EIGHT HST power cars had arrived in Scotland by the end of January, all in ex-Great Western condition, with Nos. 43012, 43135, 43163 and 43179 joining the already transferred Nos. 43021, 43037, 43126 and 43132 during the month.
Taken off-lease with GWR during December, Nos. 43012+43163 departed St Philip’s Marsh late on January 3, bound for Leicester overnight. After depositing some of their Mk.3s at the depot, the remainder were taken on to Wabtec, Doncaster, before the power cars headed back south to Brush Traction. However, Nos. 43012 and 43163 did not remain at Loughborough for long, departing for Haymarket (Edinburgh) in back-to-back formation on January 18.
Meanwhile, Nos. 43135+43179 left Bristol for Ely in the small hours of January 5 by way of Cheltenham, Burton-upon-Trent and Peterborough, where again…