Commoner

I was at Paddington all day on 26.08.82 and can confirm that the 12.40 Padd-BTM and 15.25 return were worked by 253 006 formed 43012/152, 41013/14, 40353, 42020/18/19, 44006. I also noted 47513 which worked the 07.28 Oxford-Padd. I recorded the working quite closely that day, and it didn’t appear again until the evening peak when it worked an ecs from OOC. I don’t have a record of it working any other down service thereafter. I don’t currently have access to the 1982 volumes of Rail, Railway World, Rail or the Railway Magazine but all would be worth a look. I have checked the relevant 1982 magazines of the LCGB which has no mention of 47513. The October 1982 edition of Inter City (ICRS) records that on 28.08.82, 47513 worked the 09.42 Poole-Newcastle/09.50 Newcastle-Poole south of Birmingham, so this would seem to rule out that date for your trip. Unfortunately, I don’t have access at the moment to the 1982 volume of the Railway Observer, but the October, November or December 1982 editions may be a potential source of information. Perhaps another forum member who has the relevant editions could look them up for you, if you don’t have copies. In regard to the Timewarp website they host a page detailing individuals’ requests for haulage information. You could perhaps submit a request to them. I have done this myself and found them to be very helpful. Hope this helps. Commoner

Monday 4th October 1976 - 125mph operation started on the WR as HSTs commenced working a number of accelerated services on the London-Bristol/South Wales route. 34 years on two Valenta engined power cars are still at work on Grand Central, but won't survive in this condition to see the 35th anniversary of the commencement of HST operation. How time flys! Does anybody have any recollections/observations from the start of the HST service on 4th October 1976?

Indeed a cracking photo of 252 001. Thanks for looking up the ROs for me; I have the details from 1976 ROs concerning the Derby-Morpeth test runs, but thanks for the offer of photocopying and taking the time to contribute. Commoner

Yes that's correct Geoff, however, in the early days the formations took some time to settle. For instance some sets ran as single TRSB sets until their TRUKs were delivered, usually with a replacement TS from a set that had yet to be formed. Still if one vehicle can be identified and it comes from an operational set the remaining vehicles would be easier to identify from the numeric formula you gave above. Interestingly I have had a look back at my notes which show that from a day's observation on 19.03.77, St Philips Marsh based sets 253 003/5/9/13 were NOT noted in traffic. W43042/43 were allocated to SPM, so perhaps it is one of the aforementioned. Thanks Commoner

From papers I have seen in the National Archive the Bradford set was due to be a unit released from commissioning at Derby. However, as the event approached it became apparent that this set required further trials. Consequently the WR was asked to release an operational set which they were not best pleased about, given that the set was required at Bradford from 09.00 Saturday to 17.00 Sunday. What actually happened is inconclusive from those papers. Power cars W43042/43 were probably delivered in early March, having been stranded at Crewe from late January to late February 1977 due to an industrial dispute. My first recording of set 253 021 in traffic is early April 1977, operating as a single TRSB set, although in late March the power cars were used in other units. I don't think the trailer vehicles of 253 021 hasd been formed up by the date of the Bradford event; I may be wrong. I suspect that W43042/43 were tagged on to either end of an operational set as they were the cleanest/newest available to "show off" the new product to the general public. Again, I could be completely wrong, and that's why I hoped somebody might have recorded the formation in detail. Interestingly the TRUK in the set is reversed with the kitchen section next to the first class vehicles, and from Jamie's photos and others published in Modern Railways the bogie springs are still yellow, suggesting it may have been ex-works. So the plot thickens! Geoff did you by any chance record HST formations in traffic on the WR. You mentioned looking up your records for more information. Thanks for your information to date.

Great photographs Jamie, thankyou for taking the time to scan and post them. Commoner

On the weekend of 19th/20th March 1977 an exhibition was held to celebrate the opening of Bradford Transport Interchange. A WR HST set was stabled at Bradford Exchange as part of the public relations exercise. I am trying to establish the exact trailer formation of the set concerned which was formed with power cars W43042/43. Did anybody on RMWeb attend and record the information required. On a related note I also require details of any WR sets/formations recorded on commissioning or delivery runs during 1976/77 on the LMR/ER/WR. Sets were extensively trialled between Derby and Newcastle before being cleared for delivery. I am willing to negotiate token payments for information supplied and if this is required please PM me. Trying not to sound desperate but any help would be much appreciated. Thanks Commoner

HSTs started scheduled working to Fishguard from 12th May 1986. The 01.50 (Mon-Sun) and the 14.12 Fishguard-Paddington (Mon-Sat) and 09.30 Paddington-Fishguard (Mon-Sat) and 23.15 Swansea-Fishguard (Mon-Sun) being booked for WR 2 + 7 sets. The 01.50 Fishguard was diagrammed for the set that worked the previous day??™s 16.00 Paddington-Swansea, which after fuelling at Landore worked the 23.15 Swansea to Fishguard and back to Paddington on the 01.50 Fishguard. On arrival at Paddington it took up workings on the London-Bristol route. The 09.30 Paddington-Fishguard and 14.12 return were diagrammed for the set off the 05.50 Swansea-Paddington due 08.45. I know this arrangement or similar continued for a number of years but can't tell you when the Fishguard working stopped. Incidentally the August 1978 edition of Modern Railways recorded that on 27th May 1978 the 21.13 Swansea-Fishguard and 01.10 Fishguard-Paddington were worked by an HST. Anybody have any further details? Commoner