Train Inter-City 125 enthusiast and preservation group, formed in 1994 by a small band of enthusiasts with the aim of sharing news and information on the fleet. Our objective is to preserve a production HST powered by the original Valenta engine, to this end we have acquired a large number of major components. Through this work and our restoration of 41001 we have developed a good relationship with the railway industry and grown to over 400 members. We have recently become a registered charity and are delighted to have 125 designer Sir Kenneth Grange as our Honorary President.

125 Group took the last surviving prototype HST power car 41001 on long term loan from the National Railway Museum in 2012 and under the ‘Project Miller’ banner, in honour of the BR Chief Engineer behind the original HST, we restored it from a static exhibit to full working order for use on preserved railways. In recognition of this we were pleased to be presented with the Railway Heritage Committee 2014 Modern Traction Award. Thanks to our benefactors, volunteers and the kind help of the railway industry, 41001 is now a regular performer at its home base the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). 125 Group is owner of three Mk3 coaches, which we have repainted in matching livery, hauled by 41001 recreating the look of the Prototype HST. Our team of twenty active volunteers maintain and operate the train, including a buffet bar serving drinks and delicious hot food prepared on-board.

This website has a wealth of information about the HST, here you will find up-to-date Operating Diagrams and Power Car Fleet List, plus news about future operating dates for our Prototype HST. We also have a wide range of 125 related items on sale in our On-line Shop, including mugs, DVDs, professionally produced artwork and official HST 40 YEAR merchandise.

Join Us! We are delighted to welcome new members who are interested in HSTs and wish to support our cause. Members exclusively receive our quarterly magazine ‘One Two Five’ which is packed with news stories about current mainline operations and detailed behind the scenes information on our preservation progress. Join now on this website, membership is only £17 for 12 months.

New Hitachi IEP units are being built and tested NOW, with introduction planned next year. Some HST withdrawals are very likely in the near future and 125 Group is ready to step in and save at least one power car from the scrapyard. We have launched our ‘Direct Debit’ scheme to help boost our preservation funds, donate from £5 per month and receive free subscription to 125 Group.