Odd FGW HST formations

[Royston Vasey]

Spent a lot of time around the GWML recently and have noticed a lot of misformed or short-formed HST sets.

I know that the 7-coach sets with no buffet are used for the Oxford line, but I've seen these sets often on the west of Didcot stretch, obviously on longer journeys. Is this due to the ongoing buffet refurbishments?

A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be on a train into Paddington that had a declassified TF in place of coach B, which was nice! Normal pax seemed not to guess that it was a standard, which is understandable I guess.

I have seen FC coaches missing entirely a few times, today I saw a TGS in place of a coach C; I'm not confusing it with the half-blocked window for the disabled loo, honest! And last week a buffet between the London end PC and the first class section (maybe for marshalling/stock movement that one?)

Are FGW having problems with the stock which has necessitated taking them out of service? Is the stock at such a high utilisation that the knock-on effects take time to be evened out?

 

[starrymarkb]

Now they have decided to keep catering there are a few sets on longer routes without buffets (as the Buffets are at IIRC Bombardier being refurbished - as they wern't done with the main batch). There were signs at St Davids apologising that some sets are Buffetless and that a trolley will be in Coach A for standard and roving First as normal)

 

[theblackwatch]

The coach C you may have seen may well have been a TS rather than a TGS - a couple of TS have been modified with a tiny window in place of the half blocked one - see http://uk-railway-pics-2009.fotopic.net/p58432403.html for a picture of 42218. At first glance it looks like a TGS, but it does not have the extra folding door and the window is actually smaller than the one in the guard's compartment of the TGS.

 

[asylumxl]

I've taken a few short formed HSTs to Plymouth before but I think this was due to damage on a set of coaches.

I know nothing about the cases you mention but I felt like commenting anyway :P.

 

[Royston Vasey]

The coach C you may have seen may well have been a TS rather than a TGS - a couple of TS have been modified with a tiny window in place of the half blocked one - see http://uk-railway-pics-2009.fotopic.net/p58432403.html for a picture of 42218. At first glance it looks like a TGS, but it does not have the extra folding door and the window is actually smaller than the one in the guard's compartment of the TGS.

Think that will have been it - it was at the country end as that example.

I've taken a few short formed HSTs to Plymouth before but I think this was due to damage on a set of coaches.

I know nothing about the cases you mention but I felt like commenting anyway :P.

No worries Interesting to see how many others have seen such things

 

[Lampshade]

I wondered about this, I was at Paddington the other week and I saw a 7 coach HST in between two 8 coach HSTs. I just assumed it was because the then western region HSTs typically had 7 coaches and only a few had been lengthened, must have been mistaken.

 

[MCR247]

I thought only the ECML HSTs were lengthened, which was to 9 coaches, like 225 sets

 

[theblackwatch]

No, the WR sets were strenthened from 7 to 8 cars in the early 90s.

 

[Royston Vasey]

I wondered about this, I was at Paddington the other week and I saw a 7 coach HST in between two 8 coach HSTs. I just assumed it was because the then western region HSTs typically had 7 coaches and only a few had been lengthened, must have been mistaken.

This may have been one of the short sets for the ex-Adelante diagrams (Oxford etc). They have to stop a coach length away from the end of the platform, presumably for sighting the signals on the curved platforms, but it rather spoils the look from the station end!

I thought only the ECML HSTs were lengthened, which was to 9 coaches, like 225 sets

As said 253s were lengthened by BR from 7 to 8 in the late 80s/90s, not sure exactly when. GNER lengthed their "254s" to 9 coach much later. I believe (I may be wrong) the first case was an add-on order to the still-ongoing Mk III production run. Not sure where the GNER ones came from, maybe higher usage of existing stock, maybe conversion from LHCS or transfer of XC vehicles when they were shortened. Someone will know!

 

[adc82140]

My regular commute (08:00 HST off Maidenhead) seems to be alternating between 2+7 and 2+8 for the past couple of weeks. I guess it will iron out when the buffets come back.

Are the newly converted TSB coaches going to be in the same place as the current buffets ie between First and Standard? Does this mean that some formations will remain 2+7?

 

[TEW]

All sets with the new mini buffets will be 2+7.

 

[adc82140]

It's a shame they're not putting an extra TS in to make a 2+8- I'm sure the punters would welcome the increased standard class capacity.