GWR HST Coach Lettering and Formations

[vlvstvir]

Hello Everyone,

I've having a bit of trouble trying to get my head around the formations of FGW/GWR HSTs.

I've been regular traveler on the Taunton to Penzance route since 2015, and have become a bit of a HST fan since their withdrawal !

Based on my own videos taken during 2019, I can see that formations tend to be A-B-C-D-H-J-K-L (TGS, TSO, TSD, TSO, TSO, TSO, TRFB, TFD).

However, I can remember seeing coaches E and F in a set on many occasions. In fact, I'm sure the formations used to be A-B-C-D-E-F-K-L.

Can anyone shed a little light on what the general practice was, and what is a good example of a prototypical set?

Thanks!

[fiftyfour fiftyfour]

It depends what year you are modelling

 

The traditional formation for a Padd-West of England set from 1985 onwards would have been;

 

TGS, TS, TS, TS, TS, TRFB, TF, TF and they were lettered A-H in that order until at least 2009.

 

The TS next to the buffet was converted to a TSD around 2000/2001 and remained in the coach E position, then around 2008 it was relocated swapping places with coach E, so after that the formations went TGS, TS, TSD, TS, TS, TRFB, TF, TF. I don't know when the first class coaches started getting higher letters or why! In around 2014/15 one of the TF coaches was converted to a TS changing the formation to TGS, TS, TSD, TS, TS, TS, TRFB, TF. The creation of some TFD coaches was also a late development.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2020 by fiftyfour fiftyfour

[Steadfast]

From (a hazy) memory it was something to do with the sets going from 2 to 1 TF to increase standard capacity. The relettered sets were so the two formations could be told apart for dear reservations etc I believe.

It seems the simple A-H, or A-J or whatever is gone forever now, with various IEP formations missing a letter or two.

I could never suss out the logic of the TGS on East coast sets being carriage B either. No passenger access on a power car of course

 

Jo

Edited March 11, 2020 by Steadfast

[hexagon789]

Looking at an FGW plan when sets still had two TF, lettering was A-H, G & H being the TFs.

 

Moving to the last seating plan, GWR January 2019, lettering for was indeed A-F Std class, K the buffet or TC vehicle, L the TF.

 

It's worth remembering that GWR operated three basic HST formations:

 

Low Density

High Density 

Super-High Density

 

Within those there were also some variations in type of buffet car, as well as a few other things.

 

3 hours ago, Steadfast said:

I could never suss out the logic of the TGS on East coast sets being carriage B either. No passenger access on a power car of course

 

The logic was that 'A' was given to the van area of the TGS to denote where the cycle storage was -"Coach" A. The seating area of the TGS was lettered B.

[fiftyfour fiftyfour]

The East Coast sets went through a coach re-lettering under GNER which standardised across both IC125 and IC225 fleets for seat reservation purposes meaning the coach with the disabled toilet and the buffet coach was the same letter across both fleets, I presume the TGS became coach B during that change.

[TravisM]

Depending on what year you wish to model, you won’t go far wrong by getting a copy of the Platform 5 yearly book as it gives you formations, allocations and spare vehicles at the time of publication.