Valenta HST action, 24/06/09.

My first and possibly only Valenta hunt for 2009. We start with Grand Central and board the 11:27 Kings Cross - Sunderland with Valenta duo 43 080 and 43 065. We bail at York for the National Railway Museum and head straight for the viewing balcony where we see another Grand Central HST arriving at York with the 12:30 Sunderland - Kings Cross service.

We then move into the museum to see some of the exhibits which included 'Deltic' 55 002, D9000, the frame from 4472 'Flying Scotsman', D1023, 31 001, 46229 'Duchess of Hamilton' - recently restored to original streamlined condition, the motor brake from 4SUB EMU 1293, another Valenta power car in the form of prototype 41 001, 87 001, Q1 class No.33001 and class 76 No.26020, Merchant Navy class 35029, GWR 'Prairie' 5521, King class No.6000 'King George V', 4468 'Mallard', the motor brake from 4COR EMU 3131, Battle of Britain class 34051 'Winston Churchill' and finally LMSR 'Black Five' No.5000.

Next we sampled a delightfully wedged four car Cross Country Voyager to Sheffield and then a 158 on to Nottingham for what is now a very rare Valenta bash on the Midland Main Line. Former Network Rail power car 43 089 was at the head of the 19:28 departure to St. Pancras International. At the time there were only seven Valenta power cars available for passenger haulage and 43 089 was due to visit Brush in a couple of months. Network Rail have three power cars but one of these has recently been converted to an MTU. So go get these Valentas now!

Category:

Travel & Events

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• Valenta
• HST
• Thrash
• High
• Speed
• Train
• Grand
• Central
• Class
• 43
• Intercity
• 125
• National
• Rail
• Museum
• NRM
• Class43
• East
• Midlands
• Trains
• 43089