The world’s fastest diesel train – the InterCity 125 – is to appear at the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) in November.
It will star in the ELR’s Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Gala on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November, alongside heritage diesel railcars.
The Gala offers enthusiasts the chance to ride the High-Speed Train on its first visit to the East Lancashire Railway.
The Railway, which held its Summer Diesel Gala in June, runs from Heywood to Rawtenstall via Bury Bolton Street, Burrs Country Park, Summerseat, Ramsbottom and Irwell Vale.
The ELR designed the event to pay tribute to the British Rail in the 1970s and 80s, the period after the Beeching cuts closed many lines and stations.
Throughout this period, DMUs continued to serve the north west, leading the daily commute to major cities.
The Intercity 125 is an iconic High Speed Train, and set the world record for the fastest diesel train when it reached a speed of 148 miles per hour in 1987.
The train, which boasts a streamlined ‘cone shape’ design by Sir Kenneth Grange, helped British Rail to revive in the late 1970s, working most long-distance routes and many inter-city services to and from London.
The two Class 43 Power Cars (43089 / 43159) will arrive from Derby on Friday 8 November, courtesy of the 125 Group.
They will bring passengers to the Gala, and will be available to ride along the East Lancashire Railway throughout the weekend.
Other locos and DMUs will also operate during the Gala:
- Class 40, 40012 ‘Aureol’
- Class 50, 50015 ‘Valiant’
- Class 104
- Class 105 ‘Cravens’
- Class 122 ‘Bubblecar’
- Class 144 ‘Pacer’ as featured in the TV series ‘Sherwood’
“We are always looking to widen the range of guest locomotives visiting the East Lancs Railway that will appeal to a wide range of young and older enthusiasts. Our annual Diesel Multiple Unit Gala, this year, shines a light on DMUs, which are often overlooked as the support act.
“This year, courtesy of our friends at the 125 Group, we are excited to welcome the iconic InterCity 125 – also known as the ‘Journey Shrinker’. Who could forget those early adverts promoting the groundbreaking features of the 125 – check these out on YouTube.
“The opportunity to ride on board a world record breaking train is thrilling to any train enthusiast, and we expect tickets to be sold out for the event.”
Mike Kelly, Chair of East Lancashire Railway
Responses
Who’d have thought it? Enthusiasts used to HATE HSTs but now the word ‘iconic’ is used practically every time they are mentioned.
Everything becomes a classic with age…
Guilty as charged. In the 1970s, I hated the HSTs for taking away our beloved Westerns and Deltics, yet more recently, I have waited for a later train to ride in an HST rather than a Voyager (being over 6’ tall, Voyagers are not designed to fit me 🤣).
Same with me I have long legs and find that I am not designed to fit in some forms of public transport. I did managed to get jammed in a theatre seat last Thursday to such an extent that the person in front could not lower there seat, and after a bit of messing my seat was unbolted and I could unjam myself.
Nice to see an HST on the ELR, it will only be idling on the first notch when it runs.