Great Western Coffee Shop

What is the top speed experinenced on a HST from Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington and where would you experience it?

125 Swindon -Reading and Reading to Hayes (ish)

Thanks, I was just wondering as I somtimes travel down that route.

Welcome to the Coffee Shop forum, pullman!  :)

Though they have to slam on the anchors and reduce to 120mph between Cholsey and Goring due to signal distances!

From what I know, most HST services only go above 100 mph somwhere between
Swindon and Paddington. If I am right! ;)

HST Reading > Swindon None Stop always produces impressive speeds :)

There are a number of 110 mph sections between Reading & Taunton and Bristol & Taunton. The linespeed from Swindon - Westerleigh is also touching at 125mph however the ride was a bit ropey last time I went over it.

Padd to Slough booked 14minutes is 79 mph start stop for 18.4375 miles.

But you don't get the 40 minute sprints from Bath to Reading 70.9 miles in 40 minutes which is around 106 average start stop you got in teh late 70s when the HSTs really were HSTs.

Yes indeed !

"a new World diesel speed record was set up between Paddington and Chippenham, Wiltshire - the 94 miles being travelled in just 50 minutes and 31 seconds. This involved an average speed of 111.7 mph, five miles per hour faster than the than the Tokaido trains of Japan which had previously held the record for the swiftest scheduled service".  (Jun 1979)

What "bullet trains" ??

???? or maybe between West Ealing and Ealing Broadway. On clear signals drivers dont shut off till Waitrose and apply the brakes for the 100 as we pass through Ealing Broadway!

I was of the understanding that the record was around 148 mph somewhere on the East Coast
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterCity_125 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterCity_125)

I think the 148mph record was between York and Darlington - it's certainly an obvious place. Spain and Russia have both claimed to beat the record speed for diesels but those times are still unofficial. A 2+5 set also managed Newcastle-Kings Cross in 2h19min.