The InterCity 125, formally the High Speed Train, is a diesel powered high speed passenger train built by British Rail Engineering Limited between 1975 and 1982, with each of the 95 sets built from two power cars and a rake of seven or eight coaches. British Rail developed it as an interim measure after delays and cost overruns threatened its more ambitious Advanced Passenger Train project, and its name records its top operating speed of 125 miles per hour. Entering service between 1976 and 1982, it cut journey times and drew large increases in ridership on the routes it served, and the design proved reliable enough to remain in front line British service for more than four decades before the first withdrawals began in 2017; as of December 2025 examples still work for ScotRail and as a Network Rail engineering train. The design was also adapted into the Express Passenger Train that entered service in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982.
Facts
YearSource states introduction into service ran from 1976 to 1982 across the fleet; 1976 is the first year of entry. SignificanceThe InterCity 125 is widely regarded as among the most successful trains ever to operate on the British railway network, for both its initial impact and its long service life. 1 Sources
1. InterCity 125 (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationLead section, second paragraph
their introduction into service between 1976 and 1982 resulted in significantly reduced journey times, and large increases in patronage on the routes on which they were operated.
Lead section, second paragraph, opening clause
The HSTs are now widely considered to be among the most successful trains to have operated on the British railway network, both in terms of their initial impact and their longevity
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