East Midlands 125 Farewell 13.05.2021

This weekend marks the end, after 45 years, of regular scheduled HST workings from any/ all London termini, with the cessation of the residual weekday and weekend diagrams for the remaining two EMR sets at the May timetable change. To mark this occasion, the Branch Line Society, in partnership with EMR and the 125 Group the is running an excursion from St Pancras to Leicester and return tomorrow (Thursday 13th May). I’m sure that this will be of interest to both modern traction enthusiasts and perhaps all those with a keen sense of “Occasion” who would recognise the significance of the passing of these legendary trains.

For this excursion, special interest is attached to the intended use of two celebrity EMR power cars - 43102 (InterCity Swallow livery) and 43274 (unique EMR Purple livery); plus the planned routing via the Kettering-Corby-Oakham-Melton Mowbray diversionary route in both directions, rather than the customary MML route via Market Harborough.

The timings for this outing have been advised as STP depart 10.19/ LEI arrive 12.05 (note 106 minutes for 120 route miles including speed restrictions on the diversionary section). After a brief photographic stop, return from LEI will be at 12.19, again via Corby, arriving STP at 14.19, with a possible short pause at Wellingborough if I read the advance publicity correctly.

This obviously represents very little prior notice (I myself only became aware yesterday), but for those who might, for example, be looking for one last opportunity to photograph or film a 125 set on, say, Harringworth Viaduct or at other classic MML locations, and/ or for those who live within striking distance of the MML, I hope this will be of interest.

Not sure whether this should be posted on the What’s Going On or the Diesel and Electric Traction Forum, so I’m going to do both.

 

Running in the 5M17 route refresher path. Planning to be at Oakham for it. The fact that the Grainstore pub is next to the station is purely coincidental.

 

I made a couple of journeys recently on the MML and these were photographed at Leicester.