Grand Central Railway purchased six Class 43 power cars and twenty-four Mk3 passenger coaches from Porterbrook Leasing in 2006. Major modifications were required for the Class 43 power cars to make them compatible with the Mk3 coaches. These included changing the train supply from three-phase to 1,000V conventional ETS, fitting jumper connections, changing the central door locking system and more modifications to the couplings and electrical systems. Grand Central launched their new London King’s Cross to Sunderland passenger service on 18 December 2007.
No. 43465 was outshopped from Crewe Works in October 1977 as 43065 in an InterCity Blue and Grey livery. The locomotive entered traffic straight after at Heaton. Not long after, it was repainted into an InterCity Swallow livery. In the late 1980s, 43065 was one of eight power cars fitted with buffers and TDM multiple working equipment to make sure it could work with brand new Class 91 electric locomotives using Mk3 rolling stock. Grand Central acquired 43065 and refurbished the locomotive at Brush Traction in 2010.
It faced a renumbering change to 43465 and acquired a new Grand Central black and orange striped livery. In 2017, the Grand Central Class 43 locomotives were purchased by East Midlands Trains with the last Grand Central HST service commencing on New Year’s Eve. By 2018, 43465 was painted in an East Midlands Trains blue livery with red and orange stripes. This livery was updated for the ex-Grand Central HSTs by featuring a deeper blue gradient. 43365 is currently in service as a Rail Adventure power car and was part of Rail Adventure’s first dive onto British rails, with the company previously only being based out of Germany.
No. 43484 was outshopped from Crewe Works on 25 February 1978 in a BR InterCity blue and yellow livery and was also part of unit 254015. The locomotive entered service in April of the same year. Not long after, it was repainted into an InterCity Swallow livery. In the late 1980s, 43084 was one of eight power cars fitted with buffers and TDM multiple working equipment to make sure it could work with brand new Class 91 electric locomotives using Mk3 rolling stock. Grand Central acquired 43084 and overhauled the locomotive at Brush Traction in 2010. It faced a renumbering change to 43484 and acquired a new Grand Central black and orange striped livery.
In 2017, the Grand Central Class 43 locomotives were purchased by East Midlands Trains with the last Grand Central HST service commencing on New Year’s Eve. 43484 was part of a farewell tour for the Grand Central HSTs called The Grand Farewell with the promoters being The Branch Line Society. As for temporary names, the locomotive carried ‘County of Derbyshire’ and then ‘Peter Fox 1942-2011 Platform 5’ nameplates up until the end of The Grand Farewell tour.
By 2018, 43484 was painted in an East Midlands Trains blue livery with red and orange stripes. This livery was updated for the ex-Grand Central HSTs by featuring a deeper blue gradient. 43484 is currently in service as a Rail Adventure power car and was part of Rail Adventure’s first dive onto British rails, with the company previously only being based out of Germany. 43484 was outshopped from the painters in Rail Adventure grey on 19 April 2021.
The Grand Central HST pack contains a power car with the running number, 43465, and a dummy car with the running number, 43484. Each locomotive sports the distinctive Grand Central black and orange striped livery with the iconic Grand Central logo emblazoned on the bodysides. The power and dummy car both have working lights. Two etched nameplates with the legend, ‘Peter Fox 1942-2011 Platform 5’, are included in an accessory bag for the dummy car. For a full rake, these locomotives are perfect to run with the following Grand Central Mk3 coaches: R40440, R40441, R40442, R40443 and R40444.
