Locomotive Class

Class 43

Class 43 Class: Class 43
Type: Diesel-Electric
Designer: British Railways
Weight: 70 tons
Purpose: High Speed Express Passenger

Information: HST Class 253 train sets were introduced on the Western Region in 1975. Subsequent success of design has seen the trains used through-out the Britain and still in use today. A modified XPT design was exported to Australia in 1982. Previously known as Class 253/254.

Details: Plans for an advanced passenger train network were introduced by British Railways management in 1970. These plans provided for electric Advanced Passenger Trains to be used through-out the network over the next 20-years. Class 43 High Speed Trains were a stop-gap measure to fill the void prior to the APT units being fully operational. While the APT project failed; the HST met with success never before seen in the history of British Railways.
Trial proto-type units were introduced to the public travelling from London Kings Cross to Newcastle along the East Coast mainline on August 2, 1973. The trial run introduced the nation to the idea of to the age of high speed train travel and attained the speed of 125-MPH en-route. The same prototype unit claimed the world speed record for diesel traction by reaching 140-MPH near Thirsk on the ECML on June 11, 1974.
Production of prototype units and matching Mk3 coach sets commenced immediately upon introduction of the prototype unit to the Western Region mainline running from Paddington to Bristol on May 5, 1975. A total of 197 locomotives were dispatched from BREL Crewe between 1976 and 1982. The Mk3 coaches were assembled at BREL in Derby.
Originally trains were intended to run in sets. Consequently they were originally numbered as DMU equipment; although individual numbers were used on locomotives. Originally the HST’s were numbered in the following series:

Set 252 – prototype
Set 253 – Western Region
Set 254 – Eastern Region

In early years, as individual locomotives went in for maintenance it was decided that retaining the sets made no economic sense as while one unit might be in service the other was automatically made redundant. In addition; success of the design and the failure of the APT project meant the sets would be introduced to other regions. Consequently a decision was made to use only their individual running numbers in the 43 class and abandon matched sets.
Over the years the HST trains have seen a great variety of colour schemes, from the original corporate blue /grey through the wide variety of colourful private train operator liveries introduced during the 1990’s. Many of these have been superseded or up-dated since introduction.
Expected life-span of the units as a stop gap measure was expected to be limited to twenty years. In 2010 many units are still fully operational and going on 35-years of service. Recent mechanical and coach interior refurbishment schemes applied to many units have guaranteed this now historic class of diesels another ten-year life-span.
A side note to the success of the design has to include the extensively modified, but externally similar 26-power car units and coach sets built for the province of New South Wales in Australia that were introduced in 1982.

John Faulkner

Class 43 Releases (36)

MODEL NO. LIVERY
Arriva Cross Country High Speed Train (Class 43)
Released: 2010 2011
43321 43285 Arriva Cross Country
B.R. Class 253 Inter-City 125 High Speed Train Pack
Released: 1980 1981 1982 1983
253005 B.R. Blue
B.R. Class 253 Inter-City 125 Train Pack
Released: 1988 1989
43072 43051 B.R. Inter City Swallow Grey
B.R. Class 43 Inter-City 125 Train Pack
Released: 1990 1991 1992 1995 1996
43066 B.R. Inter City Swallow
B.R. High Speed Train
Released: 2002 2003 2004
253036 (W43142 W43141) B.R. Blue
B.R. High Speed Train (Class 43 - Granite City - City Of Discovery)
Released: 2007
43040 43041 B.R. Inter City Swallow Grey
B.R. Inter-City 125 Train Pack
Released: 1984 1985 1986 1987
253028 B.R. Inter City
B.R. Intercity 125 High Speed Train (Class 43)
Released: 2008 2009 2010
W43055 W43054 B.R. Blue
B.R. Intercity Executive High Speed Train (Class 43 - John Wesley)
Released: 2008 2009 2010 2011
43103 43194 B.R. Inter City Swallow Grey
Class 253 HST Power And Dummy Power Car
Released: 1979
253001 B.R. Blue
Class 253 HST Power And Dummy Power Car - Intercity
Released: 1996
43154 43193 B.R. Inter City Swallow
Class 43 High Speed Train - Hornby
Released: 2006
43087 43155 Virgin Red
Class 43 High Speed Train - Maiden Voyager - Lady In Red 43063 43093 Virgin Red
East Midlands High Speed Train (Class 43)
Released: 2010 2011
43055 ? EM Blue
First Great Western High Speed Train (Class 43)
Released: 2009 2010 2011
43017 43192 GW Purple
First Great Western Trains High Speed Train
Released: 2002 2003 2004 2005
43042 43029 GW Purple & Yellow
First Great Western Trains High Speed Train (Class 43 - Great Western)
Released: 2005 2006 2007
43185 43192 GW Purple & Yellow
GNER 125 High Speed Train
Released: 1997 1998
43117 43118 GNER Blue
GNER 125 High Speed Train (Class 43)
Released: 1999 2000
43116 43117 GNER Blue
GNER High Speed Train (Class 43 - City Of Inverness - The Highlands)
Released: 2007 2008 2009 2010
43017 43192 GNER Blue
GNER High Speed Train (Class 43 - City Of Kingston Upon Hull - Aberdeenshire)
Released: 2007
43118 43115 GNER Blue
Grand Central Trains High Speed Train (Class 43)
Released: 2008 2009 2010 2011
? ? GC Black
Great Western Trains 125 High Speed Train (Class 43)
Released: 1999 2000 2001
43002 43124 GWT Green & Ivory
Midland Mainline 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Midland Pride)
Released: 1998
43058 43059 ML Blue Green
Midland Mainline High Speed Train
Released: 2004
43070 43069 ML White Grey & Blue
Midland Mainline High Speed Train
Released: 2005 2006 2007
43197 43196 ML White Grey & Blue
N.S.W.R. InterCity XPT Dummy Car (Aust)
Released: 1983
None N.S.W.R. Candy
N.S.W.R. InterCity XPT Power Car (Aust)
Released: 1983
None N.S.W.R. Candy
Network Rail Measurement Train Drive Units (Class 43)
Released: 2011
43013 43014 NR Yellow
Virgin 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Institution Of Mechanical Engineers 150th Anniversary 1847 - 1997)
Released: 1999 2000 2001
43092 43090 Virgin Red
Virgin 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Maiden Voyager - Lady In Red)
Released: 1998
43063 43093 Virgin Red
Virgin High Speed Train
Released: 2004 2005 2006
43065 43080 Virgin Red
Virgin High Speed Train
Released: 2005
43193 43103 Virgin Red
Virgin High Speed Train (The Red Arrows)
Released: 2002 2003
43042 43029 Virgin Red
Virgin HST Pack (Class 43)
Released: 2008r 2009r 2010r
43100 43101 Virgin Red
Virgin Trains High Speed Train (Class 43 - The Newspaper Society Founded 1836)
Released: 2008 2009 2010
43196 43162 Virgin Red

Class 43 Images (36)

Arriva Cross Country High Speed Train (Class 43)
Arriva Cross Country High Speed Train (Class 43) 43321 43285

B.R. Class 253 Inter-City 125 High Speed Train Pack
B.R. Class 253 Inter-City 125 High Speed Train Pack 253005

B.R. Class 253 Inter-City 125 Train Pack
B.R. Class 253 Inter-City 125 Train Pack 43072 43051

B.R. Class 43 Inter-City 125 Train Pack
B.R. Class 43 Inter-City 125 Train Pack 43066

B.R. High Speed Train
B.R. High Speed Train 253036 (W43142 W43141)

B.R. High Speed Train (Class 43 - Granite City - City Of Discovery)
B.R. High Speed Train (Class 43 - Granite City - City Of Discovery) 43040 43041

B.R. Inter-City 125 Train Pack
B.R. Inter-City 125 Train Pack 253028

B.R. Intercity 125 High Speed Train (Class 43)
B.R. Intercity 125 High Speed Train (Class 43) W43055 W43054

B.R. Intercity Executive High Speed Train (Class 43 - John Wesley)
B.R. Intercity Executive High Speed Train (Class 43 - John Wesley) 43103 43194

Class 253 HST Power And Dummy Power Car
Class 253 HST Power And Dummy Power Car 253001

Class 253 HST Power And Dummy Power Car  - Intercity
Class 253 HST Power And Dummy Power Car - Intercity 43154 43193

Class 43 High Speed Train - Hornby
Class 43 High Speed Train - Hornby 43087 43155

Class 43 High Speed Train - Maiden Voyager - Lady In Red
Class 43 High Speed Train - Maiden Voyager - Lady In Red 43063 43093

East Midlands High Speed Train (Class 43)
East Midlands High Speed Train (Class 43) 43055 ?

First Great Western High Speed Train (Class 43)
First Great Western High Speed Train (Class 43) 43017 43192

First Great Western Trains High Speed Train
First Great Western Trains High Speed Train 43042 43029

First Great Western Trains High Speed Train (Class 43 - Great Western)
First Great Western Trains High Speed Train (Class 43 - Great Western) 43185 43192

GNER 125 High Speed Train
GNER 125 High Speed Train 43117 43118

GNER 125 High Speed Train (Class 43)
GNER 125 High Speed Train (Class 43) 43116 43117

GNER High Speed Train (Class 43 - City Of Inverness - The Highlands)
GNER High Speed Train (Class 43 - City Of Inverness - The Highlands) 43017 43192

GNER High Speed Train (Class 43 - City Of Kingston Upon Hull - Aberdeenshire)
GNER High Speed Train (Class 43 - City Of Kingston Upon Hull - Aberdeenshire) 43118 43115

Grand Central Trains High Speed Train (Class 43)
Grand Central Trains High Speed Train (Class 43) ? ?

Great Western Trains 125 High Speed Train (Class 43)
Great Western Trains 125 High Speed Train (Class 43) 43002 43124

Midland Mainline 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Midland Pride)
Midland Mainline 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Midland Pride) 43058 43059

Midland Mainline High Speed Train
Midland Mainline High Speed Train 43070 43069

Midland Mainline High Speed Train
Midland Mainline High Speed Train 43197 43196

N.S.W.R. InterCity XPT Dummy Car (Aust)
N.S.W.R. InterCity XPT Dummy Car (Aust) None

N.S.W.R. InterCity XPT Power Car (Aust)
N.S.W.R. InterCity XPT Power Car (Aust) None

Network Rail Measurement Train Drive Units (Class 43)
Network Rail Measurement Train Drive Units (Class 43) 43013 43014

Virgin 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Institution Of Mechanical Engineers 150th Anniversary 1847 - 1997)
Virgin 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Institution Of Mechanical Engineers 150th Anniversary 1847 - 1997) 43092 43090

Virgin 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Maiden Voyager - Lady In Red)
Virgin 125 High Speed Train (Class 43 - Maiden Voyager - Lady In Red) 43063 43093

Virgin High Speed Train
Virgin High Speed Train 43065 43080

Virgin High Speed Train
Virgin High Speed Train 43193 43103

Virgin High Speed Train (The Red Arrows)
Virgin High Speed Train (The Red Arrows) 43042 43029

Virgin HST Pack (Class 43)
Virgin HST Pack (Class 43) 43100 43101

Virgin Trains High Speed Train (Class 43 - The Newspaper Society Founded 1836)
Virgin Trains High Speed Train (Class 43 - The Newspaper Society Founded 1836) 43196 43162


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Database

11,328 yearly Items over 57 Years.
4,069 individual Items.
3,707 Models.
362 catalogued Train Sets.
156 Train Packs.
820 Steam Locomotives.
497 Diesel Locomotives.
1,082 Passenger Coaches.
1,152 Freight Wagons.


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