REME Museum-The REME Locomotives

The REME Locomotives

Scribe: Richard Davies, Curator, The REME Museum

This is the third article in a series focussing on the history of the locomotives associated with the Corps. The subject this time is 43070, ‘The Corps of The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers’. 43070 was a class 43 locomotive, better known to many as an InterCity 125 (a class is a group of locomotives with specific characteristics associated with the purpose for which it was originally designed). Introduced in 1976, their striking “wedge” design (created by the industrial designer Sir Kenneth Grange), iconic yellow and blue livery, and reliable performance ensured the 125s were a feature of the UK’s railways for many years. They were also at one time the fastest diesel locomotives in the world.

Bearing this in mind, it is ironic that the 125s were never intended to have a long-term presence on Britain’s railways. Although they superseded and improved upon an aging and increasingly inefficient group of diesel locomotives, they were never intended to be anything more than an interim upgrade before the next generation Advanced Passenger Trains (APT) began running.

The APT was developed in the 1970s and 1980s, and was designed to tilt as it traversed a railway line’s curves and

125 original livery. A restored Inter City 125 in its original yellow and blue livery. Credit: Photo © Geof Sheppard (cc by-sa 4.0).

The Duke of Edinburgh talking with In Pensioners Vaughan, Skirrow and Newbould. Credit: Reproduced by permission © George Bodnar Archive/IconicPix.

Mr. Andrew Haines, the MD Rail of First Group, opens proceedings Credit: Reproduced by permission © George Bodnar Archive/IconicPix. APT - The Advanced Passenger Train. Credit: Photo © Phil Sangwell (cc by 2.0).

corners. The theory was that a vehicle that accommodated the course of the line would be able to maintain a higher average speed and thus shorten journey times, and the prototypes did indeed run at record velocities. However, a number of design issues meant they were not ready for general use, even after many years of development. Their eventual introduction on the London to Glasgow line in December 1981, a decision made under significant pressure from the government of the day, was accompanied by numerous problems and the locomotives were withdrawn only weeks later.

This situation ensured the 125s took on an importance they were never intended to have, as British Railways had no choice but to rely on them as their main passenger vehicles. This proved to be a wise choice, as a number of the UK’s nationalised railway companies were still using 125s as recently as 2021. Mass withdrawals began in only 2017, over forty years after their introduction. 43070 was built in 1977 (construction finished on 15th December of that year), probably at British Railway Engineering Limited’s Crewe works. Its subsequent history and ownership is quite well known. It initially worked in the North East around Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Heaton, but also operated out of the Landore depot near Swansea. It was acquired by Virgin Rail in May 1998 and was based in Laira near Plymouth until 2003.

The next owner was Midland Mainline, and it was this company that gave 43070 its first name. From May 2003 until September 2004, this company operated an hourly service between London St. Pancras and Manchester Piccadilly. The service was named Project

Rio, a name that was somewhat surprisingly taken from the footballer Rio Ferdinand, who had basically followed a similar journey: he transferred from West Ham to Leeds in the year 2000, and then crossed the Pennines by signing for Manchester United two years later. A total of twenty trains were named with the prefix Rio, but history does not appear to record Mr. Ferdinand’s opinion of this initiative. 43070 was formally named Rio Pathfinder on 26th August 2004. Following a short period from 2005 to 2006 during which it was owned by Cotswold Rail, the name was removed on 30th September 2007 when 43070 joined the First Great Western Railway fleet.

The REME Band awaiting the arrival of HRH Prince Philip for the 2007 naming ceremony. Credit: Reproduced by permission © George Bodnar Archive/IconicPix.

WO1 (ASM) Walker-Corps ASM, Cfn Armstrong, Cfn Mortimer, Cfn Warder and Cfn Metters stand next to the newly-named locomotive Credit: Reproduced by permission © George Bodnar Archive/IconicPix.

The unnamed 43070 was renamed as ‘The Corps of The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers’ at a formal ceremony held at Paddington Station on 16th October 2007. Appropriately, given his links with the Corps and his love of engineering, it was the late Duke of Edinburgh, HRH Prince Philip, who led the formalities. Buckingham Palace officially recorded the event as follows, “His Royal Highness, Colonel-in-Chief, this afternoon named a First Great Western Railway locomotive after the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at Paddington Railway Station, London W2.“

‘The Corps of The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers’, 43070, continued operating until June 2019 when it was taken out of service. Along with four other locomotives, it made its final journey via Long Marston, Worcester, Cheltenham and Lydney, and was ultimately driven to the Sims Metals company near Newport Docks in Gwent, where it was scrapped in early 2022.

The Corps Museum acquired a replica of the nameplate in 2008, and an image of it appears in this article. It remains a valued part of our permanent collection and takes its place alongside the other material that tells the story of the locomotives associated with REME.

My thanks are due to my Museum colleagues, Zoë Tolman, Archives Assistant, and Fiona Redmond, Front of House Assistant. I am also grateful to the Great Western Railway company, IconicPix and Gareth James.

Prince Philip with Andrew Haines and the presentation copy of the nameplate that now forms part of the Museum’s collection Credit: Reproduced by permission © George Bodnar Archive/IconicPix

This poignant image captures the final journey of 43070, as it nears Sims Metals near Newport Docks where it was scrapped in January 2022. Credit: Photo © Gareth James (cc-by-sa/2.0).