GWR operating short 'HSTGTi' sets (see diagrams section for workings)

[43055]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K97242/2019/05/15/advanced Looks like the next set's on its way north...

Just seen it. Looks like the Hull Trains HST with 43020 on the rear.

 

[59CosG95]

Just seen it. Looks like the Hull Trains HST with 43020 on the rear.

Ahhh, that might be going back on-lease as the second set. Odd that it isn't going to Hull Botanic Gardens...

 

[Weekender]

No, it is still 11 sets and spare vehicles.

Out of interest, why so few. Is there a plan to increase the numbers later?

 

[TBSchenker]

It is. There's a 5Z81 from Doncaster to Hull, operated by Hull Trains. Presumably it's a handover for insurance/legal purposes between ROG(?) And HT.

 

[Railperf]

How many mini 2+4 sets do Gwr have now? There still seems to be a gap in the amount of
Cardiff - Taunton and Plymouth -Penzance services being run by the HSTs.
I sampled the service between Taunton and Yatton. A refurb sliding door set North, and a classic set South. Acceleration is impressive to 100mph..but the timings are way too slack and as a result lots of coasting and very slow braking to a stand. No use was made.of the 110mph sections either. Will the timings be improved once the whole.fleet is available? It seems some diagrams are still in the hands of Sprinters. Am i right in guessing the timings will remain based on Sprinter 75mph running until all the mini HSTs are available?

 

[Clarence Yard]

Out of interest, why so few. Is there a plan to increase the numbers later?

11 was the total needed to plug the gap in the cascade to the west caused by the effective cancellation of electrification of the Thames branches and Didcot to Oxford.

It is a relatively expensive conversion and the running costs of the sets are relatively high so doing any more is unlikely.

4 out of the 11 have been delivered to GWR.

 

[PHILIPE]

2E66 1204 Penzance to Exeter St Davids today formed of only 3 carriages, 48108 48107 and 49103 between Power Cars 43094 and 43154

 

[Railperf]

Is this the set that had a coach locked out of use last week?

 

[adrock1976]

They've not got unit numbers. In terms of how they are dealt with on systems, they are exactly the same as full sized HSTs. Just the sets of coaches are numbered GW01 for example (instead of say OC45), and they appear on crew diagrams as 255 or 257. Even full sized HSTs appeared on crew diagrams as 253.

Nothing has really changed.

Is this a depot code relating to the set/diagram number, or is this the Great Western Railway tradition of doing things their own way again?

The reason I ask is if it is a depot code, according to my 1989 Platform 5 book, GW is the depot code for Glasgow Shields. Obviously, it is unlikely that Devon and Cornwall HSTs will have their home depot based in Glasgow.

For example, Edinburgh Craigentinny based HSTs are coded as ECxx, Mk IVs are coded as BNxx (Bounds Green), and East Midlands HSTs are coded NLxx (Neville Hill, Leeds).

 

[nat67]

Is this a depot code relating to the set/diagram number, or is this the Great Western Railway tradition of doing things their own way again?

The reason I ask is if it is a depot code, according to my 1989 Platform 5 book, GW is the depot code for Glasgow Shields. Obviously, it is unlikely that Devon and Cornwall HSTs will have their home depot based in Glasgow.

For example, Edinburgh Craigentinny based HSTs are coded as ECxx, Mk IVs are coded as BNxx (Bounds Green), and East Midlands HSTs are coded NLxx (Neville Hill, Leeds).

No, it's the coaching set. So which lot of coaches referring to an allotted set number. I.e. GW01, GW02 and so on. Really it should be LA01 but they are a bit different.

 

[RPI]

No, it is still 11 sets and spare vehicles.

Interesting, whilst at Pad yesterday chatting to a director he seemed to think 14, also 150001/2, 202, 207 and 216 will all be off at the end of the current direct award hence the extra GTI sets.

 

[43096]

Is this a depot code relating to the set/diagram number, or is this the Great Western Railway tradition of doing things their own way again?

The reason I ask is if it is a depot code, according to my 1989 Platform 5 book, GW is the depot code for Glasgow Shields. Obviously, it is unlikely that Devon and Cornwall HSTs will have their home depot based in Glasgow.

For example, Edinburgh Craigentinny based HSTs are coded as ECxx, Mk IVs are coded as BNxx (Bounds Green), and East Midlands HSTs are coded NLxx (Neville Hill, Leeds).

It doesn’t have to be a depot code: CrossCountry sets are XCnn for example. Presumably the GW refers to Great Western in this case.

 

[Apedlar12]

Are all the Cardiff <> Taunton diagrams now operated by the short 2+4 sets or are there still units running them; and are the two Weston Super Mare <> Bristol Parkway diagrams due to go over to 2+4s or will they stay as turbos?

Thanks...

 

[PHILIPE]

Are all the Cardiff <> Taunton diagrams now operated by the short 2+4 sets or are there still units running them; and are the two Weston Super Mare <> Bristol Parkway diagrams due to go over to 2+4s or will they stay as turbos?

Thanks...

1 of the 5 Cardiff <> Taunton circuits is still a Turbo and the WSM <> Bristol Parkways are Turbos and should remain as such

 

[ATW158Xpress]

1 of the 5 Cardiff <> Taunton circuits is still a Turbo and the WSM <> Bristol Parkways are Turbos and should remain as such

The one Turbo diagram which end of the day comes off the 18:00 2C87 from Cardiff at Taunton then forms the 2E30 20:35 to Gloucester.

 

[Apedlar12]

Thanks for the replies

 

[Bringback309s]

Three GTI refurb sets out on the Cornwall mainline today, one set with three coaches

 

[The47Wanderer]

Was there any confirmation for GTi Gloucester services? Noticed some stopping boards up for HST 2+4 on Sunday!

 

[59CosG95]

It doesn’t have to be a depot code: CrossCountry sets are XCnn for example. Presumably the GW refers to Great Western in this case.

I think the XC ones (maintained at Craigentinny alongside the GNER/NXEC/EC/VTEC/LNER sets) were only denoted 'XCnn' to differentiate them from the ICEC fleet, and that the 'GWnn' sets are to differentiate the GWR GTi sets from the 'classic' GWR sets.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Interesting, whilst at Pad yesterday chatting to a director he seemed to think 14, also 150001/2, 202, 207 and 216 will all be off at the end of the current direct award hence the extra GTI sets.

He’s not in the know, then. Not all GWR directors are involved in DA3 because, on DfT instruction, it has to be run like a franchise bid, in this case from the FG HQ offices with the FG HQ bid team. The DfT are not currently intending to pay for any more 2+4 sets for GWR because they cost a fortune to convert (and run) and far less costly DMU vehicles will shortly be coming onto the market.

The only units going at the end of the current award are 150001/2 - to Northern, it is rumoured. The rest the DfT currently want retained in the franchise for possible extra services. How this all plays out for future GWR DMU traction requirements will become evident in the next few months when the DfT make their final decision on what they want to fund for DA3.

 

[ajay1071]

Over the past few weeks there have been 4 coach HST's running empty coaching stock from St Philips Marsh via Swansea to Carmarthen, Carmarthen to Swansea and return, Carmarthen via Swansea to St Philips Marsh. Could anybody shed any light on the purpose of these empty stock turns.

 

[PHILIPE]

Over the past few weeks there have been 4 coach HST's running empty coaching stock from St Philips Marsh via Swansea to Carmarthen, Carmarthen to Swansea and return, Carmarthen via Swansea to St Philips Marsh. Could anybody shed any light on the purpose of these empty stock turns.

Swansea drivers training to enable them to have involvement with Cardiff to Taunton services.

 

[ajay1071]

Swansea drivers training to enable them to have involvement with Cardiff to Taunton services.

OK thanks for the info.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Does anyone know if GWR are forming up any more "Classic" GTI HST's? Now that there are no HST's used on Paddington services so there will be spare stock and also due to lack of any more Refurbs coming down? Thanks.

 

[IanXC]

I think the XC ones (maintained at Craigentinny alongside the GNER/NXEC/EC/VTEC/LNER sets) were only denoted 'XCnn' to differentiate them from the ICEC fleet, and that the 'GWnn' sets are to differentiate the GWR GTi sets from the 'classic' GWR sets.

XC sets transferred to Laira maintenance some time ago.

 

[PHILIPE]

Does anyone know if GWR are forming up any more "Classic" GTI HST's? Now that there are no HST's used on Paddington services so there will be spare stock and also due to lack of any more Refurbs coming down? Thanks.

Post #1370. The "Spare" GWR ones have gone off lease and are being stored at either Ely or Long Marston

 

[Clarence Yard]

Does anyone know if GWR are forming up any more "Classic" GTI HST's? Now that there are no HST's used on Paddington services so there will be spare stock and also due to lack of any more Refurbs coming down? Thanks.

Short answer is yes, to give a total GTi fleet of about 11 so that when the conversions arrive, one by one, from Donny, GWR will be able to put a classic aside. There are likely to be classics about until near the end of this year.

The rest of the unrequired vehicles will be going off lease pretty quickly.

 

[Brissle Girl]

Swansea drivers training to enable them to have involvement with Cardiff to Taunton services.

That seems mildly surprising, as I would have thought most GWR drivers based at Swansea would be very familiar with HSTs, so how much familiarisation is needed. Also, it seems curious to have Swansea drivers involved with services that go no nearer than an hour away from their depot.

I did see a comment on another forum from someone who was at the Rail Future meeting in Cardiff last weekend who heard directly from TfW that Swansea to Cheltenham HSTs were being considered to relieve its rolling stock shortage. Which would seem a better fit with driver training at Swansea.

 

[59CosG95]

XC sets transferred to Laira maintenance some time ago.

They have indeed; but they received their set numbers when at Craigentinny (unless you know any different).

 

[PHILIPE]

That seems mildly surprising, as I would have thought most GWR drivers based at Swansea would be very familiar with HSTs, so how much familiarisation is needed. Also, it seems curious to have Swansea drivers involved with services that go no nearer than an hour away from their depot.

I did see a comment on another forum from someone who was at the Rail Future meeting in Cardiff last weekend who heard directly from TfW that Swansea to Cheltenham HSTs were being considered to relieve its rolling stock shortage. Which would seem a better fit with driver training at Swansea.

Drivers require time converting to the Castle Sets as there are differences, i.e. doors for one thing. I don't know what Swansea to Cheltenham HSTs are supposed to be and was the information reliable. Short HSTs have been considered by TFW but seems to be dead in the water what with the extensive training required both with drivers and the length of training time required.