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Last HST Passenger Services from London Paddington, Saturday May 18th 2019


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So here it is, the biggest day at Paddington since the end of the Westerns, or maybe the class 50's or the arrival of a class 87 ?

 

The last day of HST operated services on the GWML is Saturday May 18th 2019.

4 Diagrams operating, Ive summarized all movements here.

 

Sorted by time to/from Paddington (Inverted Colour indicates an Exit from Paddington.

Pictures below, Ive attached the Spreadsheet here incase anyone wants to work with it, includes links to Realtimetrains for each working.

 

image.png.57b751354e93354aa60032d5499f37ac.png


 

Of note (and looks like my emerging plan).. if you go..

1C16 to Bristol, Return on 1A23 as far as Reading, and change to 1P61 and hence take 1C76... you get to ride on all 4 final diagrams that day.

 

Note the Platform 1-4 departures.

There is a 1Z26 from Paddington to Taunton, from Platform 5, this is an IEP that follows 2 minutes behind the scheduled 1C76 from Paddington, but overtakes 1C76 at Reading to run in the normal 1C76 path... don't be confused if your watching enroute ! -

 

Alternatively you could take 1Z76 after 1C26 departs, quickly jump a picture at Reading and choose another viewing station, and still board 1C76 to Taunton and so get 4 photo shoots & a ride enroute… though of course on the day, 1Z26 and 1C76 could always end up swapping departure slots from Paddington and so avoid that overtaking at Reading... afterall 1c76 is a scheduled service effectively operating as a railtour in this instance it's the 1Z26 that's the operating the usual service schedule.

 

Edit: one to consider, the 1122 to Great Malvern, departs Oxford 1223, the provisional timings for Vintage Trains will see 7029 Clun Castle arrive at 1227, giving one last occasion where a HST and a Castle will pass on the GWML... how many times in the last 40 years have you had a HST get in the way of a steam railtour on the ex-GWR....

 

After that is 7999 That's Hall.

 

 

HSTLastDay.xlsx

Edited by adb968008
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Pretty amazing to think they will be gone from Paddington within 4 weeks bearing in mind as recently as 6 months ago HSTs were my staple commute. Hope the final day is enjoyed by the HST fans, I presume the Blue Grey and Intercity power cars will appear 

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OK for you lot, I can remember being really pi##ed off because these things appeared and were another nail in the coffin of the old school loco hauled services in the west and Reading area. However I had also been really annoyed when the first Warships appeared at 83D in 1958 so don't get narky!!!!!

Who would have thought that, over 40 years later, the 125 would be my train of choice if possible on the ECML!  Now what have I got to look forward to...….Pah!

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Edit: one to consider, the 1122 to Great Malvern, departs Oxford 1223, the provisional timings for Vintage Trains will see 7029 Clun Castle arrive at 1227, giving one last occasion where a HST and a Castle will pass on the GWML... how many times in the last 40 years have you had a HST get in the way of a steam railtour on the ex-GWR....

 

The return seems to miss by a good hour.

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HSTs revolutionised inter city . At one time the U.K. was operating more 125mph trains than anywhere else in the world . It was my train of choice back in 1979 and I still love them. It’s a sign of getting old that these are being retired . Hoping to ride on the inter7City ones in Scotland when they get up to strength

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On 19/04/2019 at 08:17, Siberian Snooper said:

My last HST journeys will be next weekend when I do a return trip to the Smoke, RTT shows HSTs diagrammed for both journeys! My following trip to Railex it will be my first time ride in the new 80x's

 

 

 

RTT doesn’t show diagrams or booked traction. It only shows the timing load!

High Speed Train (HST 125) on RTT applies to both HST & IET operated workings.

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Sadly I am otherwise engaged on the 18th May but have in any case already done my farewells on GWR.  I fluked an up CDF-PAD late last year on a random advance booking which turned out to be a booked HST duty.  I used the same a week later when visiting a friend in Swindon and did the short hop back to Reading.  During the recent Whiteball blockade I offered my farewells doing PAD-PNZ one day and PNZ-PLY-PAD the next, the change being required due to altered carriage working although both up trains were HSTs and the same crew worked PNZ-EXD swapping trains - along with their customers - at PLY.

 

So we reach the end of high-speed main line operation on GWR metals though not the end of HST use.  The 4-car Cornish sets will see more use from the 19th May and have already ventured as far as Bristol.  They will be a very welcome change from the 150s on the secondary workings.

 

Attention now turns to the East Coast.  I am already booked on the 12.00 KGX-INV in a couple of weeks which will be the only chance I have to make such a long trip before those sets too are replaced.  And into the bargain comes a farewell to Mk3 sleepers on the return leg.

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10 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

 

Attention now turns to the East Coast.  I am already booked on the 12.00 KGX-INV in a couple of weeks which will be the only chance I have to make such a long trip before those sets too are replaced.  And into the bargain comes a farewell to Mk3 sleepers on the return leg.

 

It certainly does, but sooner than you think..

 

Saturday May 4th, Caledonian Sleepers are diverted down the ECML from Newcastle to KX (as 3 portions not 2), and have associated LE and ECS workings... between 630-930am you will see 12 CS related movements at Finsbury Park.

 

May 15th, first LNER Azuma services.

 

 

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16 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

 

So we reach the end of high-speed main line operation on GWR metals though not the end of HST use.  The 4-car Cornish sets will see more use from the 19th May and have already ventured as far as Bristol.  They will be a very welcome change from the 150s on the secondary workings.

 

 

 

The 2 + 4 sets are already working some Cardiff to Taunton services, and last week I had one on the 06.24 Bristol Parkway to Penzance (almost 5 hours for the whole journey)

 

cheers   

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HST association with Paddington-South Wales services goes back to my time on the railway, and includes a period when the prototype set worked a Swansea diagram.  We were all given training in the use of the emergency coupling bar; IIRC you opened the access panel with a carriage key.  Traincrews were not allowed to travel on duty with the prototype diagram, but I managed to obtain dispensation for myself and driver as we would have been over time for our 12 hour rest period for the following day's duty.  Several of us managed to go into overtime by not travelling on this train and restriction was removed as soon as the production sets entered service.  

 

They were a revelation on the South Wales banks; it was possible to accelerate to 50mph off the platform at Bridgend on the down and have to shut off before the bottom of Stormy Bank over the river bridge, and you could accelerate to 90mph before the top.  The trains showed similar contempt for the corkscrew out of Neath up Skewen.  I was once guard on an ecs working from Canton to St Philip's Marsh, and sat in front with the driver.  We observed all speed restrictions and went start to stop in 48 minutes, a remarkable thing.  

 

The original guard's accommodation was in the power car, which had a control desk for light engine movements in 'reverse'.  The ride was very rough here and pretty noisy as well; walking through the engine room when the Valentas were voicing their opinion was terrifying, even with earplugs.  The cab was very quiet and comfortable.

 

I believe these trains have been in front line service for a longer period than any previously used on the GW, as motive power and as coaches.  The Hawksworth stock and later 52s pale in comparison.  I'll miss them; when introduced they were the only high speed air conditioned service in the world that did not require supplementary fares, not to mention the diesel speed record, and we were very proud of them.

 

I once milepost-timed one at 135mph on the down Badminton between Hullavington and Brinkworth, so uphill (!); the ride in a 2nd class mk3 was very good but a little noisy.  This was in the 80s.  I'll miss 'em on the Paddingtons, but they'll still be in 4 car use, pocket rockets!  

 

That said, I like the 800s.  Nothing will ever really replace a Canton cleaned Brit with a rake of choc/cream mk1s interrupted by a refurbished Collett restaurant car in my affections, though...

Edited by The Johnster
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1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

HST association with Paddington-South Wales services goes back to my time on the railway, and includes a period when the prototype set worked a Swansea diagram.  We were all given training in the use of the emergency coupling bar; IIRC you opened the access panel with a carriage key.  Traincrews were not allowed to travel on duty with the prototype diagram, but I managed to obtain dispensation for myself and driver as we would have been over time for our 12 hour rest period for the following day's duty.  Several of us managed to go into overtime by not travelling on this train and restriction was removed as soon as the production sets entered service.  

 

They were a revelation on the South Wales banks; it was possible to accelerate to 50mph off the platform at Bridgend on the down and have to shut off before the bottom of Stormy Bank over the river bridge, and you could accelerate to 90mph before the top.  The trains showed similar contempt for the corkscrew out of Neath up Skewen.  I was once guard on an ecs working from Canton to St Philip's Marsh, and sat in front with the driver.  We observed all speed restrictions and went start to stop in 48 minutes, a remarkable thing.  

 

The original guard's accommodation was in the power car, which had a control desk for light engine movements in 'reverse'.  The ride was very rough here and pretty noisy as well; walking through the engine room when the Valentas were voicing their opinion was terrifying, even with earplugs.  The cab was very quiet and comfortable.

 

I believe these trains have been in front line service for a longer period than any previously used on the GW, as motive power and as coaches.  The Hawksworth stock and later 52s pale in comparison.  I'll miss them; when introduced they were the only high speed air conditioned service in the world that did not require supplementary fares, not to mention the diesel speed record, and we were very proud of them.

 

I once milepost-timed one at 135mph on the down Badminton between Hullavington and Brinkworth, so uphill (!); the ride in a 2nd class mk3 was very good but a little noisy.  This was in the 80s.  I'll miss 'em on the Paddingtons, but they'll still be in 4 car use, pocket rockets!  

 

That said, I like the 800s.  Nothing will ever really replace a Canton cleaned Brit with a rake of choc/cream mk1s interrupted by a refurbished Collett restaurant car in my affections, though...

 

My nomination for post of the month.What a joy to read this on a sunny Easter Day.Nostalgia comes no better than this.Many thanks from one who spent days in the fifties at The London end of Platform 3....

 

 

 

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Thank you for your kind words, Ian.  It is indeed a fine afternoon for a bit of nostalgia, and far too nice for modelling no matter how much the glazing in the A31 needs to be done.  

 

I, too, was once one of the usual suspects at the London end of Platform 3, but this was in the 60s; my association in the 50s was with the London end of Platform 2 in the company of Uncle Ted, as I was too young to go trainspotting on my own then.  The gleaming Brits are nonetheless very clear in my memory, as is the fuss they made getting a train away over the hump of Canal Wharf Bridge.  If your memories include Saturday mornings looking across towards the up side to see a tall, rather gaunt, grey haired elderly gent in a brown coat which had seen better days, the small boy whose hand he was holding was yours truly!

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I know it sort of isn’t the point, but what GWR diagrams are HST worked between now and The End? I’m not one for collective grice-feats, but a trip to replicate my first HST ride in  nov 1976 (I think) might be good.

 

K

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2 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

I know it sort of isn’t the point, but what GWR diagrams are HST worked between now and The End? I’m not one for collective grice-feats, but a trip to replicate my first HST ride in  nov 1976 (I think) might be good.

 

K

 

Remaining GWR HST Diagrams

 

Remaining HST diagrams and their particular workings can be found here ^ 

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5 hours ago, The Johnster said:

I believe these trains have been in front line service for a longer period than any previously used on the GW,

I think this is true of any main line in Britain, if not elsewhere too. There can't be many trains still doing exactly what they were designed to do, regularly at full speed and over so many miles, 40 odd years after introduction.  That's definitely testament to the original design, but does it also show that there hasn't been any real progress since ?

So, suddenly, there's only a couple of full set HST runs west of Exeter in the final weekend. Hopefully can catch sight of some of the last runs, otherwise it's down to the 'Castle' 4-car sets afterwards :(

 

 

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1 hour ago, Ramblin Rich said:

I think this is true of any main line in Britain, if not elsewhere too. There can't be many trains still doing exactly what they were designed to do, regularly at full speed and over so many miles, 40 odd years after introduction.  That's definitely testament to the original design, but does it also show that there hasn't been any real progress since ?

It's unusual. The 0 series shinkansen sets lasted 44 years (1964 - 2008), but I don't know about anything else comparable.

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4 Car set seen late afternoon today on Platform 6 Exeter St.Davids......

 

DSCF8264.jpg.55ad429304a7c25aa65696e5a1b4d7fc.jpg

 

and at the other end.....

 

DSCF8260.jpg.980c1e3b29e6acf82b067fb1fc3209fe.jpg

 

G

Edited by bgman
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In 1988 I wrote:

"When the last HST opens up its engines, spews its exhaust over the concourse at Paddington and heads west into the setting sun, there will be a large group of enthusiasts watching its final departure from the London terminus, standing on the end of platform 8."

 

But do not despair,  they will still be seen at St Pancras and Kings Cross. Also up in Scotland on internal services and along the NE/SW corridor. Plus they'll be short sets still on the GW, between Cardiff and Penzance.

 

I've already said my "farewell" to the full-length GW sets:

 

 

P1280710.JPG

P1280860.JPG

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On 20/04/2019 at 21:32, Banger Blue said:

 

RTT doesn’t show diagrams or booked traction. It only shows the timing load!

High Speed Train (HST 125) on RTT applies to both HST & IET operated workings.

 

 

Outbound Journey will  be on 1A79, Dia IW003, so that confirms my up journey and the return journey is on 1C85 which three weeks ago was an HST and was 16 late at Plymouth.

 

 

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