61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Both trains smashed through OHLE gantries, and the Pendolino went down a 10m embankment. I think they're more similar than you're implying. The HST after all was only a glancing side blow from a freight wagon that immediately got pushed out of the way.
I seem to remember that after the Southall crash, there was a lot of praise for how well the Mk3 vehicles had stood up to the forces involved in the collision and subsequent derailment. Certainly compared to the Clapham or Cowden tragedies it's clear that the Mk3 was a huge step forward. The Pendolino (and other "3rd gen" post-privatisation stock is a similar step forward though. The 800s will be built to current crashworthiness standards so if the worst happens they should fare better.
With regard to simply building a 'modern' HST, it's a nice idea but completely unrealistic. I used to think a 'modernised' version of the 101/108/110 (automatic doors etc.) would have been a better solution than the dreaded Pacers... To be honest I still do, but I understand why it didn't happen!
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