My final ride on a full length HST?

[whole diary]

[WSW Frome]

I am also planning to be on the trip. Reading to Carmarthen and probably back all the way to Paddington. Look for the bald old-fart with glasses, in a window seat (north side as I recall) in Coach D.

Paul.

[Celestial]

I did toy with the idea of booking, but the thought of 11 hours (the Carmarthen round trip) in a cramped airline seat sitting next to someone I didn't know put me off, and then I'd probably have to get the early service from Bristol too. Especially when I can still get a fix of standard class HST^▸ (High Speed Train) travel every day from STJ^▸ (Severn Tunnel Junction railway station).

Hope everyone enjoys the day out though.  Maybe someone should take a surfboard for the ride too.

[bobm]

I’ll be on board babysitting Finn while his owner is sent to the buffet at regular intervals. 

[bradshaw]

Good to see, keep us informed by photos

[grahame]

Currently on this:

[bradshaw]

Interesting piece from the ever informative CRS about the June 1st special.
Note the comment about two power cars being sent to Taunton and what might have been.

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/latest-input--news--old-pictures-etc

[Robin Summerhill]

I've just had twp more "final" rised on HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) two days running:

Saturday 8th June - East Midlands 0934 St Pancras to Nottingham
Sunday 9th June - XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) variant on a Plymouth to Glasgow.

I wonder how many more "final" rides I get before my all line rail rover expires on 21st June?

[JayMac]

Well, it turns out my final ride on a full length HST^▸ (High Speed Train) was not the 'Flying Bananana' charity railtour.

Due to the Stephenson Railway Museum in Wallsend being so crap* I had time to kill in the afternoon. Up to York with TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) and my schoolfriend driving. Then back down to Newcastle with LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about), bagging the Sunday afternoon Aberdeen service, so a HST.


Pictured here on arrival at Newcastle. Set was in reverse formation from Kings Cross so it came into Newcastle over Robert Stephenson's High Level Bridge, instead of the more usual route over the King Edward VII Bridge. Back out of Newcastle Central the way it came in, for the remainder of its journey to Scotland.


*It may be free to enter but it really is rather poor. Absolutely nothing about the life and works of George and Robert. Just a small handful of disperate locos, some with no connection to the North East, save for 'Billy'. Even that is only the third oldest locomotive in the world. 🙄

[Robin Summerhill]

I have now posted a comparison shot on Flickr

The "Flying Banana" laving Paddington for the last time, and the inaugural HST^▸ (High Speed Train) run passing Badminton in 1976

https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/48374446201/

[stuving]

I have now posted a comparison shot on Flickr

The "Flying Banana" laving Paddington for the last time, and the inaugural HST^▸ (High Speed Train) run passing Badminton in 1976

https://www.flickr.com/photos/93122458@N08/48374446201/

Of course nothing's that final, at least as far as flying bananas are concerned. Yesterday I saw the other one - the NMT - come through Reading at speed, heading for Paddington (139N arriving 1610). Mind you, seats on it have always been very hard to book ...

[TonyK]

Of course nothing's that final, at least as far as flying bananas are concerned. Yesterday I saw the other one - the NMT - come through Reading at speed, heading for Paddington (139N arriving 1610). Mind you, seats on it have always been very hard to book ...

The catering doesn't match broadgage's exacting standards, either.

[MVR S&T]

imagine its bring your own, microwave, fridge and kettle provided, pop out to Asda if in Bournemouth for an hour, for example.

[Bmblbzzz]

Yesterday, I was sitting on the 11:45 to Weymouth at Platform 7 of Temple Meads, gazing in the direction of Platform 5 and waiting for the train to depart, when a locomotive with a big white name, 'The Welshman', came past, followed by another with a red plate saying, I think, 'Dunder Castle'. It was only when they'd both gone past it struck me there were HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train). And then I realized, they were just power cars with no train between them.

Interesting and  but also 

[broadgage]

Of course nothing's that final, at least as far as flying bananas are concerned. Yesterday I saw the other one - the NMT - come through Reading at speed, heading for Paddington (139N arriving 1610). Mind you, seats on it have always been very hard to book ...

The catering doesn't match broadgage's exacting standards, either.

I did once get a seat on the NMT, due to a friend in the railway industry, a most interesting trip.
The catering was not up to Pullman standards, but still impressive. I recall fresh salmon, new potatoes, and salad, followed by cheesecake with clotted cream. No wine, but it IS a workplace.

[Witham Bobby]

I did once get a seat on the NMT, due to a friend in the railway industry, a most interesting trip.
The catering was not up to Pullman standards, but still impressive. I recall fresh salmon, new potatoes, and salad, followed by cheesecake with clotted cream. No wine, but it IS a workplace.

Memories of the Divisional Manager's Saloon, out on inspections (aka working out what infrastructure could come out, only to be replaced, or badly needed, 40 years later) with the curled-up sandwiches and no shortage of alcohol.

Different times.