The Bristol Railway Archive

Walking into work this morning something crossed my mind.

I remember seeing the pride of FGW Adelantes ( ) frequently operating on the tracks around Bristol, however more recently (during last year) they have all but dissapeared. I think the last one I saw was one morning last week!

These things used to be a common sight so where have they all gone?...not that I am sorry I would like to point out they always sound so underpowered and tinny for some reason!

Hmmm...I'm not sure when I last saw one, but I think they're still about. They're one of the few modern designs that I actually like.

I saw one running out of Bath at c.09.30 yesterday morning.

I just remembered seeing more of them about. See more HST's than I do Andelantes, and when you think they are brand spanking new you'd like to think they were the pride of the fleet.

A number of Adelantes operate on Paddington - Oxford services with some going to Cheltenham. During a recent day of observations at Didcot I recorded 11 units.

Hope this helps.

Didn't First want out of these self combusting junk units?

They work Padd - Exeter via Westbury as a regular job.

Didn't First want out of these self combusting junk units?

I believe they are going off lease come December, when First will have more refurbished HST's.

As more HST's have become available, the 180's have been confined mainly to the Paddington - Oxford / Hereford / Cheltenham / Exeter routes. Like most of the stock built at Washwood Heath under the Alstom banner, they didn't work "out of the box" and it was about two years before they became acceptably reliable.
FGW has been busy either leasing or buying outright, redundant HST sets from elsewhere, and in December will be in a position to rid itself of the class 180 units. Where they will go is anyone's guess, but Virgin's Cross Country managing director, Chris Gibb, told me he is keen to lease them as replacements for the class 221 Voyagers which are transferring to Virgin West Coast in the winter.

Portishead Prowler wrote:Didn't First want out of these self combusting junk units?

I'll take a spacious, comfortable Adelante over a "Refresh" HST any day. They are truly rotten.

James wrote:I'll take a spacious, comfortable Adelante over a "Refresh" HST any day. They are truly rotten.

Not able to comment personally on the HD sets as I have a self enforced complete boycott of FGW services now. I'll take your word for it though. I can't imagine them doing anything that might actually improve the passenger experience.

Portishead Prowler wrote:

James wrote:I'll take a spacious, comfortable Adelante over a "Refresh" HST any day. They are truly rotten.

Not able to comment personally on the HD sets as I have a self enforced complete boycott of FGW services now. I'll take your word for it though. I can't imagine them doing anything that might actually improve the passenger experience.

Perhaps you'd like to read my review: http://bristol-rail.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... =5338#5338

Cheers James,
So basically the drive to repay huge premiums to the DfT has resulted in the complete destruction of rail as a viable means of travel (unless first class is within your budget).
Hmmmm, think I'll stick to my motorbike. I might get cold and wet, but at least I can guarantee my travel times and it costs a pittance to run.
Very sad indeed.....

Very true. Rail is just too unreliable.

I was imprisoned for about four hours in a broken down Virgin Voyager a couple of months ago. You couldn't open any windows and air condtioning failed.

there are a fair few that do london-cardiff/swansea still, however they always tend to be in the peak hours, and the overcrowding is stupid :\

much like when they tryed to fit 300 rush hour passengers from cardiff, send them to newport to meat up with a HST which had a "fault" along with a packed rush hour train from cardiff to southampton

400 ish people in a 158, and a coupled 153 must be a record surely?

Actually, if FGW had any commercial sense, come December, instead of getting rid of the Adelantes, they'd get a few more and put them on the Cardiff - Portsmouth route. Expand their fleet ahead of demand like Ryanair does, rather than cutting it back ... heads in the sand style.

It would suit the trains, suit the passengers and actually grow and acknowledge that they have a major corridor that can make a lot more money, if only they invest in the route.

But then, when FGW took over from Wessex, the world ends at Paddington and it seems it still does .... I'm afraid FGW were never a cross-country operator and whats happening to the ex-Wessex cross-country routes is entirely inevitable.

Though not one to always knock when it isn't due, FGW have been a million times better in the mornings than they were a few months ago of late ... and better even in the early evening when they've had all day to run into problems with a fleet with very little leeway.

Perhaps they are beginning to realise just what they have taken on does not always end on The Lawn at Paddington.

J.