Celebrating a British (Rail!) Design Icon

Steel has underpinned much of the progress that we’ve enjoyed, whether it’s the frame of the modern city skyline or the infrastructure of the internet age. These days, it can feel like progress is going at breakneck speed; phones and computers are obsolete after only a few years and the drive for innovation means it’s difficult to imagine the lifespan of any product being more than a decade. The long-lasting stopgap What people may be surprised to hear is that one of the UK’s most famous names in transport is still going after 45 years of service – the InterCity 125. While officially known as ‘High Speed Train’, InterCity 125 was introduced in 1976, after being designed and made in around 20 months – which is an rapid turnaround, even by today’s standards! The intent was to create a diesel locomotive to bridge the gap between the former trains and a new, modern, electric rail network with at the time unheard of speeds and shorter times between major travel points. The electrification of the railways didn’t happen as intended, but the HST design was so reliable, it exceeded expectations and helped turn around the fortunes of British Rail, at the same time finding its way into the national mindset as a design icon.

For more information on Celebrating a British (Rail!) Design Icon talk to West Yorkshire Steel Co Ltd