High Speed Train
Do you feel the need for speed?
Originally only intended by BR as a stopgap until the introduction of the ill-fated APT, the High Speed Train (more popularly known as “InterCity 125”) delivered a revolution to the railway of the 1970s, and the sets are still giving sterling service today with the private operators.
Although Virgin have now disposed of their HSTs (replacing them with the dreaded Voyager), they can still be seen in daily service with GNER, Midland Mainline and First Great Western.
Virgin-liveried power car
Charlesworth's HST is a Virgin set, and is “short-formed”, with only four coaches: two standard class, one first class and one buffet car (a Trailer Guard Second vehicle will be added when Hornby release it later this year). In fact, in latter years, Virgin operated HSTs in all sorts of crazy formations. Most memorably, they once used a 2-coach set as cover for an unavailable class 158 DMU, meaning every Hornby train set is now prototypically accurate!
First class trailer
First class buffet trailer
Standard class trailers
This is the “dummy” (unpowered) locomotive. In real life both locos provide traction power.
The Hornby HST is a classic model, first appearing in the 1970s in BR blue/grey livery, and has been reissued countless times in the ever-changing liveries of the private operators. Recently the appearance has been improved by the introduction of scale-length Mk3 coaches, replacing the old models which were underlength to negotiate first radius curves.
Charlesworth's Virgin liveried power car is currently rather poorly, emitting an alarming squealing sound and the smell of burning plastic whenever it is run. An old InterCity liveried power car is deputising temporarily.