Class 43 with buffers

[Ladder23]

good afternoon to you all.

Yesterday for the first time I noticed a class 43 passing through the patch I work on and again today but with buffers? I’ve not seen this before on the 43’s which run through here. (Bedford-St Pancras line).

Any info on the train, as it was so clean I assume refurbished maybe? I have no clue, but would like to seek info. Couldn’t get a number as it passed at speed whilst I was working.

 

[sprinterguy]

Three additional short HST sets have been leased by East Midlands Trains after they were made redundant by Grand Central in December 2017, in order to cover two Meridian diagrams on the Midland Mainline following a diagram shakeup as a result of the new Thameslink timetable which launched this week. All six of the power cars are from the pool of eight buffer fitted examples that were converted to work as surrogate DVTs with class 91 locomotives on the ECML in the late eighties. Details of recent developments can be found in this thread:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/former-grand-central-hsts-now-with-emt.139071/

 

[a_c_skinner]

It would have been one of the 43s that were modified for the ECML to work with Mk3 coaches and a class 91. The locos were available before the Mk4 coaches.

The EM trains ones are from Grand Central, all of whose 43s were modified with buffers (and couplings IIRC). I think the network measurement train uses them as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_43_(HST)#Buffered_units

 

[Ladder23]

Thanks for clearing that up I appreciate your response!

 

[Ladder23]

It would have been one of the 43s that were modified for the ECML to work with Mk3 coaches and a class 91. The locos were available before the Mk4 coaches.

The EM trains ones are from Grand Central, all of whose 43s were modified with buffers (and couplings IIRC). I think the network measurement train uses them as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_43_(HST)#Buffered_units

Yes the measurement train which passes every so often has them! I thought they were from somewhere as I surely haven’t missed them all this time I’ve worked here.