East Coast Trains, Class 43 HST Train Pack – Era 10

East Coast Trains, Class 43 HST Train Pack – Era 10

Following a period of unprofitable operations, the InterCity East Coast franchise and associated HST units passed from NXEC to East Coast, an operator owned by the Department for Transport. From the beginning of East Coast’s operations, it was made clear that the Department intended to retender the franchise in future years. Accordingly, East Coast soon adopted a deliberately plain livery that would be easy for a new operator to re-brand. The franchise eventually passed to Virgin Trains East Coast in March 2015.

43008 entered service in 1976 working in the Western Region. After privatisation it briefly remained in the west serving with Great Western Trains before being transferred to GNER. 43008 was overhauled and fitted with a new MTU power unit between July and October 2008, re-numbered 43208 and later named ‘Lincolnshire Echo’. 43115 entered service in 1979 and worked on the East Coast mainline. The power car, having been inherited by GNER, was overhauled and fitted with its new MTU engine between November 2007 and February 2008.