OO Train Packs

With the introduction of the new Class 800 and 802 IEP units on the Great Western Mainline GWR cascaded the remaining IC125 sets to rural routes shortening them to 4 passenger coach 'Castle' sets. This HST 'Castle' Train Pack contains two particular power cars.

Power Car 43004 entered service in September 1976 and was one of the prototypes for the Brush MTU engine upgrade, this occurring between September 2004 and June 2005. As a result, it did not receive a full overhaul as other members of the Class did, and so returned to Brush to receive Cab upgrades in November 2007. Its counterpart, 43155 entered service in January 1981 and was overhauled by Brush between April and October 2006.

The British Rail Class 43 (HST) is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train (formerly Classes 253 and 254) power cars, built by British Rail Engineering Limited from 1975 to 1982, and in service in the UK since 1976.

In April 2021 RailAdventure signed a new partnership deal with Hanson & Hall Rail Services, while at the same time obtaining eight Class 43 locomotives, which will operate back to back to operate domestic services.

RailAdventure, who are based in Munich, have been involved in delivering new trains from Europe to the UK, for some time and the Class 43 units will be used to continue this service.

Poor service saw the Network SouthCentral franchise transferred from Connex Trains, later renamed Southern in 2000. No serious attempt to update the units to the new Southern brand took place with only 4-VEP unit 3514 ever being painted into Southern green livery.

The introduction of the Class 377 Electrostar units gradually saw the old and high millage 4-VEPs replaced. The final regular Southern 4-VEP service took place in August 2005, while Southern 4-VEP operations came to a final end with the Sussex Slammer rail tour occurring in November.

When Southwestern was handed to South West Trains in 1996, the 4-VEPs they inherited were quickly repainted in a style largely based upon the NSE livery but also featuring an orange strip that combined with the old livery to match the colours of its parent company Stagecoach, and their distinct and common buses.

Towards the end of the 4-VEPs service units were reformed using the best condition carriages to prolong life. Despite this the units only lasted a few months more, finally being taken out of service in May 2005.

The Beatles require almost no introduction, it is hard to imagine a corner of the globe where their punchy sounds have not been heard in the almost 60 years they have achieved mainstream success.

Celebrate the Beatles with The Liverpool Connection Train Pack. This pack features a Beatles liveried 0-4-0 locomotive and matching long wheelbase vans celebrating the hit albums The Beatles Hits, Twist and Shout and Long Tall Sally.

A must for any Beatles collector, this model will look as good in a cabinet or on a shelf as it would traversing the most diverse of layouts.

The EWS Business Train utilised Mk2 coaches in a special EWS maroon livery and would be found being hauled by all manner of EWS liveried traction.