High Speed Trains to the North of England

For as long as we could remember steam traction had been king on our railways. The resounding beat of exhaust from classic designs by Gresley, Stanier, Collett, Bulleid and many others had thrilled us all, while less prestigious work-horses had kept commuters and freight moving throughout a vast network. Mighty diesels had replaced them, notably the iconic Class 55 Deltics, setting new standards for speed and efficiency on the East Coast Main Line. Electrification became the buzzword as the need for speed increased and drove railway planning to a new level. The West Coast Main Line saw the wires go up by the mid-1970s and was set for the development and introduction of an alternative mode of traction. The High Speed Diesel Train was thus conceived. A modern design for a new age of rail travel. Capable of running at speeds of up to 125mph (201km/h) it was an immediate success and is still giving stalwart service some 40 years later. This is the story of the archetypal express diesel train, the Inter City 125.