‘FIRST AND LAST’ HST power cars

AMIDST a flurry of ‘OO’ gauge Class 43 High Speed Train (HST) power car releases, Hornby has issued this special commemorative pack containing the first and last-built examples.

The pack contains motorised W43002 Sir Kenneth Grange in InterCity 125 blue/grey livery and unpowered 43198 Driver Brian Cooper 15 June 1947-5 October 1999/ Driver Stan Martin 25 June 1950-6 November 2004 in GWR green. As well as representing the first and last built HST power cars, both were also used to power the last timetabled HST passenger service from London Paddington on May 18 2019 and the ‘Flying Banana’ farewell railtour a few weeks later. 43198 had just recently received its dual identity, while W43002 was named after the HST designer at a ceremony at St Phillip’s Marsh HST depot in 2016.