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| British Rail Class 252 Prototype HST | |
|---|---|
 Class 252 atWeston-super-Mare in 1975 | |
| In service | 1972–1982 |
| Manufacturer | British Rail Engineering Limited |
| Built at | Crewe Works |
| Family name | High Speed Train |
| Constructed | 1972 |
| Scrapped | 1990–93 (partly) |
| Number built | 1 set |
| Number in service | 9 carriages |
| Number preserved | 1 power car |
| Number scrapped | 1 power car, 1 carriage |
| Formation | Twopower cars flankingMark 3 carriages |
| Fleet numbers | 252001 |
| Operators | British Rail |
| Lines served | Western Region |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel fully integral, monocoque |
| Car length | 56 ft 4 in (17.17 m) |
| Width | 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 10 in (3.91 m) |
| Doors | Hinged slam, centrally locked/automatic plug doors, centrally locked |
| Maximum speed | 143.2 mph (230.5 km/h) |
| Weight | 68.5tonnes (67.4long tons; 75.5short tons) |
| Prime mover(s) | Paxman Valenta 12RP200L, 2 off |
| Power supply | 3-phase 415/240 V (Mark 3) 1,000 V DC (Mark 3A/B) |
| Bogies | BREL BT10 |
| Braking system(s) | Disc,air operated |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
Class 252 was the classification allocated to the prototypeHigh Speed Train (HST) unit, numbered 252001.
When originally built, in 1972, the prototypeHigh Speed Train (HST) units were considered to be formed of two locomotives at either end of a rake of carriages. As a result, the power cars were designatedClass 41 and numbered 41001/41002, while the carriages were given numbers in the newMark 3 carriage number series.[1]
Shortly after their introduction, it was decided to classify the unit as a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit. It was allocated Class 252, and the whole formation was renumbered into a new carriage number series for HST andAdvanced Passenger Train vehicles (4xxxx). Two coaches were not included in the renumbering (one Trailer First and one Trailer Second), as these were transferred for use in theRoyal Train as part of its upgrade before theSilver Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The power cars were allocated numbers in the 43xxx series, and the two prototype cars took the numbers 43000/43001. Thus, the production-run cars were numbered from 43002 onwards.
Ironically, the situation reversed again in the 1980s, and the production power cars were then considered to beclass 43, as this time around no power car or carriage was renumbered. By this time, the prototype cars had been transferred into departmental (non-revenue earning) service and had taken numbers in the departmental carriage 975xxx series, so they were not involved in this redesignation, and they retained their departmental carriage numbers rather than being transferred to thedepartmental locomotive list.
The former 41002/43001 has now been scrapped, but the other prototype locomotive, 41001/43000, was preserved at theNational Railway Museum,York. All of the passenger-carrying vehicles are still extant apart from one of the former restaurant cars, scrapped in 1993.
The 125 Group restored prototype powercar 41001 back to operational condition in 2013.[2][3] This entailed a complete restoration of the vehicle and a fitment of aPaxman Valenta engine atNeville Hill TMD. The engine was successfully started in July 2013, and on 31 May 2014 the loco moved under its own power for the first time in over 30 years.[4][5][6]
The vehicles that made up the prototype High Speed Train are listed below, together with their current identity and use:
| Key: | In service | Special service | Scrapped | Preserved | Departmental |
|---|
| First Number | Second Number | Type | Converted to | Current location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10000 | 40000 | Trailer Buffet (TRSB) | Departmental, 975984 | New Measurement Train |
| 10100 | 40500 | Trailer Kitchen (TRUK) | Departmental, 977089 | Scrapped (1993) |
| 11000 | 41000 | Trailer First (TF) | Departmental, 975814 | New Measurement Train |
| 11001 | – | Trailer First (TF) | Royal Train, 2903 | In service |
| 11002 | 41001 | Trailer First (TF) | Production TF, 41170 | Stored serviceable, in BR Blue Grey |
| 11003 | 41002 | Trailer First (TF) | Production TF, 41174 | Preserved by 125 Preservation, as TS 42357, inLNER |
| 12000 | 42000 | Trailer Second (TS) | Production TF, 41172 | Preserved by 125 Preservation, as TS 42355, inLNER |
| 12001 | – | Trailer Second (TS) | Royal Train, 2904 | In service |
| 12002 | 42001 | Trailer Second (TS) | Production TF, 41171 | Stored unserviceable (component recovery), as TS 42353, in GWR |
| 12003 | 42002 | Trailer Second (TS) | Production TF, 41173 | PreservedNorthumbria Rail / 125 Preservation as TSD* 42356, in GWR |
| 41001 | 43000 | Driving Motor Brake (DMB) | Departmental, 975812 | Preserved,National Railway Museum |
| 41002 | 43001 | Driving Motor Brake (DMB) | Departmental, 975813 | Scrapped (1990) |
