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GWR HST Coach Lettering and Formations


vlvstvir
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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!

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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 by fiftyfour fiftyfour
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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 by Steadfast
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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.

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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.

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