Great Western Railway calls time on long-distance HSTs on 18th May

[editor]

A sad day indeed

GREAT Western Railway has confirmed that May 18 will be the final day of its long-distance High Speed Train operation.

It is expected that the 1803 London Paddington-Penzance will be the last regular passenger service operated by the full-length HSTs on the route. Introduced in 1976, HSTs have operated on the Great Western route ever since, but have been replaced by Hitachi-built Class 80x Intercity Express Trains on an ongoing basis since October 2017.

GWR is currently winding down its HST operations as more IETs are delivered, and with only two nine-car Class 802/1s left to arrive in the UK as this issue of RAIL went to press, GWR will soon have all 93 brand-new trains in traffic.

The operator is also planning that tours to commemorate the departure of the HSTs from its long-distance operations, and it’s likely that 43002 Sir Kenneth Grange and 43185 Great Western will be used on these. GWR spokesman Dan Panes also told RAILthat it was possible the final day could also see an HST diagrammed to visit all the destinations they have served since their introduction.

Already 54 power cars have transferred to ScotRail, while eight power cars have been sent off-lease with seemingly no future (43017/053/069/070, 43174/193/195/197). Of those, 43195 was damaged when it hit a tree at the start of 2018 and has been stripped of components, and is likely to be scrapped.

Great Western Railway calls time on long-distance HSTs

 

[BassJunkie]

That is a shame, I often commute Leicester to Kettering and return and the HSTs are an order of magnitude more comfortable than any of the alternatives.

 

[editor]

That is a shame, I often commute Leicester to Kettering and return and the HSTs are an order of magnitude more comfortable than any of the alternatives.

The replacement trains really are a bit cack.

What kind of clueless twat comes up with this for passengers?

In photos: A trip on the new GWR Intercity Express trains – and my verdict

 

[2hats]

The replacement trains really are a bit cack.

What kind of clueless twat comes up with this for passengers?

I guess a seat with no window is a step up of sorts from having to stand or sit on the aisle floor? Assuming there are sufficient seats.

I wonder what the pollution (NO2, PM10, PM2.5) of the new sets is like compared to the old?

 

[Bus Honeygun]

One last jaunt if anyone's interested. Guess tickets will go on general sale after the open day at Penzance.

Great Western Railway announce Class 43 locomotive farewell charity railtour

 

[planetgeli]

Another nail in my childhood.

 

[MrCurry]

So are the trains they are to be replaced with still diesels? Or is this the advent of full electrification of that line (think I heard a few years ago they were planning to do it)?

 

[editor]

So are the trains they are to be replaced with still diesels? Or is this the advent of full electrification of that line (think I heard a few years ago they were planning to do it)?

Diesel/electric - In photos: A trip on the new GWR Intercity Express trains – and my verdict

 

[MrCurry]

Aha, ok thanks. Will be good for those who live next to the railway line to get rid of the HSTs. The sound of them going past was like Satan arriving to drag you to hell. A real screaming howl which could easily give you a heart attack if you didn’t know what it was.

Hopefully the new ones have their Diesel engines spread out along the train rather than in two gargantuan lumps at front and back.