Last HSTs from Paddington 18/5

Just a heads up that the last HSTs from Paddington will be the 1803 to Plymouth, 1815 to Cheltenham, the 1822 to Hereford and the 1830 to Exeter, via Bristol. https://www.gwr.com/about-us/media-...-and-date-of-the-last-high-speed-train-to-run

The 1830 will be reservation only, with the 1832 immediately behind being an IET.

The end of 43 years of HSTs serving the west, anyone going to be there? There is also a rail tour visiting the lines the HSTs ran on on the 1st of June.

 

Saturday 18th May for those wondering.

 

In the Title, but managed to forget it in the post, whoops!

 

Booking system down..................

 

I think I may make the effort to go down with my camera: I remember watching the last Deltic heading for the Cross, and I think I have a cassette recording of it too. If memory serves me right, it was the night of a young woman's 18th birthday party, which I had been invited to: I chose to go and watch the Deltic pass instead.

I married the young woman five years later.

 

It took her that loooong to forgive you ?

 

Echoes of the last run of the Western 52 over 40 years ago.

 

Did you ever come clean about why you didn't go to the party...???

 

I know they haven't got Valentas now but:-

I think the HST power cars will have a place in history alongside Deltics.

And that GNER livery wasn't too shabby.

 

They should all be lined up in platforms 1-4 as well before the first one departs at 18.03. I'm guessing it's going to be a bit busy!

 

No, because I wasn't interested in her at the time - but she was in me.

 

See the above, Fred As I later discovered, she had an interest in trains too - when someone walks through a 'Peak' with you and your mates at Derby Open Day and asks what all the parts are and what they do you know you've got a keeper.

Sadly, that all came to an end nine years ago.

 

What's happening to these HST sets after they're retired from GWR duties? Birmingham - Stanstead Express would suit me

 

We'll have em in t'north, should be decent replacements for our Pacer infestation.

 

Once upon a time HSTs could be diverted from Peterborough via March and Ely to Hitchin to get around that chunk of the ECML. Not sure it's gauged for it any more, but I see your point

 

They did that last year for a few weekends due to engineering works on the ECML

 

Never thought I would see the day when there would be no more HST'S out of Paddington, I can remember a time when that's all you ever got on the longer distance services

 

About time - beats being bustituted...

 

Does the end of HST services on the GW mean the demise of the one remaining restaurant car service each way, the 12:03 from Paddington and the 16:00 from Penzance?

 

No, the IET's still offer it.