MKIIIs

125 Group’s three MkIII coaches, FO 11074, RFM 10206 and TSO 12092 made a trouble-free journey yesterday from Ruddington on the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) to Kilmarnock. The movement ran as planned with prototype power car 41001 hauling the coaches from Ruddington to Rushcliffe Halt, from where 56301 and 56098 took over for the run to Scotland, under the charge of Rail Operations Group. The coaches are now safely delivered to Wabtec Rail Scotland’s works where they will be spending the next few weeks, including a visit to the paint-shop. The train operated under schedule 5Z56 09+08 Hotchley Hill to Kilmarnock, running as booked via Leicester, Nuneaton, WCML, Carlisle and Dumfries. Sincere thanks to our friends at GCR(N) and ROG for ensuring the movement went smoothly and to Wabtec Rail Scotland for having us at Kilmarnock.

The MkIIIs are owned by 125 Group and we are looking forward their return to GCRN in the New Year when they will look very different! To find out more, join up as a member of 125 Group and receive our members’ only magazine ‘One Two Five’, packed full of detailed information on our preservation activities and news on the mainline HST fleets. Membership fees and donations all help towards our aim of preserving a production Inter-City 125 High Speed Train. www.125group.org.uk

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