GNERs first re-engined power car No. 43300 has made its debut on East Coast route. On 6 December it operated light from Leeds Neville Hill o Craigentinny and on 8 December entered traffic leading a Edinburgh-Kings Cross service.

GNER is replacing all of the engines in its diesel High Speed Train (HST) fleet with new German-made MTU 16V4000R41 diesel engines, in a £15 million project to deliver a more reliable, safer and greener service for passengers.
The first new engine was fitted to power car number 43300 “Craigentinny”, named after GNER’s engineering service centre south of Edinburgh.

The new engines replace 30-year-old Paxman Valenta diesels in GNER’s HST fleet, and are proven technology in Europe, reducing fuel consumption by 15 per cent compared with the engines they replace.

GNER’s new diesel engines will operate on the East Coast Main Line between London, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, North East England and Scotland. All 25 power cars in GNER’s 11-strong diesel HST fleet are being fitted with the new engines by November 2008.