Colas Rail HST

[HST_enjoyer]

I've been trying to spot a Colas Rail HST on its way into London on the East and West coast mainlines, by looking for NMT services on Realtimetrains, but this hasn't yet yielded me success as its usually the Flying Banana (which I'm also really happy to see but I'd really like to see a Colas rail set while I still have time to spot them), I would be really grateful for any suggestions on how best to find Colas rail class 43 sets and if there's any consistent way of catching them.

 

[leoli]

You can find out whether it's the NMT by looking at the service code, which would generally be 52495117. If you see something that's freight and pathed as an HST without that TSC, it's probably a Colas set. This page is useful if you want to know more about Network Rail test trains.

 

[Freightmaster]

I've been trying to spot a Colas Rail HST on its way into London on the East and West coast mainlines, by looking for NMT services on Realtimetrains, but this hasn't yet yielded me success as its usually the Flying Banana (which I'm also really happy to see but I'd really like to see a Colas rail set while I still have time to spot them),

As you have already found out, the NMT (hauled by 43013/014/062) covers most of the main lines into London north of the Thames,
with a 73-hauled PLPR covering everything south of the Thames and a 37-hauled PLPR for East Anglia.

The Colas class 43s (432xx and 433xx number series) operate other 'secondary' PLPR diagrams to Scotland, the East and West Midlands,
Skegness, Yorkshire, the Cotswolds, Weymouth, Yorkshire, North West England including Blackpool and Morecambe, etc.

I would be really grateful for any suggestions on how best to find Colas rail class 43 sets and if there's any consistent way of catching them.

I provide detailed monthly diagrams for all PLPR and UTU trains on my website, including specific loco/power car allocations
posted each weekend for the following week, but Freightmaster is a paid service, I'm afraid..




MARK

 

[HST_enjoyer]

You can find out whether it's the NMT by looking at the service code, which would generally be 52495117. If you see something that's freight and pathed as an HST without that TSC, it's probably a Colas set. This page is useful if you want to know more about Network Rail test trains.

Ah I see, will keep an eye out for any with a different service code, thank you for explaining!