High Speed Train Power Car 43002
Diesel Electric Locomotive number 43002 High Speed Train Power Car, named "Sir Kenneth Grange, built BREL Crewe 1976. Bo-Bo wheel arrangement
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The HST has been a familiar sight on the UK rail network since the first units were introduced in 1976 and the train quickly became the backbone of high-speed rail routes, reversing the fortunes of British Rail and sparking a renaissance in rail travel.
43002 was the first production HST and carries the original yellow and blue British Rail livery which led to the train’s nickname ‘the Flying Banana’.
The engine is officially named after the train’s designer Sir Kenneth Grange, who created the iconic wedge-shaped nose cone. As one of Britain's finest industrial designers, Kenneth’s streamlined design helped make the train a success with the public and the engine was officially named after him in 2016.
Built in the same year the National Railway Museum first opened in 1975, the HST was initially the fastest train in Europe and internationally, second only to the Japanese Bullet Train. The HST class still holds the world diesel speed record of 148mph which was set on 1 November 1987.
- Object Number:
- 2020-105/1
