As you may be, or may not be, aware, all of British Rail Class 43 has been re-engined with the MTU 16V4000 engines with the exception of those used by East Midlands Trains as these have Paxman 12VP185 engines, back in 2009 however, you may recall I posted in the November 28th post about my fond farewell to the Paxman 12RP200L Valenta engine that has powered the HST since it’s prototype stages, as I knew that within a year or two the engine would be gone from the HSTs, though what is not known is that I captured some video footage of one of the few class 43s that still had the original Paxman 12RP200L Valenta engine at that time, it has since, of course, suffered the same fate as all the other members of Class 43.
Although the Valenta is now not in mainline use, it it, however, due to return again soon, Project Miller, of the 125 Group, currently have 41001 (now registered 43000 for movements on Network Rail’s infrastructure in the 43/9 subclass) on a long term loan from the National Railway Museum, you may recall I saw it and stood in it’s cab at Railfest earlier this year as the 125 Group were showing this with a production HST.
Project Miller also have Paxman Valenta serial number S508, which has since been installed into 41001 but there is a lot of work before it will move under it’s own power again, as this vehicle was a static exhibit for many years.
Given my inability to donate to Project Miller at Railfest as a goodwill gesture in 2013 I shall donate a small amount to them, they are doing a wonderful job and I would like to see this icon of railway engineering back on the rails and moving again, complete with the iconic engine and the iconic sound.
So, here is an unidentified Grand Central Class 43 from 2009 firing up it’s Valenta to head to King’s Cross from York
Hopefully some day in the future a Class 43 will be Valenta powered again, but until that day the Class 41 will have a Valenta engine.
Happy journeys
