European Railroad Discussion > East Coast HST farewell

This weekend saw the end of HSTs (High Speed Trains) on the East Coast Main Line here in the UK. After around 40 years of service they have been replaced by the new Hitachi Azumas. The HSTs will conntinue on Great Western, Scotrail and Midland Main Line. I went with the drone to the river bridge over the Calder at Wakefield on Sunday for the last daylight working from Leeds. Due to engineering work, the train worked Leeds to Doncaster, then headed north to Edinburgh.  Chris UK.

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125mph same-same?

Very nice Chris.

I rode them in 1992. they were sweet !!!
Sad to see them go...:(:(:(

A great photo! Thanks for sharing, and for capturing the moment. Looks like you got an uncharacteristically sunny day. 

Jody

Very nice! Good use of a drone!

I rode an East Coast HST south from York on a Sunday evening back in 2014. I was actually a bit disapointed that it was an HST set instead of the Class 91 set until I noticed the East Coast mainline going off to the left as we were on diversion due to engineering works. We ended up on some non-electrified freight only trackage, hence the HST set. I got ride HSTs on four of the TOCs.

Jim

I experienced some moments of panic in about 1980 when I first rode an HST set from London to York.  I was familiar with Mk1 and Mk2 stock and how you opened the doors yourself at stations.  No one had told me that on HSTs you still opened the door yourself, but that there was no inside doorknob and you had to lower the window and reach out to use the outside doorknob.  I was the only person trying to use that vestibule and the train was almost ready to depart when someone came along and asked if I needed help.  Boy, did I.  All that notwithstanding, I think the HSTs were/are the most comfortable trains in the UK and I am really sorry to see them in diminished use.  At least as originally built they had proper restaurant cars while, at least on GWR, the new stock only has a trolley.  Oh well, time marches on.

Gordon

gbmott Wrote:
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> at least on GWR, the new
> stock only has a trolley.  Oh well, time marches
> on.
>
> Gordon

The GW 800s have a kitchen car, it's in the 1st class driving trailer, they still provide Pullman Dining on five services from Paddington.

https://www.gwr.com/plan-journey/journey-information/on-board/pullman-dining



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/19 01:33 by 86235.

86235 Wrote:
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> gbmott Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > at least on GWR, the new
> > stock only has a trolley.  Oh well, time
> marches
> > on.
> >
> > Gordon
>
> The GW 800s have a kitchen car . . .

Thanks, I didn't know that (GWR acknowledges it is a well-kept secret).  But are the 800s the new trains that have replaced the HSTs?

Gordon

gbmott Wrote:
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> But are the 800s the new
> trains that have replaced the HSTs?
>
> Gordon

Yes

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So sorry to see them going away.  On annual trips to Britain in the 1980s, my husband and I traveled almost entirely by rail, and we rode a lot of InterCity 125s.  They are marvellous trains, then and now far better than anything in the US.