How do you turn an HST into a Blue Pullman? Well, it seems you repaint power cars 43055 and 43046, together with 7 coaches and a kitchen car (41176, 41108, 41162, 41059, 40801, 41182, 41169 and 44078) in the original ‘Nanking Blue’ livery, and send it off on a number of journeys to mark the 60th anniversary of the arrival of the original ‘Blue Pullman’ in 1960.
The first run was due to take place on Saturday 12th December from St Pancras to Crewe, with fare paying passengers on the restored HST set.
This image immediately below shows the restored set passing Eastleigh Arlington on the 9th December passing Eastleigh working the 5Z44 Eastleigh Arlington to Crewe.
Photo: CA850 CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=97770261
I have to say, it does look pretty good in its new colours, which enhance the original HST/IC 125 design – but you decide, the image below is of one of the earliest HSTs as they were known.
This is the original ‘Blue Pullman’ set, clean out of Metro-Cammell’s works in Birmingham, albeit minus the Pullman logo on the nose.
Click on the image below to read more about the original ‘Blue Pullman’ sets:
More details about the repainted and restored HST set can be found here:
There are now 13 scheduled trips with the ‘New Midland Pullman’ scheduled for 2021, and 11 of these have already sold out, but detaiuls of the remaining trips for next year can be found here:
Useful Links:
- https://www.focustransport.org/2020/08/blue-pullman-rides-again.html
- https://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/17502/national-lockdown-delays-blue-pullman-launch/
