The Bristol Railway Archive

The last GWR slam door class 257 is due to operate on the 31/12/19. It's first train is the 0526 Bristol TM to Penzance. I don't know its full diagram at the moment.

When I retired in 2012 this was a single class 153 with minimal leg room, a single toilet and heating if you were lucky. I can't believe anyone would tolerate the complete journey unless out of sheer necessity but it did happen occasionally. I remember a guy who told me he was going for a job interview in Plymouth. Four air conditioned coaches definitely progress!
Roy

Thanks for this info- end of an era.

End of an era in sight! News in the latest edition of Railway Magazine reports that all the 2+4 HST sets will be withdrawn from GWR services by the end of this year with just three in service post September. Diagrams will be covered by redeploying Hitachi sets and DMUs. Considering the cost of modifying the trailer cars with power operated doors and toilet retention tanks, it's surprising that they are being displaced so soon. Still not a bad life with the original 2+7 production sets having entered service on the Western Region 47 years ago. I think we can anticipate the final runs being full and standing with enthusiasts right at the end, always assuming the strikes have been resolved by then.

Roy

More information has come to light through the grapevine from an old colleague who has his ear to the ground. There appear to be two reasons behind this decision. Firstly, the trailer cars are coming up for their C6 overhauls. Although this work has been undertaken at depot level for some years, mainly at Laira, it is the equivalent of a main works overhaul with associated costs. Two sets have already been stood down and the timescales for withdrawal are dictated by when the rest become due. Secondly, there is pressure from the DoT to stop using almost 50 year old sets which are seen to be less green than the Hitachi units which are being under utilised. That begs the question did we procure too many of the new ones?

It is also understood that Cross Country services with Voyager units will not work south of Exeter or Reading beyond May. Maybe we are starting to witness Beeching mark 2 or Serpell by stealth as the eventual cost of the privatisation experiment. The rail unions seem hell bent on helping it all along at the moment.

Roy