180110, HT 18.36 Hull-London King's Cross (1A96) & 43423, GC 17.29 Sunderland-London King's Cross (1A69), London King's Cross station
Two open access operators' trains stand on the blocks at
London King's Cross. To the left Hull Trains' 180110 has just arrived having worked the 1A96 18.36 from Hull with its passengers still making their way down the platform. To the right Grand Central's HST power car has led their 1A69 17.29 from Sunderland. In its original guise numbered 43123 this particular power car was entered service on the ECML in May 1979 as a 'spare' power car (along with 43122) both were never assigned to a particular numbered set like all of the others. It has spent its entire thirty-six years of service thrashing up and down the ECML ever since.