43186/004 arriving into Par 13/12/25 #hst #class43 #railwaycontent #trainspotting #railway #train

The GWR 'Castle Class' HST Finale
13.12.2025
On a crisp winter morning, nearly half a century after they first entered service, Great Western Railway’s fleet of Castle Class High-Speed Trains 'slipped their moorings' one by one at Laira depot and headed out onto the iron road for a final day’s work. It would be the last time the fleet ventured out together; that evening, they were formally withdrawn from the timetable, bringing to a close one of the most enduring chapters in modern British rail travel.

The Castle Class HSTs were not a new breed of train but rather a clever reimagining of the iconic British Rail Class 43 High Speed Train ('HST'). Introduced in 1976 and once the backbone of long-distance services from London Paddington to the West Country and Wales, the original HST fleet became synonymous with speed and reliability.

As newer Intercity Express Trains (IETs) arrived in the late 2010s, GWR began withdrawing the full-length ('2+8') HST formations from premier long-distance services. Rather than consigning all of their Class 43s to history, the company rebuilt a core of 24 power cars and 48 Mark 3 coaches into shorter '2+4' formations. Branded informally as the 'Castle Class' — with each power car carrying the name of a local fortress or castle — these sets were adapted with modern automatic doors and compliant toilets for ongoing regional use.

Over the ensuing years, the Castle Class became a familiar and popular sight on regional services throughout Devon and Cornwall and along the Cardiff-to-Penzance corridor, where their distinctive silhouette and high-speed heritage shone on long after their intercity heyday had faded.

As the years slipped by, members of the fleet quietly fell away from Great Western Railway service. Some were sold overseas, others cut up for scrap, while a few carried on elsewhere, working sporadically for other UK operators. Just four rakes of coaches remained, paired with a dwindling handful of power cars, their world shrinking to the rails of Devon and Cornwall. Their duties centred on the Plymouth–Penzance line, with a solitary daily run east to Exeter St Davids.

The limited pool of power cars, coupled with their geographic isolation, made the fleet especially endearing to enthusiasts. Locals and visitors alike regularly turned out to ride — and photograph — the sets. In the South West, the High Speed Train found its final English stronghold.

On Saturday, 13 December 2025, GWR retired the last few of these venerable sets, marking both the end of the Castle Class and of an era for scheduled HST operations on its network and in England. Newer rolling stock, including recommissioned Class 175s, Hitachi IET units and various other DMU's, will inherit the duties once performed by these stalwarts of the West Country rails.

Power cars used: 43004 (Caerphilly Castle)+43186 (Taunton Castle)

Coaches used: 49117,48122,48123,48124

Headcode: 2P30
Departure time: 18:18
Origin: Penzance
Destination: Plymouth

Видео 43186/004 arriving into Par 13/12/25 #hst #class43 #railwaycontent #trainspotting #railway #train канала TIS TRAINS