Monday, 6 January 2020

LNER HST Rundown: The End, 28th December 2019


A moment in history.

I was rather frustrated missing the 15th December end of service, and the special train workings the following week. Luck prevailed, the last LNER operated HST was a staff special on Saturday 28th December, 1Z25 15:15 Edinburgh - Edinburgh via 'the Sub' and and anti-clockwise Fife Circle. The following empty stock move to Ely on 31st was handled by Railway Operations Group.

 43312, delivered as E43112 in March 1979, leads the train at Aberdour, this power car previously seen on 5th November.

 A special headboard was carried, a rarity on an HST. First coach 41170 was in the prototype HST, as 41001, and earlier 11002 of 1972.

TGS 44098. The seven coach formation is a subset of EC54, previously seen on 1E11 on 18th November

The rear power car was 43206, delivered as W43006 in August 1976, also seen here at the same location on 31st August.

 At Inverkeithing some 40 minutes later.

 A few other admirers were present for the pass through Inverkeithing, the majority were however waiting for a northbound train.

Within a few minutes the last LNER HST would be on the Forth Bridge and would have left the Kingdom of Fife for the final time.