Compare every Class 43 HST in Train Sim World, its route, required DLC and key differences across GWR, East Midlands and ScotRail versions.
Train Sim World has three official British Class 43 HST families: GWR’s InterCity 125 on Great Western Express, the East Midlands Trains HST on Midland Main Line, and ScotRail’s shortened Inter7City HST for Fife Circle Line. The GWR set also has an ownership-layer role on the Exeter–Plymouth Riviera Line.
Which Class 43 HSTs are included?
Three distinct Class 43 representations provide the main HST experience. In British railway terminology, an HST is the diesel InterCity 125 formation with a Class 43 power car at each end and Mk3 coaches between them.
| HST | How it is obtained | Authored route use | Main distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| GWR Class 43 | Included with Great Western Express | London Paddington–Reading; optional layer on the Exeter–Plymouth Riviera Line | Full-length GWR-green InterCity 125 with MTU-powered Class 43s |
| East Midlands Trains Class 43 | Included with Midland Main Line | Leicester–Derby and Leicester–Nottingham | Full-length East Midlands formation with the distinctive VP185-powered HST sound |
| ScotRail Class 43 | Separate locomotive add-on; Fife Circle Line is required | Edinburgh–Markinch via Kirkcaldy | Shortened, refurbished Inter7City formation with power-operated coach doors |
Great Western Express only models the Paddington–Reading section. A destination display may show Bristol, Cardiff or another off-map city, but the playable service still ends at Reading or a route portal.
On the Riviera Line, the GWR HST is an ownership layer, not stock automatically supplied with that route. Both the Riviera route and Great Western Express must be owned and installed for the Class 43 services to appear.
Which HST route should you choose?
Choose by formation, sound and operating environment rather than assuming every HST add-on offers the same train.
- Great Western Express: best for the familiar GWR InterCity 125, sustained 125 mph running and a busy London terminus. Its route and scenery are from an earlier generation of Train Sim World content.
- Midland Main Line: choose this for VP185 sound, junction work and a choice of Nottingham or Derby services. It offers more varied HST stopping patterns than the short Paddington–Reading corridor.
- ScotRail HST: the option for a shortened, refurbished Inter7City set and Scottish coastal running. It requires the separate Fife Circle route as well as the train add-on.
- Riviera Line plus Great Western Express: suitable when you want to use the GWR model over the more scenic and demanding Exeter–Plymouth corridor.
Our UK route comparison by traffic, era and driving style provides more context if the route matters more than the particular HST variant.
Does Southeastern Highspeed or the East Coast Main Line include an HST?
No. Their trains may be high-speed, but they are not British Rail HSTs or Class 43s.
- Southeastern Highspeed uses the electric Class 395 Javelin.
- East Coast Main Line uses the electric Class 801 Azuma.
- West Coast Main Line uses the electric Class 390 Pendolino where the appropriate train content is installed.
- London Commuter features Classes 377 and 387 rather than an InterCity 125.
The distinction matters when buying DLC: “high-speed train” is a broad description, while HST normally means the Class 43 and Mk3 InterCity 125. Our overview of available Train Sim World routes and their rolling stock covers the wider selection.
Can you drive an HST on other Train Sim World routes?
Yes, an owned HST can be placed on many other routes through Free Roam or used in a compatible custom scenario. Because it is diesel-powered, it does not depend on overhead wires or third-rail electrification.
That does not create an authentic timetable layer. Station stops, AI traffic, destination displays and service timings remain those supplied by the route or built into the custom scenario. A Creators Club repaint also requires ownership of the original HST and does not add different engines, coaches or route services.
Why is my HST missing from the route?
A missing HST is usually an ownership or installation issue rather than a fault with the train.
- Check the parent route: GWR and East Midlands HSTs come with their respective routes, while the ScotRail version needs both its locomotive pack and Fife Circle Line.
- Check optional layers: the Riviera Line does not supply the GWR HST by itself; Great Western Express must also be installed.
- Check the platform account: add-on entitlements should not be assumed to transfer between different storefronts or platform families.
- Check the selected content: a custom livery cannot load without its parent train, and a Free Roam formation does not automatically appear in the normal timetable list.
- Refresh the installation: after downloading missing content, restart the simulator so it can rebuild its available add-on list.