Intercity 125

[Arnold Cunningham]

My lad would love a go on an intercity 125. I believe there were some still running down in Cornwall, but it rather looks like they've just been withdrawn from service. Are there any in the UK still running anywhere that I could take him on?
Many thanks
Matt

[miniman]

If you join the UK HST Enthusiast Group on Facebook, someone posts up the weekly running schedules.

For instance:



Exeter to Penzance would be a lovely run, along the Dawlish coast and tunnels.

[2xChevrons]

I believe the only HSTs left running in service in the UK are now in Scotland - Scotrail uses short 4- or 5-car sets between Edinburgh and Aberdeen (maybe other routes too).

[MattyD803]

Particularly in this weather!

The other option (depending on where you live) is to get up to Scotland, where Scotrail still run a number of HST services.

[hidetheelephants]

If they've not broken down the Scotrail HST GTi can be found running between Glasgow and Edinburgh to Aberdeen and Inverness. They seem to have abandoned even the trolley service so you're out of luck if you want a refreshment and they look a bit tired considering they were supposedly renovated only a few years ago, performance is decent with the reduced consist though.

Edited by hidetheelephants on Wednesday 14th May 09:25

[miniman]

There’s also the rather more luxurious option.



https://midlandpullman.com/

[williamp]

There are smaller yellow ones in the depot at Derby which he might see out and about, but I think they are engineers trains.

[miniman]

williamp said:

There are smaller yellow ones in the depot at Derby which he might see out and about, but I think they are engineers trains.

The Flying Banana



https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/...

[bigpriest]

Or jump on a London freight working

https://youtu.be/mbGweRWEao0?si=-HNXW99ipU4OFW0p

[MitchT]

There's some running between Exeter/Plymouth and Penzance this week...
http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/locohauled15.html

Went Leeds to St Erth a couple of years ago. The HST on the Plymouth-St Erth leg was heaven after Leeds-Plymouth on a Voyager!

[Arnold Cunningham]

miniman said:

There’s also the rather more luxurious option.



https://midlandpullman.com/

I really like this - but I think my lad would rather poke round the power car!

Edited by Arnold Cunningham on Wednesday 14th May 14:16

[essayer]

Holiday to Mexico?




https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/...

[Panamax]

The scream of those big, Valenta V12 turbos was always astounding.

2 x 2,250 hp of diesel power to sling a 450 ton train 120 miles from Bristol to Paddington in about an hour.

[MattyD803]

essayer said:

Holiday to Mexico?

I believe a fair few also ended up in Lagos, Nigera to be used on their 'Mass Transit System'.

In photos i've seen, they rotated all seating to be 'down the sides' under the windows (like a tube train), presumably to increase standing room so they can get many more people into each carriage.

I wonder if they've had to modify the cooling system in either the Mexican or Nigerian sets to suit the higher operating temperatures....?

Edited by MattyD803 on Wednesday 14th May 16:37

[trevalvole]

Panamax said:

The scream of those big, Valenta V12 turbos was always astounding.

It was - I think they've now been replaced though, mostly with quieter MTU V16s.

[Panamax]

Here ya go, complete with V-shaped exhaust plumes and the huge racket of the rear locomotive, running at higher rpm than the front when departing a platform.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ-L5rEIMnQ

[POIDH]

I was on one recently to Inverness.
They sound great.
They have more space than most other express trains.
But, by heck they are wobbly, noisy, uncomfortable, old tools that it feels like ScotRail are winding down so that they can get shiny new...

[Earthdweller]

miniman said:

williamp said:

There are smaller yellow ones in the depot at Derby which he might see out and about, but I think they are engineers trains.

The Flying Banana



https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/...

This chap drives them and posts up videos of interesting/scenic routes from the cab

Plenty of big diesel noise

https://youtu.be/bJ7ADjD8nAU?si=yqn7L4VKsbTuvzJi

[MitchT]

essayer said:

Holiday to Mexico?




https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/...

Or Australia...

[hidetheelephants]

POIDH said:

I was on one recently to Inverness.
They sound great.
They have more space than most other express trains.
But, by heck they are wobbly, noisy, uncomfortable, old tools that it feels like ScotRail are winding down so that they can get shiny new...

They can't afford it; the money spent on the HSTs, much as I like them, should have been spent on some hybrids. They will need to limp on for at least another 5 years, possibly a decade and I can see Scotrail ending up with knackered old hybrids being cascaded northwards like the HSTs were 5 years ago as there's fk all chance of the govt doing what needs to be done and electrifying the lines to Aberdeen and Inverness as they're intent on pissing money away elsewhere.