HST Formations 1976/77/78 HELP REQUIRED

[Daniel]

I wondered if I could appeal for some much needed help through this forum.

I am trying to detail the early years of HST operation on the WR, focusing on train working, diagramming, day to day running formations, vehicle allocations, delivery and overhaul dates.

Do any visitors to the site hold first hand observations of HST sets in traffic, on test/crew training or delivery during 1976/77/78. I am particularly looking for observations that are accurately dated, and detail full formations (power cars and trailers). Location and details of any train working would be a bonus. Observations of sets/vehicles stabled at St Philips Marsh or Old Oak Common also of use.

I AM WILLING TO NEGOTIATE PAYMENT FOR RELEVANT INFORMATION. I can be contacted at kevindaniel@btinternet.com

The early HST period is much neglected but I am sure there are lots of individuals from the Bristol area who recorded HSTs coming and going. I hope some of you have held onto your notebooks.

I have always considered Bristol to be closely linked with the HST. It was the first city to gain a regular 125mph service, and its HST Depot has played a key role in the maintenance and development of the fleet.
It might be interesting if this website/forum had an HST page recording individuals' recollections of the HSTs when they first arrived along with opinions of them now 30 years later. I wonder if attitudes have changed.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have anything of relevance, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

Thanks

Daniel kevindaniel@btinternet.com

[madhattie]

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have anything of relevance, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

Good luck

This is the kind of information I'm more than happy to archive on this website if you fancy sharing at some stage in the future.

[Daniel]

I wondered if I could appeal for some much needed help through this forum.

I am trying to detail the early years of HST operation on the WR, focusing on train working, diagramming, day to day running formations, vehicle allocations, delivery and overhaul dates.

Do any visitors to the site hold first hand observations of HST sets in traffic, on test/crew training or delivery during 1976/77/78. I am particularly looking for observations that are accurately dated, and detail full formations (power cars and trailers). Location and details of any train working would be a bonus. Observations of sets/vehicles stabled at St Philips Marsh or Old Oak Common also of use.

I AM WILLING TO NEGOTIATE PAYMENT FOR RELEVANT INFORMATION. I can be contacted at kevindaniel@btinternet.com

The early HST period is much neglected but I am sure there are lots of individuals from the Bristol area who recorded HSTs coming and going. I hope some of you have held onto your notebooks.

I have always considered Bristol to be closely linked with the HST. It was the first city to gain a regular 125mph service, and its HST Depot has played a key role in the maintenance and development of the fleet.
It might be interesting if this website/forum had an HST page recording individuals' recollections of the HSTs when they first arrived along with opinions of them now 30 years later. I wonder if attitudes have changed.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have anything of relevance, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

Thanks

Daniel kevindaniel@btinternet.com

Three years on, wondered if anybody new to the forum had any information relevant to my request on WR HST formations during 1976/77/78. If so I can still be contacted at kevindaniel@btinternet.com

Thanks

Daniel

[James]

May I suggest joining the HST Forum, at:

http://www.hstgen.co.uk

Plenty of people there with detailed knowledge and records of HSTs over the years, and they'll be happy to share it for free.

If you insist on parting with money, then I recommend joining (or donating to) the 125 Group, who are actively preserving Valenta engines, Marston coolers, and other spares for a future preservation effort.

http://www.125group.org.uk/index.php?mo ... play&pid=2

[Daniel]

May I suggest joining the HST Forum, at:

http://www.hstgen.co.uk

Plenty of people there with detailed knowledge and records of HSTs over the years, and they'll be happy to share it for free.

If you insist on parting with money, then I recommend joining (or donating to) the 125 Group, who are actively preserving Valenta engines, Marston coolers, and other spares for a future preservation effort.

http://www.125group.org.uk/index.php?mo ... play&pid=2

Thanks for the suggestion but am a member of both. Joined the 125 Group in 1994. Have placed a similar request for assistance on/in both but with no success. I think the simple truth is that few people were interested in the HSTs when they first arrived, and consequently the information requested is scarce. I am hoping that perhaps some of the forum's membership were one time "spotters" or "railway observers" and their interest extended to the HST, as well as having retained their old notebooks or records.

Here's hoping.............


Daniel

[Roger]

Looking at my notes from that period - all I did was to record the the unit numbers 253XXX etc.

[Daniel]

Looking at my notes from that period - all I did was to record the the unit numbers 253XXX etc.

Hi Roger,

What are your notes like? Is it clear that when 253xxx was recorded both power cars from that set were present? Accordingly if the power cars were from different sets did you record both unit numbers, e.g 253xxx/253xxx. Also do the notes have accurate dates (day/month/year)?

If the answers to the questions are yes, your notes would be of interest to me. Don't know whether you are willing or in a position to reproduce them but perhaps you would email me to discuss further at
kevindaniel@btinternet.com

Thanks

Daniel

[Rich_Eason]

Daniel

Another suggestion if I may is to join and post the question on www.rmweb.co.uk , it's mainly a railway modeling site however there is a Prototype area for these sorts of questions.

The reason I am posting this is that you may or may not be aware that Hornby have released a new updated version of the HST, of which are featuring in many discussions, one of which involves formations etc.

Someone may have some of the information you require, especially as HST are current flavour of the month.

[Daniel]

Daniel

Another suggestion if I may is to join and post the question on www.rmweb.co.uk , it's mainly a railway modeling site however there is a Prototype area for these sorts of questions.

Thanks Rich, but I have already beaten you to it! Have had quite a positive response from RMWeb so far. Having posted there I decided to revisit here to see if I could stimulate a response and so far, so good. Appreciate the help and suggestions from all.

On a related note it's been good to reacquaint myself with this forum and the wide range of interesting Bristol related discussions (Not just an HST obsessive!). Am a regular visitor to friends in the city but despite having a soft spot for the area and its railways I have limited local knowledge but the discussions found here help compensate.

Thanks

Daniel

[jolly47roger]

Just one thing to remind us how fast the HST's can be (or were). The 17.00 used to run non-stop Paddington to Parkway. I remember leaving Paddington 5 mins late in 1977 arriving Bristol Parkway 4mins early - actual time 61 minutes.

[Daniel]

Looking at my notes from that period - all I did was to record the the unit numbers 253XXX etc.

Many thanks Roger for your notes which arrived with me this morning. Very useful and very interesting.

Daniel

[37114]

If you are on RMWeb, might be worth dropping a PM to member "G endacott". Geoff is a member of the Bentley Model Railway group whose headquaters are the green wooden building in the corner of chippenham station car park. When I was a member ther he used to note HST formations and said he had been doing so many years so may have the info you are after.

[Daniel]

2 years further on from my last post I am still looking for direct observations of WR HST formations during 1976/77/78. If any existing or new members on the forum hold relevant information, as per my original post, I would appreciate it if they could contact me. As ever, I am willing to negotiate payment if required for any information supplied, as long as it is accurately dated.

I can be contacted at kevindaniel@btinternet.com

Again thanks to those who have responded previously.

Daniel