Sad times when all hst's are gone

[nat67]

I shall miss the HSTs. I've loved them since my first ride on one from Kings Cross to Darlington back in 1980. They were the height of luxury compared to the Class 302s I was used to.

Having lost so much rolling stock that I loved as a youngster, my advice to all enthusiasts is to get out and enjoy them while you can. Time stops for none of us.

Very true, I'm planning to get some LNER ones tomorrow and EMT on Sunday so fingers crossed.

 

[anamyd]

Six actually....

thanks! 2 ScotRail 2 GWR and 2 CrossCountry...?

 

[delt1c]

Was a Sad day when the Deltics , Westerns, Hymeks, Peaks and much more went, but that is progress. The HST's were not loved straight away it took time, who on here remembers the bitter smell inside under heavy braking.

 

[nat67]

who on here remembers the bitter smell inside under heavy braking.

You can still get that now a days with any HST decelerating from 125 mph to about 50 mph.

 

[delt1c]

You can still get that now a days with any HST decelerating from 125 mph to about 50 mph.

Not as potent as when sitting at the coach ends in their early days, your nose was left burning

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I've never had my drink spontaneously launch itself across the carriage from a seat back table on a mk 3. The same can't be said for the mk 4's !

That was my point! Mk4s have always ridden worse than HSTs, I'd even go as far as saying that, given a straight run on continuously welded rail, a Pacer at 75mph rides better than Mk4s at 125mph. If it's one with the Northern Spirit "car seats" it'll be more comfortable in every way, and worth taking almost twice as long to get wherever I'm going!

 

[humbersidejim]

That was my point! Mk4s have always ridden worse than HSTs, I'd even go as far as saying that, given a straight run on continuously welded rail, a Pacer at 75mph rides better than Mk4s at 125mph. If it's one with the Northern Spirit "car seats" it'll be more comfortable in every way, and worth taking almost twice as long to get wherever I'm going!

Funny how things are on the eye of the beholder, my experience is the complete opposite.

 

[43096]

thanks! 2 ScotRail 2 GWR and 2 CrossCountry...?

2 ScotRail 3 GWR 1 XC

 

[yorksrob]

That was my point! Mk4s have always ridden worse than HSTs, I'd even go as far as saying that, given a straight run on continuously welded rail, a Pacer at 75mph rides better than Mk4s at 125mph. If it's one with the Northern Spirit "car seats" it'll be more comfortable in every way, and worth taking almost twice as long to get wherever I'm going!

Of course, in EMT first, it doesn't really matter so much what the ride's like when you're sat back in your armchair !

 

[yorksrob]

I find the Mark 4 much superior. After my last experience, I'm now keen to avoid LNER HSTs whenever I can.

I don't use LNER HST's so much, so I mighn't have experienced their amended ride qualities ! I've never noticed any issue with them in the past though.

 

[anamyd]

2 ScotRail 3 GWR 1 XC

cheers

 

[Harbornite]

What about the lighting, its ridiculously bright. If I was travelling long distance at night I would never sleep and feel as if I had hang over on an IET. At least on HST's there half lighting which is much smoother on the eyes.

In your opinion. I'd say the IET's interior lighting is better.

 

[nat67]

In your opinion. I'd say the IET's interior lighting is better.

But the HST Lightning is softer on half lights though

 

[nat67]

It looks like LNER want to get there first 9 car IET'sa in service as quick as possible. And the first casualty is NL65 the hire in EMT HST which works the Leeds/Hull diagram.

 

[HaggisBotherer]

Was a Sad day when the Deltics , Westerns, Hymeks, Peaks and much more went, but that is progress. The HST's were not loved straight away it took time, who on here remembers the bitter smell inside under heavy braking.

I for one despised HSTs as they were displacing my beloved Deltics on the ECML, which I spent the last few years chasing all over the place. But then I grew up a bit and realised that professing to despise a piece of machinery is no way to win friends and influence people...

I will miss the LNER HSTs, for me the the occasional bit of rough riding, squeaky gangways and the way the wheels scream at high speed is all part of their quirky charm.

What I'm most concerned about is whether my seat on an Azoooooooma from Aberdeen to King's Cross will give me a view out of the window? I always reserve seats in advance, to get the best fare... if HB ends up staring at a window pillar for 7 hours then he is not going to be a happy punter.

(And yes, I remember the stench of the brake blocks before they changed them for a different type. As you rightly say, delt1c, it was far worse in the early days)

 

[nat67]

Latest GWR HST is working Laira-Long Marston today. I believe it's 43070+43?
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K01072/2019/03/11/advanced

 

[Mag_seven]

Latest GWR HST is working Laira-Long Marston today. I believe it's 43070+43?
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/K01072/2019/03/11/advanced

43193 and 43197 plus 8 coaches

 

[nat67]

43193 and 43197 plus 8 coaches

Thanks Mag, glad it's not 43070 just yet.

 

[Journeyman]

I for one despised HSTs as they were displacing my beloved Deltics on the ECML, which I spent the last few years chasing all over the place. But then I grew up a bit and realised that professing to despise a piece of machinery is no way to win friends and influence people...

This is what annoys me about all the irrational defence of HSTs, which are now dated and increasingly unreliable pieces of kit that aren't providing the quality of service people now expect.

Feel free to miss them - the sight and sound of a Valenta-engined set at speed is something that completely over-awed me when I was a kid - but don't pretend you've always loved them, and don't pretend the design is absolute perfection, and that every train before and after is terrible in comparison.

 

[thejuggler]

30+ years ago I used long distance rail far more than I do now - whether going up and down on the ECML or Sheffield St Pancras - 125, Yorkshire to Gloucester on Cross Country service -125, GWR from Gloucester to London - 125!

I've spent days on them and agree the brakes used to stink the carriages out.

 

[delt1c]

This is what annoys me about all the irrational defence of HSTs, which are now dated and increasingly unreliable pieces of kit that aren't providing the quality of service people now expect.

Feel free to miss them - the sight and sound of a Valenta-engined set at speed is something that completely over-awed me when I was a kid - but don't pretend you've always loved them, and don't pretend the design is absolute perfection, and that every train before and after is terrible in comparison.

Sorry but Yes we loved them from Day, we didnt like that they had displaced our beloved Deltics, but that is life. They were way ahead of the Deltic and MkII air con sets in comfort , ride and ambience. However where they really have shown there design and build quality is in the fact that here over 40 years later they are still providing the excellent service and ambience they gave all those years ago. Shame that draught beer is no longer available in the Buffet.
You had to be there in the 70's to experience the transition they brought. Dont think any train before or since has been such a milestone. Even more so when you think they were a late stop gap due to problems with APTE and electrification.
So folks come on , they may be getting on in years ( arent er all) but give them the respect they deserve

 

[Rail Blues]

transition they brought. Dont think any train before or since has been such a milestone. Even more so when you think they were a late stop gap due to problems with APTE and electrification.
So folks come on , they may be getting on in years ( arent er all) but give them the respect they deserve

Respect? Give over! They're inanimate lumps of metal on wheels not a beloved but elderly family member. I wasn't born in the 70s, so i have no interest whether they were better/worse than Deltics, i only really care about the journey quality they offer now. Just like 99.9999% of passengers who use them.

I will miss the LNER HSTs, for me the the occasional bit of rough riding, squeaky gangways and the way the wheels scream at high speed is all part of their quirky charm

That's because you are looking at them from the perspective of an enthusiast, nothing wrong with that per se, but what is 'quirky charm' is just uncomfortable and irritating for the vast majority of passagers. They're getting long in rhe tooth amd the best place for them is probably the scrapyard and/or railtours.

 

[delt1c]

Respect? Give over! They're inanimate lumps of metal on wheels not a beloved but elderly family member. I wasn't born in the 70s, so i have no interest whether they were better/worse than Deltics, i only really care about the journey quality they offer now. Just like 99.9999% of passengers who use them.

They set new standards. way ahead of anything else available, lumps of metal they be, the human body

That's because you are looking at them from the perspective of an enthusiast, nothing wrong with that per se, but what is 'quirky charm' is just uncomfortable and irritating for the vast majority of passagers. They're getting long in rhe tooth amd the best place for them is probably the scrapyard and/or railtours.

Respect? Give over! They're inanimate lumps of metal on wheels not a beloved but elderly family member. I wasn't born in the 70s, so i have no interest whether they were better/worse than Deltics, i only really care about the journey quality they offer now. Just like 99.9999% of passengers who use them.



That's because you are looking at them from the perspective of an enthusiast, nothing wrong with that per se, but what is 'quirky charm' is just uncomfortable and irritating for the vast majority of passagers. They're getting long in rhe tooth amd the best place for them is probably the scrapyard and/or railtours.

based on that Philosophy , all trains , carriages < units fall into that category, so what is your rail interests?

 

[Rail Blues]

based on that Philosophy , all trains , carriages < units fall into that category, so what is your rail interests

As it goes I'm interested in the railway of today and I'm excited to see how it develops in the future with things like alternative fuek technologies, Ertms, the development of a high speed rail network connecting cities and light rail for mass transit in city centres. I get excited by rhe future possibilities of rail rather than a rose tinted longing for the past.

I am not emotionally attached to any particular piece of rolling stock and see them in utilitarian terms.

I'm not saying heritage and nostalgia don't have a place, but that place is preserved lines and museums.

 

[yorksrob]

This is what annoys me about all the irrational defence of HSTs, which are now dated and increasingly unreliable pieces of kit that aren't providing the quality of service people now expect.

Feel free to miss them - the sight and sound of a Valenta-engined set at speed is something that completely over-awed me when I was a kid - but don't pretend you've always loved them, and don't pretend the design is absolute perfection, and that every train before and after is terrible in comparison.

Well, we didn't ask for "thou shalt always install rock hard seats in every new train" to be adopted by the railway industry as a sort of eleventh commandment.

Come up with a carriage as comfortable as an EMT 1st mk 3 and I might be won over.

In terms of everything before being 'terrible', this has never been a view to which I have subscribed. A phase 1 CIG or thumper for example could also be lovely to travel on.

 

[Craig2601]

The regional trains in Italy sometimes produce a horrible smell when braking, I imagine it’s similar to the HSTs.

 

[cactustwirly]

Of course, in EMT GWR or SR (HST) first, it doesn't really matter so much what the ride's like when you're sat back in your armchair !

Corrected that for you!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

What I'm most concerned about is whether my seat on an Azoooooooma from Aberdeen to King's Cross will give me a view out of the window? I always reserve seats in advance, to get the best fare... if HB ends up staring at a window pillar for 7 hours then he is not going to be a happy punter.

If the seating layout on the LNER IETs is identical to that of the GWR fleet, you probably won't have a problem - the vast majority of seats have a very decent view.

 

[yorksrob]

Corrected that for you!

I only tried the GW 1st once as it's been quite pricey ever since they converted a carriage to standard.

Verdict - good, but not as good as the EMT sets.

 

[Kite159]

If the seating layout on the LNER IETs is identical to that of the GWR fleet, you probably won't have a problem - the vast majority of seats have a very decent view.

And it isn't like the LNER HSTs have perfect seat alignment either with some seats having a lovely view of a pillar.