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43068 at Warrington Bank Quay on 9 October 2001

Power cars

General Information

TOPS Class:

Class 41, Class 43, Class 252, Class 253, & Class 254

Nickname:

Trams

Numbers Carried:

Prototype - 41001 & 41002 Between 1972-1974.

Prototype - 43000 & 43001 Between 1974-1976.

Main stream - 43002-43198

Design:

British Railways

Construction:

1972, 1976-1982 by BREL at Crewe Works

Area of Use:

All Regions expect Anglia

Colours

Technical Details

Allocation History

Initial Allocations -

Bounds Green...............BN..........(13)
Craigentinny...............EC...........(9)
Derby RTC..................ZA...........(2)
Heaton.....................HT..........(17)
Neville Hill...............NL..........(39)
No fixed abode..........................(2)
Old Oak Common.............OO..........(42)
Plymouth Laira.............LA..........(34)
St. Phillips Marsh.........PM..........(41)

Final Allocation -

43000 and 43001 were allocated at Old Oak Common, or OO, upon withdrawal

Disposals Chronology

Withdrawal List

NOV 1976 - 43000/43001 (Forming Class 252 set 252001)
DEC 1998 - 43173
NOV 1999 - 43011

Cutting Up

Prototype Disposal - 43001 cut up by Booth Roe at Rotherham in December 1990.
First Production Disposal - 43011 cut up at Crewe Works on June 2002

Extra Notes

• When initially delivered the HST prototype was classified as two Class 41 locomotives hauling carriages. It was then decided to re-classify them as Class 252 DMU. When the production HST's were delivered, they emerged as Western Class 253 DMU's, and Eastern Class 254 DMU's. It took some time, but eventually it was decided to classify them as locomotives and coaching stock again, this time the HST locomotives taking the Class 43 designation.
• 43000 and 43001 were taken into departmental service, following withdrawal. Amongst their duties was to assist in the testing of the failed APT programme.
• Today, the ownership of the High Speed Train vehicles is split between Angel Trains, and Porterbrook.
• A number of serious collisions have befallen the HST's.
• A number of HST engines have at one time been replaced, using Mirlees or Paxman technology.
• They were seen anywhere on the InterCity network between Penzance to Inverness until September 2003.
• Virgin Trains was the first TOC to replace HSTs. The replacements were Classes 220 and 221 voyagers.
• A start of privatisation HSTs were operated by Great Western, Virgin Trains, Midland Mainline and GNER.

Preservation

Coaching stock