The Flickr Xc02 Image Generatr

Cross Country celebrity reliveried 43007 passing by the site of Brent station, once the junction for Kingsbridge.

1S51 12:27 Plymouth to Glasgow Central.

Working as the last XC HST in regular passenger service, 43008 leads XC02 (+ an additional coach) and 43007 are seen passing through Powderham.

* A 21Mby MP4 phone Video which is 26s long.
* NB: As this is shorter than the fixed 3 minute viewing in the Flickr interface, the Video can be watched here... or downloaded as usual.

A video which I had forgotten last week when I uploaded the still pictures, having arrived back home from the east coast today and looked through last week's material, I realised this had been over-looked. Shot on the phone camera whilst taking the stills shots, it shows the approach and going-away sequence of one of the few remaining runs of Cross Country Trains class 43 H.S.Ts., before their retirement at the end of this month. This is the 9 hour, 20-station stop passenger service, 1V50, and powered by two Class 43 H.S.T's 43008 is leading with 43007, seen in the 2nd half, at the rear, this is the 'XC02' set. Both H.S.T.s were sporting impressive liveries, made better by the good light, 43008 at the front with the old B.R. InterCity' Swallow Logo' on the side with the usual Grey/Beige with red stripe livery and at the back 43007 in Yellow/Blue InterCity 125 livery, 'This is the Age of the Train'. Having arrived in Plymouth at 14:30 that afternoon, the set will depart a short time later, at 15:19, on the 5V50 E.C.S., 'Empty Coaching Stock' move from Plymouth to the Laira T&R.S.M.D., 'Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot' where, it is stated, it will remain for 2 weeks and so _maybe_ the formation which will take the final Cross Country H.S.T. commemorative service out, on 26th, September...

In the 2nd picture, and dashing across an non-to-busy Coronation Bridge, the set of 7, Mark IV coaches, heads passed the long-closed 'Red Bull Public House' with, in between, an old buffer stop, a remnant of the old Holmes West Sidings. The back of a multi-aspect colour light signal, S0415 with signal-post telephone, and no-longer on the track diagram, can also be seen, still lit! and controlling moves off the main line and onto the goods line at back of the station, once upon a time, that is... The 'Red Bull', previously known as the 'Tivoli Inn', public house sign is still prominent, but the shuttered windows and door and lack of any customers, has been the same for a good long while; in fact it reportedly closed 12 years ago, in November, 2011. Bringing up the rear of this 9 hour, 20-stop passenger service, 1V50, is class 43 H.S.T 43008 leading with 43007, seen here at the rear, 43007 is in an equally impressive, Yellow/Blue InterCity 125 livery, 'This is the Age of the Train', as the 1970s Ad's went on the I.T.V., the U.K's second channel to the B.B.C. the I.T.V a fully commercial based channel; little did we know how much worse this would all get! The service is running on the Edinburgh to Plymouth, service at once at Plymouth, around 14:50 that afternoon, the set will depart a short time later, at 15:19, on the 5V50 E.C.S., 'Empty Coaching Stock' move from Plymouth to the Laira T&R.S.M.D., 'Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot' where, it is stated, it will remain for 2 weeks and so _maybe_ the formation which will take the final Cross Country H.S.T. commemorative service out, on 26th, September...

An odd working to go out for, though there have been one or two others like this, involving H.S.T. power cars in one configuration or another Recently, a back-to-back route-learner type operation took place at the end of April this year, with 43366 and 43184 running on an E.C.S, with actually no coach, on 5Z44, Derby via Sheffield to Neville Hill, at Tinsley, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/52869945344/
and at Woodburn Junction, see-
www.flickr.com/photos/vinc2020/52850326142/
Today, its the real thing, with two class 43 'Celebs' as they are termed, and were preceded by another of the Cross Country power units, well 4 in fact, head north along the platform 4 line, in very good weather, at the old Masbrough Station site. At left in the first picture, two sets of class 220 'Voyagers' are coupled together on the 1S35, Bristol Temple Meads to Edinburgh service with 220025 at the front in the distance and at the rear, seen here, 220026; the train didn't look particularly full for the amount of stock involved. Its late Summer and the line formations at both sides of Coronation Bridge, are swamped with new Birch tree, Buddleia and other invasive weed growth, after N.R. clear all this away, it takes just a handful of years before its all back again...
Just fifteen minutes later, in the right-hand shot here, the H.S.T. set 'XC02' comprising of 43008 and, at the rear 43007, come rattling south passed the cental island platforms, this service along the, passenger, platform 3 line. 43008 at the front has the old B.R. InterCity' Swallow Logo' on the side with the usual Grey/Beige with red stripe livery. The other sets are, XC05, with 43321 & 43378 and XC03 with 43304 & 43303, another set has 43239 & 43303 in the make up. These 'Celebrities' are running, as this is the last month in which Cross country are going to be operating the class 43 H.S.T.s, a sad end to over 50 years of stalwart service with one of the most successful designs that B.R. came up with. The H.S.T.s replaced the many designs of diesel traction such as class 40, 45s, 47s and the 'Deltics', amongst others, which themselves were the 1st attempt to replace steam-age locos which were retired in the late 61960s... The final run of one of the 'Celebs' formations is set to be on 26th September, and then that will be that, for the class 43s on Cross country service; or, so it is claimed!

Cross Country HST set XC02 lead by Intercity liveried power car 43008 working 1V44 0612 Leeds to Plymouth 2 weeks before the final scheduled day of XC HST operation.

Heritage liveried 43007 was on the rear, which features in the previous upload.

Despite the lines not being straight, it’s great that Cross Country has painted these power cars for the final month of HST service.

I had a ride to Exeter on this and they have to be the most comfortable coaches to travel in.

43008 waiting to depart from Temple Meads leading 1V44 0612 Leeds to Plymouth on 28th August 2023

InterCity livery 43007 approaches Teignmouth leading 1S51 1227 Plymouth to Glasgow on bank holiday Monday 28th August 2023.

Luckily this was running 11 minutes late, which gave more time for the sun to break through and cast a weak shadow.

43207 (now sporting its Intercity 125 livery and carrying number 43007) crawls through the approach to Totnes with 1S51 12:27 Plymouth - Edinburgh Waverley (caped to Glasgow due to shortage of train crew). This spot down the steps a little was a nice alternative to the usual angle at the A381 overbridge.

*Shot taken using a pole*

Running under restrictive signals following a local stopping service, Inter City 'Executive' liveried power car 43184 Laira Diesel Depot is seen leading coaching set XC02 and power car 43239 around the reverse curves of the sea wall as it passes Sprey Point with the 1V44 06:12 Leeds to Plymouth CrossCountry service. These sets will start to be withdrawn from service this autumn leaving class 220/221 Voyager units as the only rolling stock on these services.

Sprey Point is on the approach to Teignmouth and was constructed by filling in and levelling an existing rock fall to provide a landing point for materials to be brought in by boat for the construction of this part of the South Devon Railway. Parsons Tunnel can be seen in the background taking the railway through the New Red sandstone headland of Hole Head. It is one of five tunnels on the short stretch between Dawlish and Teignmouth that were required after Brunel opted for this coastal route as part of his ill-fated atmospheric railway.

25/05/23.

CrossCountry Mark 3 Trailer Standard 42373 at Darlington, 20 May 2023.

CrossCountry Mark 3 Trailer Composite Catering 45001 at Darlington, 20 May 2023.

Cross Country Trains High Speed Train formed of Class 43 diesel powercars 43184 and 43239 and XC02 coaching stock set

1V50 06.06 Edinburgh to Plymouth

Catholme, Staffordshire

Seen on platform 3 at Glasgow Central station having arrived as 1S51 1227 Plymouth - Glasgow Central (although the set only commenced the journey at Leeds after swapping out the Voyager) with the station lights reflecting off the side is Crosscountry Trains' High Speed Train (HST) powercar 43184 which has been treated to a retro paint scheme in the form of the original Intercity Executive livery. Waiting to depart Glasgow as 5S51 2223 Glasgow Central - Craigentinny Depot.

Seen on platform 3 at Glasgow Central station having arrived as 1S51 1227 Plymouth - Glasgow Central (although the set only commenced the journey at Leeds after swapping out the Voyager) with the station lights reflecting off the side is Crosscountry Trains' High Speed Train (HST) powercar 43184 which has been treated to a retro paint scheme in the form of the original Intercity Executive livery. Waiting to depart Glasgow as 5S51 2223 Glasgow Central - Craigentinny Depot.

February 2023

43184 leads the 1V50 0606hrs CrossCountry service from Edinburgh to Plymouth through the former station at South Brent, Devon. 43303 is at the rear.

© Finbarr O'Neill

InterCity Executive livery HST, 43184 passes Hall End leading 1V44 0611 Leeds to Plymouth on a cold frosty morning on 6th February 2023.

43303 was the rear power car and the set was XC02

Cross Country’s InterCity power car recently had partial a repaint and it’s a big improvement with the white line looking much better than first version!…. flic.kr/p/2nwyYy8

43184 (43384) & 43303 XC02 Working 1V48 08:11 Leeds to Bristol Temple Meads passing Spetchley 05/02/23

Cross Country's 43184 rounds the curve at Water End, York, leading set XC02 and 43303 on 1S51 Plymouth - Edinburgh

09/08/2022

43384 reentered traffic carrying original number 43184 after overhaul a little over a month earlier on 6th July, wearing the Intercity Executive livery, to celebrate 40 years of HSTs on the XC services.

In the background, evidence of the 'York Central' development can be seen.

43184 (43384) & 43303 XC02 working 1S51 12:27 Plymouth to Edinburgh passing Besford 47 minutes late 06/07/22
This was 43184 (43384) first passenger working in this Livery