Is the Network Rail hybrid 43, 'Hyabusa', still going strong? I have not heard anything about it since it left GCR.

Looks like it is-

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Thanks for the link. I wonder how well it is doing?

Certainly no public decision is known of on what to do with it yet, unlike 013/014/062 which are getting MTU'd early-ish next year.

Maybe the fact that Network Rail are supporting electrification suggests that hybrids aren't all they're cracked up to be.

Hayabusa was on the NMT today. It was supposed to run Edinburgh/Inverness this afternoon. I stood in the rain for 45 minutes waiting for it but it was cancelled so I got wet for nothing

I got wet just walking up the road to the Internet cafe-style place down here, wasn't amused. Got me out of washing up for the moment though!

I would reckon, 96701, that NR are supporting electrification because the current climate (economic and physical) would suggest this to be a good move. I don't know how coal prices compare to diesel prices at the moment, but going by what I saw at the pumps from night buses on Saturday morning diesel must be more expensive. If it goes up again and at the previous rate, then serious looks will be needed with reinstating more electric locomotives and bringing whatever MK2s/MK3s are left back into service promptly. We cannot continue on diesel forever, so electrification is (as much as I dislike the idea as a diesel train enthusiast) a good step forward in my eyes.

Sorry to drag this considerably off-topic, just wanted to voice the above opinion.