Prototype High Speed Train Power Car 41001 is set to be one of the stars of Railfest at the National Railway Museum in York. Billed as ’Britain’s biggest ever gathering of rail record breakers’ this major outdoor event will take place from 2nd to 10th June.

During a special test run on the East Coast Main Line on 12th June 1973 the prototype HST reached a speed of 143mph north of York, breaking the British speed railway record which it held for the next 12 years. 41001 is therefore exceedingly well qualified to be at the Railfest show!

We are pleased that First Great Western will also be exhibiting their Mk3 coach 42353 which was part of the prototype HST, it will be displayed in original livery together with 41001, recreating the striking look of this historic train.

This is a rare opportunity to get a good look inside the power car and volunteers from 125 Group will be on hand to answer questions about 41001 and Project Miller and our plans for restoring it to working order.  We shall have our sales stand in the guards van of 41001 raising funds for Project Miller with a selection of splendid merchandise available and a chance to enter an exciting prize draw so please do come along and support us!

Full information and ticket sales can be found here: www.nrm.org.uk

Prototype power car 41001 was today successfully moved from the National Railway Museum at York to East Midlands Trains depot at Leeds Neville Hill where it will undergo restoration with the aim of eventually returning it to working order.

Project Miller would like to thank everyone who has made today’s movement possible, especially Devon and Cornwall Railways who carried out the transfer using locomotive 31601 and East Midlands Trains for providing barrier vehicles and a Mk3 coach to give brake force for the train.

125 Group members will be able to read the full behind the scenes story in the next edition of members magazine ‘One Two Five’.  To join up head over to www.125group.org.uk where you can subscribe on-line.  All direct contributions for Project Miller are also gratefully received, click on the ‘Donate’ button on the right to make a donation and help us bring 41001 back to life!

The movement of 41001 to Neville Hill has jumped what is hopefully the final hurdle in the preparation process with the news that it has successfuly passed the various statutory inspections and has been registered as a “live” vehicle on the Rolling Stock Library. This now paves the way for it to actually move.

Devon & Cornwall Railways will move the vehicle on behalf of Project Miller and we expect that the journey from York to Leeds will take place on Thursday 29th March.

Whilst we appreciate that there will be many people who may wish to view the locomotive making this journey, in accordance with railway processes, we are unable to make specific details of times or route for the transfer public.

Power car 41001 was delivered in 1972 as part of the prototype High Speed Train, designed and built by British engineers, going from drawing board to mainline running in less than two years, the forerunner of the hugely successful Inter-City 125 fleet.

Railway engineering firm Brush has been involved with HSTs from the very beginning but in recent times is perhaps best known for life extension work on the majority of production power cars at Loughborough Works, enabling these popular trains to remain in front line service past their 35th year, still the backbone of our Intercity routes, running more reliably than ever.

Now part of the Wabtec Rail Group, Brush Traction have been supporting Project Miller, providing access to original prototype power car engineering documentation and helping with work on 41001′s brake system. 125 Group would like to offer sincere thanks to the splendid people at Brush for their contribution, helping us to bring this historic vehicle back to life so that new generations of enthusiasts and engineers can experience this iconic train in working order.

The Project Miller team and the National Railway Museum’s staff have been busy making prototype HST power car 41001 ready for its movement from York to East Midlands Trains depot at Neville Hill where it will be based for restoration. The transfer will take place by rail and preparation has included work on the brake system, ultrasonic axle testing and securing roof panels, all of which will enable 41001 to pass its ‘Fitness To Run’ exam.  Thankyou to everyone who has supported Project Miller so far.

The power car is expected to leave the NRM soon and will be locomotive hauled from York to Leeds Neville Hill.

Are you interested in High Speed Trains and want to help our preservation effort?  Join us at 125 Group and receive our quarterly members only magazine ‘One Two Five’.  Each issue features news and informed articles on current HST fleet developments, a good dose of nostalgia plus updates on our preservation efforts and detailed behind the scenes information on Project Miller not available elsewhere.  Membership is only £15 per year, surf over to www.125group.org.uk to subscribe on-line.

A warm welcome from the 125 Group ‘Project Miller’ team to the latest update on bringing 41001 back to life!

Much back room work has been going on over the past few months and things are really gathering pace. As 125 Group members already know, a formal agreement has now been signed with the National Railway Museum for the long term loan of 41001 to the 125 Group. We are very pleased to be working with the NRM with the aim of returning the last remaining prototype power car to working order. Our plan is for it to visit preserved railways and act as a traditional loco, it is air braked and drop-head buckeye fitted so can couple to any air braked stock.

Our team has conducted a thorough technical survey of the power car at York which has shown it to be mostly in good condition however it has only been a static exhibit during its time at the NRM and there is much work to be done. The existing engine was partly sectioned some years ago for educational purposes and we will be replacing it with the NRM’s other Valenta, number S508, which we have already made fit for purpose. 41001′s control cubicle and cooler group also present us with two significant engineering challenges which must be overcome.

125 Group is grateful for the encouragement and support received for Project Miller so far from both the railway industry and the enthusiast community but we are particularly grateful to East Midlands Trains at Neville Hill depot who have agreed to provide accomodation for 41001 for restoration to be carried out. This is excellent news for Project Miller as it gives us the very best expertise available of operational HSTs and of course the first depot that 41001 ever visited and was maintained at. Work will be done by a team of qualified Project Miller volunteers and depot staff may provide assistance in their own time. A massive thankyou to EMT and in particular the staff and management at Neville Hill!

Over the next few days we will be providing more updates and background information, bringing this web-site up to speed, so keep checking back for the latest news.

Our first bit of news after the kick off Project Miller

After concluding the loan agreement for Valenta engine S508 we successfully moved the engine from the NRM at York to our secure base.  The engine is now inside our shed and work will commence shortly on assessing the engine with a view to getting it operational again within 41001.

Of interest is that S508 is a relatively new Valenta engine block and dates from the year 2000.  It was new into 43153 on Virgin in 2001 and worked in that power car until being stopped when the Voyagerisation of Virgin was complete.  After being sold to First Group and spending some time in store, the engine was removed and then sent to DML (now Babcock) at Plymouth for a “light” overhaul, before being installed in 43143 at Laira.  The engine worked without any major problems until 43143 was called to Brush at Loughborough for the inevitable MTU conversion.  S508 was then donated to the NRM.  S508 is historic in its own right as it was the last and newest wide flange, flat top block engine used in the HST.  This puts it in good stead for the future as it has never suffered a “leg out” incident – when the piston and con-rod part company with the engine.

We are hard at work with the NRM to conclude the loan agreement for 41001.  Once this has been complete we can bring you more news on Project Miller as we move forward.

The 125 Group is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement in principle with the National Railway Museum (NRM) for the return to service of the forerunner to the High Speed Train (HST) – the train which the revolutionised high speed rail travel in the UK in the 1970s. “Project Miller”, named after the original designer of the train, will see the 125 Group take prototype HST Power Car 41001 on long term loan from the Museum, subject to finalisation of loan arrangements, and undertake a full technical assessment of the vehicle and its component systems to determine the full scope of works required. These are expected to include repairs and overhaul to systems including cooler group, bogies and electrical and electronic components, as well as replacing the current sectioned engine with a production Paxman Valenta RP200L engine donated to the NRM from the MTU re-power programme.

Since its formation in 1994, the 125 Group has worked to raise the profile of the HST with the aim of securing the preservation of an example of this iconic fleet for future generations.

Gary Heelas, Chairman of the 125 Group, said: – “We are delighted that the NRM has recognised the work of the 125 Group, and what it has achieved over the past 15 years, through giving us the opportunity to work with them to bring 41001 back to life. The Group’s primary objective is to save at least one power car and to return it, as near as possible, to original condition. As the only group dedicated to the future of HSTs we have worked to build an extensive library of technical documents together with a stock of the major components and materials which will be required in future. The “hands on” experience which Project Miller will afford to the team can only enhance our ability to achieve our aims, and will hopefully help to maintain interest in these iconic trains over the coming years.”

Steve Davies, Director, NRM said:- “I am delighted that the NRM feels able to support the potential restoration to working order of this important piece of modern railway history, especially at a time when the original Valenta engines have now been withdrawn from regular front line service. It also helps to demonstrate the NRM’s commitment to bringing focus to a broad range of traction, not just steam. We therefore look forward to working alongside the Project Miller team to deliver what we believe will be a unique contribution to the heritage railway movement’s operational fleet, representing the period of inception of arguably Britain’s most successful train ever.”

More details about Project Miller will be made available in the coming months on the project website, www.projectmiller.org.uk.

ENDS

For more information, please contact:-

125 Group – Gary Heelas, chairman@125group.org.uk

NRM – Gemma Sneyd, PR & Communications Officer, 01904 686271