Great Western Coffee Shop

There's an attempt on the record time from Cardiff to London Paddington this afternoon.  Aiming to beat 97m 37s set in August 1988 and possibly break the 90 minute mark, which will be a challenge to say the least.

Article here:  http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business-in-wales/business-news/2011/10/26/first-great-western-on-track-to-break-capital-to-capital-record-91466-29660416/ (http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business-in-wales/business-news/2011/10/26/first-great-western-on-track-to-break-capital-to-capital-record-91466-29660416/)

And schedule here:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6042/6282195589_55e685fd00_z.jpg)

How will this work on a weekday? Will they delay other trains/move them to the slow lines? Cancel Heathrow Express?

How does it work on any day?  I'd imagine reasonable efforts to regulate other services should that be needed will be made, but not to the extent that they'll be nothing else just in front all the way.

Problem with the fragmented railway FGW can longer issue a "Please Explain" to a signalman who delays a train like this.

They are dependant on the goodwill of the Network rail signalmen and other TOCs' control.

I refuse to use signaller if my Granmother insisted on being Mr Mayor when she was mayor of Southampton (she was a feminist before they were invented) then Signalman is the word.

Signallers are chirpy cockneys at the back of warship bridges in films who are first to be killed.

Appears to be running as a 2+5 and it's currently on time :)

On time bristol parkway  :-X

Shout out to those with access to TRUST. How did it get on?

(A screengrab or cut n paste of the complete timings would be nice also.  ;))

           Location        Booked      Arr          Dep
77301 CARDIFCEN  12:21        12:20A     1 EARLY M LINE
73000 PADDINGTN 13:58        13:56A      2 EARLY

hardly seems worth it for 1 min... why didn't they wait until they had a 180 back (if they are coming)

Well said that man.

I agree that they should wait for 180s or electrification/IEP.

Would be good to see a Worcester - Pad service like that, non stop. But for passengers... :P

A record is a record I suppose, even if only a few seconds were shaved off you can still generate plenty of positive column inches.  A 180, whilst being slightly quicker off the mark, probably wouldn't fare too much better than a HST in a 2+5 formation.

Here's the timings:

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6047/6284053163_ee9df0c9a7_z.jpg)

The reporting number made me smile. I know a train planner or two who used to work in Bristol and for some reason (I think 37 was the number of someone's scout troop or something along those lines) would always give trains they were told "could not be done" the reporting number 1Z37.

Wonder if it's just co-incidence or if that tradition has stuck...

I assumed that 1Z37 was chosen because the previous record was 1hr, 37 mins and 37 secs?

Interesting that it took 25 mins Reading - Paddington. A train that stops at Reading can achieve that so obviously could have done better.

Oh yeah, good point, didn't spot that one...  :-[

Yeah, I think that there's at least two ATP beacon failures between Reading and Paddington (which causes the emergency brake to apply until cancelled by the driver) and also am 80MPH TSR at Ealing Broadway, all of which would have added several seconds to the final time.

BBC news item:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15470738