Did other operators HSTs run out of Paddington to the west in 2015/16

[Tallpaul69]

Hi All,

Trying to decide whether there is a base of fact to allow me to keep my fleet of HSTs from operators other than First Great Western/GWR to run on my WR Main line layout in its 2015/6 version?

 

I know in the early 2000s Midland Mainline and GNER sets or power cars were used in times of poor fleet availability or peak demand, so I wondered if this practice still happened in 2015 or 2016? 

 

Details of observations/links to other relevant posts or magazine articles would be appreciated.

 

Many thanks

Paul

[Davexoc]

MML and GNER were summer weekend extras from the NE AFIAK, like Newcastle/Leeds - /Paignton/Penzance/Newquay. So not likely to reach Padd.

[Gwiwer]

Never to or from Paddington unless there has been an emergency XC diversion.  XC used to run HSTs to Bournemouth via Reading though this ceased before privatisation.  Loaned sets are not necessarily to the identical configuration as those a crew would normally work meaning there can be a need to have a home crew and possibly a conductor aboard when working "off route".  MML and GNER sets have been to Paignton IIRC (just as have WCML "EBW" DVT sets of loco-worked stock) but such things have become less common post-privatisation.  

 

When WR HST availability was poor they once used makeshift sets of mostly first class early Mk2 stock on specific Paddington - Penzance diagrams though these were withdrawn when HST availability improved.  Since then it has been very much a case of "no set = no service" with the only hires I am aware of being the fairly regular use of non-GWR class 57s on the overnight trains.

[DY444]

Anything not fitted with ATP is limited to a maximum speed of 110mph on the GWML except between Reading and Didcot.