34 years young! On this day 4th October 1976...

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

1976: New train speeds into service

British Rail began its new 125mph High Speed Train (HST^▸ (High Speed Train)) service today. The first London-Bristol service arrived three minutes early.

The Inter-City 125 has been introduced to provide a regular high speed service between Cardiff, Bristol and London.

British Rail will extend the HST service to other major cities over the next two years.

Powered by two diesel motors the Inter-City 125 has recorded a top speed of over 140mph in trial runs, making it the fastest diesel-powered train in the world.

Most other countries have developed electrically powered high-speed trains.

The cost of electrification on Britain's network was considered prohibitive so the diesel-powered 125 is a new product from existing technology.

In the absence of an official ceremony by British Rail to mark the occasion, few passengers were aware they were making history this morning as the first 0805 left Paddington on time.

New features

But most travellers did appreciate some improvement in comfort. The carriages feature aircraft-like seating, with sliding electric doors at each end.

Hot food is served quickly from an on-board kitchen with the aid of a state-of-the-art microwave oven.

Rail bosses are hopeful the improved service, which has been introduced without a rise in fares, will bring in more business.

Increased fares over the last two years have been linked to a fall in passenger traffic of 15 to 20%

Great accompanying video as well!

[Electric train]

That makes me feel old  was an apprentice in the brand new HST^▸ (High Speed Train) shed at OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) then

[smithy]

That makes me feel old  was an apprentice in the brand new HST^▸ (High Speed Train) shed at OOC^▸ (Old Oak Common (depot)) then

and i was a day away from entering the world.

i will probably be retiring at about the same time as the HST the way things are going.

[eightf48544]

i will probably be retiring at about the same time as the HST^▸ (High Speed Train) the way things are going.

I wouldn't bet on it, I reckon  HSTs will be around after you've retired Hopefully with an electric loco and DVT^‡(resolve) and window spaced seats with tables, just like "time traveller" predicted in October's Modern Railways. Well I can dream can't I? 

[JayMac]

....then all that's needed is some new rolling stock between the leccy loco and DVT^‡(resolve), perhaps some more Mark IVs.

Bit like Triggers broom then! (or the Ship of Theseus for those of a classical bent)

[XPT]

Great footage on that video of the old darker London Paddington station, the original Valenta engined HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s, the original carriage seating(before FGW^▸ (First Great Western) messed them up a few years back by replacing them with those awful high backed seats), and a reminder of the days when the London-Bristol express services ran(there are none nowadays!).  Though HST's are still running today, this video is very much a reminder of a much missed bygone era.

It would be great if the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) could start putting a lot of their vintage railway news reports online, like this one.  I'd love to see old railway news reports from the 70's, 80's, and even the 90's.

[eightf48544]

I'd love to see old railway news reports from the 70's, 80's, and even the 90's.

Not sure you would especialy the earlier ones. It's really surprisng how much scruffier the railway looks compared with 30/40 years ago.

Nice clean tracks with immaculate ballast trimmed on the edge, no piles of scrap, clear cess, no trees the in the six foot, nicely trimmed emabankments and cutting sides no large trees blocking the view and causing problems this time of year.

[Henry]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/15/newsid_3043000/3043439.stm

 Wonder if Bob Crow remembers this one.

[JayMac]

I doubt it. He was only 5 and was probably not yet a member of the NUR!

[Zoe]

Doubt anyone back then would have thought that 34 years later the same trains would be getting used on semi-fast commuter services out of Paddington.

[Electric train]

Doubt anyone back then would have thought that 34 years later the same trains would be getting used on semi-fast commuter services out of Paddington.

Most maintaining them then would have been surprised if you told them they would survive 34 years, turbo charges failing, paxman engines "throwing legs out of bed", traction motor couplings failing, traction electronic controls failing, coach batteries boiling over (over charging), wheel side protection did not work, break disk cracking, coach vent fans failing, rad group leaks .................. etc

Having said that these were the first trains to go straight from manufacture and into service, the prototype bore little resemblance to the production trains

The HSDT^▸ (Original name for High Speed Train)'s were a stop gap until route electrification, BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) did have the optimism in 1976 of full electrification by 1990!!!