East Coast hired in a First Great Western HST for a week recently to allow engineers to have a Class 91 and Mk4 set for preliminary testing and data gathering for the Intercity Express Project (IEP). The tests were on behalf of the Department for Transport and the Agility Trains consortium and ran from October 31 to November 4, testing dual pantograph compatability. A new design of pantograph was fitted to the diesel for testing at up to 125mph between Newark Northgate and Grantham. The train was fitted with instrumentation, lights and a camera in order to record the pantograph movement. Power cars Nos. 43041 and 43163 plus a set of Mk 3 trailers worked between King's Cross, Leeds and Newcastle while the tests were carried out and have now returned to the west of England. The FGW HST is illustrated at Reilly Mill, County Durham, with the 08.30 King's Cross-Newcastle on October 31, the first day of operation.
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