GWR HST Farewell Railtour Timings

[trainmania100]

Full timings for 43 farewell charity railtour

5Z22 St Philips Marsh HSTD to Bristol Temple Meads ECS
https://www.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/1744476/01/06/19

1Z22 Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington PAX
https://www.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/1744475/01/06/19

1Z23 Paddington to Carmarthen PAX
https://www.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/1754670/01/06/19

1Z24 Carmarthen to London Paddington PAX
https://www.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/1749457/01/06/19

1Z25 London Paddington to Plymouth PAX
https://www.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/1749458/01/06/19

5Z25 Plymouth to Laira TRSMD ECS
https://www.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/1749455/01/06/19

I'm out at the moment but if no-one shares the text timings that can't open links, I'll share these tonight

Might see it at Paddington in the evening.

 

[AnthonyRail]

Thxs.

I thought about it but @ £148 decided 2 nights in Ibiza was a better choice, will photograph it on day.

 

[QuestRail]

I'm trying so hard to resist this, as much as I love the idea of going on this I know I'll get bored sitting in one place for so long. If it was the last opportunity to ever be on a HST then I'd be more interested, but with the 2+4 sets becoming commonplace around my neck of the woods I'm not quite so concerned.

I'm more likely to invest the money in trips to the various destinations instead. I'll try to pop out to see it during the day if I'm free though.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Oddly enough I saw a GWR HST in Peterborough Station on Tuesday afternoon. Seemed to be empty. I wonder were it was going.?

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

View media item 3393

Oddly enough I saw a GWR HST in Peterborough Station on Tuesday afternoon. Seemed to be empty. I wonder were it was going.?

There’s a whole yard of the outside Ely. Presumably it’s a storage area to assemble them together before being sent up north. I’m not sure who owns it.

 

[hotelmode]

Can anyone recommend any forward facing (ex pad) seats that don’t have a window pillar?

Thanks

 

[F Great Eastern]

Don't forget the £148 also includes travel the day before from anywhere on the GWR network to Bristol TM and travel from Plymouth to anywhere on the GW network the day after.

 

[cactustwirly]

Can anyone recommend any forward facing (ex pad) seats that don’t have a window pillar?

Thanks

Most of them, but some of the table seats have the worst window alignment.
I'd aim for coach, B, D, H or J (I think? old E/F)

 

[F Great Eastern]

Most of them, but some of the table seats have the worst window alignment

I'm guessing that they are going to provide a comprehensive catering offer for the train? as it's a long long trip to be on so I assume the larder will be well stocked?

 

[Termy]

Very, very tempted by this. Me and a friend might genuinely do it together, the Bristol to Paddington, Pad to Pad via Carmarthen run anyway... I'd then probably stay on alone down to Plymouth. Maybe.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Cross-posted from the diagrams topic:

01st June is the 1st one - Bristol to Padd , Padd to Carmarthen and return followed by non stop run Padd to Plymouth.

Trains named the flying banana

'1st one'? Are there going to be multiple farewell tours (I would love to see one in Fishguard)? Also what happened to the rumour (started by GWR's official Twitter feed I believe) that 43185 would meet the Swallow liveried class 91 at Paddington; is that planned for 1st June?

 

[AnthonyRail]

So could you do Penzance to Bristol day before then tour, then Plymouth to London day afterwards all for £148

 

[F Great Eastern]

So could you do Penzance to Bristol day before then tour, then Plymouth to London day afterwards all for £148

Yes, as long as it's only using GWR trains.

The tickets for the charter train will also be valid for journeys connecting in and out of the charter on Saturday 1st June and also travelling to Bristol Temple Meads on Friday 31st May and from Plymouth on Sunday 2nd June to ensure attendees can travel to and from the charter at no additional cost. These connecting journeys are only valid on GWR services.

 

[AnthonyRail]

Yes, as long as it's only using GWR trains.

Will it be a GWR HST? Oh wait.....

 

[duffield]

It's not right calling it the 'Flying Banana'. The *real* 'Flying Banana' is the all-yellow NMT (New Measurement Train) and it lives just down the road from me at Derby when it's not out on its travels.

 

[Techniquest]

Oh that is gutting with the timing of it up my way, 10:53 is too early for me as I'll be at work. Oh well, can't win them all eh?

I didn't think the tour was good value, that's for sure. Definitely not worth trying to book time off (and as it turns out June is fully booked out for holiday time anyway) for it. I had a far more fun time doing the last service HST to Hereford last week than I expected to, and while I'd have liked to do a trip through South Wales on an HST one last time it just isn't worth the ching.

 

[cactustwirly]

Oh that is gutting with the timing of it up my way, 10:53 is too early for me as I'll be at work. Oh well, can't win them all eh?

I didn't think the tour was good value, that's for sure. Definitely not worth trying to book time off (and as it turns out June is fully booked out for holiday time anyway) for it. I had a far more fun time doing the last service HST to Hereford last week than I expected to, and while I'd have liked to do a trip through South Wales on an HST one last time it just isn't worth the ching.

Well same feeling here mate, I'm out of the country for the tour date

 

[Peter C]

It's interesting that GWR decided to call it the Flying Banana, seen as that was the nickname that the power cars had back in the 1970s. I'd have thought that they would have just stuck to "HST Farewell" or even "This will be the last HST up the Cotswold Line - we promise this time" (nod to when people (understandably!) said three or four times on the Remaining GWR HST Diagrams thread that the next Cotswold HST would be the last! )

-Peter

 

[Techniquest]

Well same feeling here mate, I'm out of the country for the tour date

Probably a wise idea, given the tour's such a long tedious day. £148 is nearly a quarter of how much I spent on my flights from Manchester to Sydney and back. £148 also would get me much closer to visiting New Zealand. Guess which option I'm preferring

 

[Darandio]

It's not right calling it the 'Flying Banana'. The *real* 'Flying Banana' is the all-yellow NMT (New Measurement Train) and it lives just down the road from me at Derby when it's not out on its travels.

No, the NMT is merely an impostor to the name. The original 'Flying Banana' was named in the 1970's.

 

[SN1 19-5]

Hello! I was on the 18:30 from Padd on Saturday. I got off at Swindon. I was also on the earlier Swansea - Padd.

I am due to be on the Banana next Saturday. All the way from Swindon to wherever I decide to get off. I only have a stupid little square blocky type ticket printed off.

Will this work?

If so, how?

 

[causton]

Hello! I was on the 18:30 from Padd on Saturday. I got off at Swindon. I was also on the earlier Swansea - Padd.

I am due to be on the Banana next Saturday. All the way from Swindon to wherever I decide to get off. I only have a stupid little square blocky type ticket printed off.

Will this work?

If so, how?

Hello, welcome to the forum!

Do you mean the Eventbrite PDF ticket? If so, yes, that is what will get you access to the special train, and any connecting GWR service before and after as advertised on the event page.

Most operators brief their staff that they will be seeing this sort of ticket if there is a charter so the barrier staff will understand, if that's what you mean

 

[SN1 19-5]

Hello, welcome to the forum!

Do you mean the Eventbrite PDF ticket? If so, yes, that is what will get you access to the special train, and any connecting GWR service before and after as advertised on the event page.

Most operators brief their staff that they will be seeing this sort of ticket if there is a charter so the barrier staff will understand, if that's what you mean

That's good! Cheers Causton! I will take the whole page with me.

 

[SN1 19-5]

That's good! Cheers Causton! I will take the whole page with me.

I will also add that I could have booked tickets for single/return journeys along the same lines on the same days for about £173.

Never been to Hereford, Carmarthen or Plymouth on HST's. To do all three in one day (better) be amazing!

I am still considering trolleying down to Brizzle on Friday night. This would mean TWO nights away from me bed. 40 years ago, I would have done it.

40 years later, a night in me own bed sounds good!

Flying Banana is a good title. Flying Bananer might be a better one. Bristolians can't speak proper!

I can say this. I was born in Brizzle a long time ago!

See you on Saturday!

 

[Techniquest]

Enjoy the scenery in the Malverns and on the route to Newport, the Malverns is quite scenic. There's not that much of Hereford so you're not missing out! Same for Carmarthen In terms of route it's not a bad run though, runs right alongside the water at places between Pembrey and Carmarthen.

 

[AnthonyRail]

Would be good if they let the sleeper call at Bristol TM to allow passengers to be there in time for the tour

 

[Spirit555]

This has been quoted elsewhere as 43002 and 43188 with set LA072

 

[SN1 19-5]

High density? Low density?

Dunno why I ask. I haven't got a table seat!

BTW, how many people will fit onto the train?

And, have the timings been confirmed?

 

[eastwestdivide]

It's not right calling it the 'Flying Banana'. The *real* 'Flying Banana' is the all-yellow NMT (New Measurement Train) and it lives just down the road from me at Derby when it's not out on its travels.

It's interesting that GWR decided to call it the Flying Banana, seen as that was the nickname that the power cars had back in the 1970s. I'd have thought that they would have just stuck to "HST Farewell" or even "This will be the last HST up the Cotswold Line - we promise this time" (nod to when people (understandably!) said three or four times on the Remaining GWR HST Diagrams thread that the next Cotswold HST would be the last! )

-Peter

And the same nickname was given to the GWR's streamlined 1930s railcars (DMUs), see e.g. https://www.svrwiki.com/Railcar_22 or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GWR_railcars

 

[43096]

This has been quoted elsewhere as 43002 and 43188 with set LA072

I assume you mean 43198.