European Railroad Discussion > 13:34 Penzance-London arriving at Taunton

Class 43 HST train set enters Taunton platform 5 on time with the 10:00 departure from Penzance. I think this used to be the "up" Cornish Riviera Express. Even today there is the attraction of Pullman dining on weekdays, while the train makes only one more stop, at Reading, on its way to a 15:25 arrival at London Paddington.

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How funny, that's the train I'm getting back from Plymouth next week. I believe it's still called the Cornish Riviera in the FGW timetable.

How many of these HST 125 trainsets were made? How many are still running? It seems like they are everywhere.

I find the longevity of them fascinating. Is it because they were such a good design, or there was nothing else to replace them, or both?

Focalplane Wrote:
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>... I think this used to be the "up" Cornish Riviera
> Express.

Is "up" always towards London?

symph1 Wrote:
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> Is "up" always towards London?

Yes

UP is always to London except on the London Midland where it is UP to Derby and therefore DOWN to London from Derby and they say it was the Great Western that was always different!

Longevity, yes it was an excellent design, originally had a lifespan of 15 to 20 years but this has been extended with re-engine refurb which probably has alot to do with a lack of a coherent replacement, alot of which is caused by the fragmented, privatised mess that the railway system is in. I think the DoT has decided on direction and a replacement now but don't hold your breath!

Steve



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/06/09 05:17 by driver.

SOO6617 Wrote:
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> symph1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is "up" always towards London?
>
> Yes
Not in Scotland it's not.

With reference to up and down trains, there is the story of Dr. Spooner, an Oxford professor, who was responsible for the term "spoonerism". One of his classics is often quoted: "I'm off to London on the town drain" which may be more legendary than true since the Great Western did use the term up to London and a train from Oxford would have run on the Great Western!

The train is named the CRE on some timetables but not all - the "complete" timetable doesn't mention it whereas the FGW mini-timetables probably still do.

I agree with others that the Class 43 is probably the best example of post-steam British railroad engineering which is why it still runs way past its original sell-by date. As with many good designs, the trainset does have a timeless character. It looks fresher today than when it was introduced, though that may be a function of the more enterprising paint jobs, some of which are very complimentary.

Scotland is a different country ;-)

MW4man Wrote:
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> How many of these HST 125 trainsets were made?
> How many are still running? It seems like they
> are everywhere.
>
> I find the longevity of them fascinating. Is it
> because they were such a good design, or there was
> nothing else to replace them, or both?

In short, mearly all of them are still running. Built in the mid seventies, production powercars numbered 43002-198 (or is it 197, can't remember). Only half a dozen have been scrapped, all due to collision damage. In the last ten years or so, many were put into store or went off lease but all are now in regular use again. Almost all of the remaining power cars are now fitted with MTU power units and would seem to have many years life left in them. Their continued use appears to be down to an inability in any company to invest in a replacement. I believe they are still the fastest production diesel rail locomotive ever built. Nothing has surpassed this in 35 years! Only the Spanish built EMD Class 67 is similarly rated at 125mph but these have never been used regularly on fast services. I understand only 67023 is passed for running at 125mph.

Not only did the "HST" improve passenger travel in the UK, but the Australian built "XPT" (Express Passenger Train) using power cars of the same design and stainless steel passenger cars revived passenger service in New South Wales. Some XPT services include sleepers and lounge cars.

A pair of XPT passenger trains are shown at Sydney Central in 2001. The orange one celebrates New South Wales joining the Australian Federation. The blue and white one is bound for the Australian capitol, Canberra.

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Interesting changes in the details, like the corner windows. But the basic design is very recognizable.

The same feature which made the HST such a success on the former GWR line in Cornwall and Devon, namely the high power to weight ratio for acceleration and climbing the steep gradients in Devon worked just as well in Australia. Especially going north toward Newcastle NSW, and further toward Brisbane QLD, there are significant gradients.

New South Wales has high platforms like the UK, and a more restricted loading guage than other Australian States. The vertical clearance is greater than in the UK however. This allows for bi-level commuter trains in Sydney and also for the XPT's to be taller than their UK counterparts. I'm told that the running gear and Paxman prime mover are the same as in Britain. I'm not sure if the XPT's have been re-engined like the HST's. They also feature a pilot for kangaroo encounters, and lots of headlights.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/09 09:37 by eminence_grise.