Grand Central Valenta HST action, 11/03/08. (re-edit)

A trip on Grand Central's 1N26 11:27 London Kings Cross to Sunderland service with Valenta duo 43 067 and 43 068. During the journey we pass Newark North Gate and see a Class 67 towing a National Express Class 91 hauled set. We then pass a National Express HST (with Valentas both ends) followed by the yard just south of Doncaster with all its stored Class 37s. Departures from York, Thirsk and Sunderland are also included.

We finish with a real bonus at Kings Cross. The station echoed to the sound of Valenta power cars with two National Express sets and one Grand Central set all in attendance. This was rare considering how many MTU engines were about!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• HST
• High
• Speed
• Train
• Valenta
• Thrash
• Start
• Up
• Grand
• Central
• Intercity
• 125
• Class43
• 43
• 067
• 43068
• BR
• Intercity125

[epcotcentre]

Excellent video. A shame no one ever filmed KX in the days of the deltics. The Cross really did reverberate when several of those beasts were idling or shutting down/starting up. I should hope that at least one valenta will be preserved.

[ValentaLamenter]

@epcotcentre Many thanks. I can just imagine the sound of multiple Napiers at the Cross! I really hope a Valenta power car or two makes it into preservation, they are an important part of our railway history and the noise is rather exceptable too ;) Fingers crossed it isn't just 25mph action on a preserved line though.

[mattenigmaevolution]

On departure from sunderland , was 43067 dead-in-set..as the rear power car seemed to be propeling the set

[ValentaLamenter]

This seems to be normal practice to prevent the fire alarms going off. Going the other way it is usually the London end power car being propelled until Hartlepool. One PC can do the job unless there are some nasty gradients.

[andyddc]

Excellent vid mate. We'll have some good memories like this one day as GC wont have the valentas for that much longer. Keep up the good work.

[ValentaLamenter]

Many thanks. Yeah it won't be the same once the Valentas have gone. Although an MTU powered HST would still get my vote over a 180.

[sgtscott8900]

it will be sad to see those val beasts die i remember them at newcastle central station when i used to work there as station security

[carefreecfc]

definitely should preserve one of these. I remember watching these down at dawlish as kid roaring by. Not the same with the new engines FGW are running.

[richards37basher]

i never got on a valenta hst :( maybe we should preverve 1!

[Jonnyvalenta]

Superb vid,superb valentas! 5star!

[CeTrains]

@ValentaLamenter Oh any day, but i don't see why they are going for MTU, they could have went for VP185's!!!

[andyddc]

I read that its something to do with EU regs on diesel exhaust emissions. This has forced GC to go for MTU's. I think that when this happens, they should drive the last valenta HST through Brussels to basically say Up Yours!! I'm gonna try and get on one of the GC units sometime soon just to hear the sound of a valenta.