European Railroad Discussion > Last day of the High Speed Train - Great Britain

On the site that is not to be mentioned, there is a video from Great Britain with a title that says it's the last day for the high speed train between Plymouth and London. However no reason is given for the discontinuance - finances, too expensive to run, not enough riders, covid-19, etc. Would appreciate if someone familiar with this train and circumstances could provide information.
Thanks

They're simply old and have been superseded. They were first introduced in '76.

Cumbresfan Wrote:
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> On the site that is not to be mentioned, there is
> a video from Great Britain with a title that says
> it's the last day for the high speed train between
> Plymouth and London. However no reason is given
> for the discontinuance -

There is no discontinuance. The HSTs on that route have been replaced with Hitachi-built trains with dual-mode electric and diesel capability.

railsmith Wrote:
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> There is no discontinuance. The HSTs on that route
> have been replaced with Hitachi-built trains with
> dual-mode electric and diesel capability.

Therefore the HSTs have been discontinued on that route.

exhaustED Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> railsmith Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There is no discontinuance. The HSTs on that
> route
> > have been replaced with Hitachi-built trains
> with
> > dual-mode electric and diesel capability.
>
> Therefore the HSTs have been discontinued on that
> route.

All true and it represents progress, but I contend that the HST's were the most comfortable trains of the modern era in the UK.  I still remember, however, my panic the first time I rode one when arriving York and not understanding there was no inside door handle and that you had to drop the window and reach the outside one!

Gordon

gbmott Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> exhaustED Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > railsmith Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > There is no discontinuance. The HSTs on that
> > route
> > > have been replaced with Hitachi-built trains
> > with
> > > dual-mode electric and diesel capability.
> >
> > Therefore the HSTs have been discontinued on
> that
> > route.
>
> All true and it represents progress, but I contend
> that the HST's were the most comfortable trains of
> the modern era in the UK.  I still remember,
> however, my panic the first time I rode one when
> arriving York and not understanding there was no
> inside door handle and that you had to drop the
> window and reach the outside one!
>

I can't argue with that, they were extremely comfortable. I know what you mean with the handle, reaching the outside handle could be slightly awkward sometimes, even when you knew that's what you had to do!

At least my first time to reach for the handle was a nice Fall evening. I feel bad for the person who had to grab the handle in icy rain or after it had been baking in the Sun all day. 

Jim

exhaustED Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> gbmott Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > exhaustED Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > railsmith Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > There is no discontinuance. The HSTs on
> that
> > > route
> > > > have been replaced with Hitachi-built
> trains
> > > with
> > > > dual-mode electric and diesel capability.
> > >
> > > Therefore the HSTs have been discontinued on
> > that
> > > route.
> >
> > All true and it represents progress, but I
> contend
> > that the HST's were the most comfortable trains
> of
> > the modern era in the UK.  I still remember,
> > however, my panic the first time I rode one
> when
> > arriving York and not understanding there was
> no
> > inside door handle and that you had to drop the
> > window and reach the outside one!
> >
>
> I can't argue with that, they were extremely
> comfortable. I know what you mean with the handle,
> reaching the outside handle could be slightly
> awkward sometimes, even when you knew that's what
> you had to do!

It is, by any objective assessment, an absolutely ridiculous method of opening the doors, and yet somehow endearing in its idiosyncrasy.

That being said, my limited experience with the Hitachi replacements (class 800/802, I believe?) on a quick trip from London to Bath and back was actually quite pleasant; it seems I enjoyed them a bit more than most, as I have generally read rather negative reviews. They do have some peculiarities, however: In 1st class, permanent mini-tables even at the single seats (it's a 2+1 arrangement) and some "wall" seats are certainly less attractive. Also, they need to either lock or more clearly label the door separating the 1st class passenger compartment from the galley, as I saw no less than eight people march cluelessly into that employees-only area (I suppose expecting to find more train?).

tq-07fan Wrote:
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> At least my first time to reach for the handle was
> a nice Fall evening. I feel bad for the person who
> had to grab the handle in icy rain or after it had
> been baking in the Sun all day. 
>
> Jim

Ha ha, a lot more chance of the icy rain than the baking sun in England! Although climate change is changing that slowly...

Guess if you still want the comfort of the HST, you need to ride LNER which still operates the 225 electic version London and north.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

I believe I saw on one of the many UK rail vids on YouTube, that Great Western retained a few of the HST's and use for long distance local service on the west end of their system.  Rode the Hitachi trains in May of 2018.  Impressed but certainly not plush.  Of course I was in second class.

Mexrail



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/20 19:20 by mexrail.

RNinRVR Wrote:
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> Guess if you still want the comfort of the HST,
> you need to ride LNER which still operates the 225
> electic version London and north.

That's not the HST, which used Mark 3 coaches designed in the mid-1970s. The IC 225 loco-hauled sets used the later Mark 4 coaches (built 1989-1992) designed specifically for that East Coast Main Line service. But Hitachi trains have already made major inroads on that route too.

Refurbished short-formation HST sets will live on in Scotland and England's West Country, but not operating at the speeds seen in their original lives.

railsmith Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RNinRVR Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Guess if you still want the comfort of the HST,
> > you need to ride LNER which still operates the
> 225
> > electic version London and north.
>
> That's not the HST, which used Mark 3 coaches
> designed in the mid-1970s. The IC 225 loco-hauled
> sets used the later Mark 4 coaches (built
> 1989-1992) designed specifically for that East
> Coast Main Line service. But Hitachi trains have
> already made major inroads on that route too.
>
> Refurbished short-formation HST sets will live on
> in Scotland and England's West Country, but not
> operating at the speeds seen in their original
> lives.

You can still ride a full length HST at 100 mph+ on long distance services on Arriva Cross Country, they have five sets of which four have been refurbished (work is currently underway on the fifth) which ply between Scotland / Northeast England and South West England.

I'm from the U.S.and loved your HSTs and wished we had them!

railsmith Wrote:
>
> ........Refurbished short-formation HST sets will live on
> in Scotland and England's West Country, but not
> operating at the speeds seen in their original
> lives.

Have they been regeared for a lower top speed ?   And are there any plans to replace one power car with a DVT or similar ?

SZ

Steinzeit2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> railsmith Wrote:
> >
> > ........Refurbished short-formation HST sets
> will live on
> > in Scotland and England's West Country, but not
> > operating at the speeds seen in their original
> > lives.
>
> Have they been regeared for a lower top speed
> ?   And are there any plans to replace one power
> car with a DVT or similar ?

No plans for DVTs.

ScotRail has 17 five-coach sets and nine four-coach sets. The power cars in these sets had only minimal work done in the conversion program (corrosion repair, new livery, forward-facing CCTV, interlock for the new power doors in the coaches). Most of the work focused on the coaches, which received power doors as noted and retention toilets, including facilities for tthe disabled.  The story for the 11 four-car sets created for Great Western is much the same.