High Speed Trains (HSTs) – better known as the InterCity 125 – helped save British Rail in the 1970s and 80s, linking cities for more than four decades before disappearing from the tracks.
But now a UK-based company is reviving the “British Rail icon”, unveiling its own InterCity 125 train set at the Mid-Norfolk Railway, which is due to return to service as part of its hire fleet.
Romic’s InterCity 125(Image: Romic Group Limited/Colin Turner, Turner Photography)
Romic Group, which has a base at Dereham station, specialises in the sale of new and used locomotives, carriages and railway vehicles, exporting InterCity 125s across the globe.
Most rail companies have now replaced InterCity 125s with newer models, with East Midlands Railway (EMR) being one of the last to retire its fleet of HSTs in 2021.
Speaking on the platform of the Mid-Norfolk Railway at the launch on Tuesday, Robert Coleman, who owns Romic alongside his wife Mary, said it is “brilliant” to see the InterCity 125 back on the tracks in the UK.
“We’ve brought something back to life that was going to go to scrap, which is now being used again,” Mr Coleman, Romic chairman, said.
“We know there is a passion for the High Speed Trains in the UK and we hear stories of people travelling all over the world to ride them. Now they can come and ride them right here in the UK.”
Romic’s InterCity 125s will be a charter train set for everything from rail tours for train enthusiasts to corporate charters.
Romic co-owner and finance director, Mary Coleman, said the InterCity 125 is a “British icon”.
“We’re all delighted,” she said. “It’s been a real team effort to bring this together today.
“For us to have this under our own livery is so special. We’ve taken it from something that didn’t look very pretty to something that looks stunning.
“We’ve been able to put it back on the British lines instead of exporting it, like we have done with many of our other power cars.
“They’ve got plenty of life left in them, rather than sending them to scrap or landfill.”
The Mid-Norfolk Railway is the longest standard gauge heritage railway in East Anglia, running from Wymondham through to County School Station, near North Elmham.
However, the running line is currently only from Wymondham to Dereham, as the northern section of the line is not running.
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Samantha Taylor, general manager of the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust, the charity which owns and runs the railway, said it is an “exciting collaboration for everyone involved”.
“It shows Romic’s dedication to ensuring that the heritage railway continues, and we are really happy that we are able to facilitate their work here,” she said.
History of the InterCity 125
The InterCity 125, or High Speed Train (HST), revolutionised British rail travel when it entered service in 1976.
Designed by British Rail’s Engineering Development Division and powered by twin Paxman Valenta diesel engines, it was once the world’s fastest diesel train, reaching 125 mph (201 km/h).
Initially deployed on the Great Western and East Coast Main Lines, the HST reduced journey times and became a symbol of reliability and speed, transforming public perception of rail travel in the late 20th century.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, HSTs served routes across the UK, from Scotland down to Cornwall.
Modernisations introduced new liveries, updated interiors, and later MTU engines for improved efficiency.
With the arrival of bi-mode and electric Azuma and Intercity Express trains, HSTs began being retired from service in the 2010s.
However, several refurbished sets remain in service in 2025, with regional operators such as ScotRail and Great Western continuing a remarkable legacy
