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Most interesting rolling stock-thinking about an 8 day britrail pass

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Steve4031

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I traveled throughout Britain in 1988 and 1990. I enjoyed the intercity 125 and rides up and down the wcml. As well as many other routes. What is the most interesting rolling stock to ride in present day operations?

What kind of rolling stock is operating in Wales?

Thank you
 
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Iskra

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Intercity 125's still operate regularly on the following principle routes:

London-Leeds/Edinburgh/Sunderland/Aberdeen/Inverness
London-Sheffield/Nottingham
London-Bristol/Swansea/Penzance

There are other routes too, but those are the basic routes where you can guarantee to find definite HST services.

In Wales, other than the HST services already mentioned. There is the class 67 LHCS from Holyhead-Cardiff on a once daily return journey with a very good first class offer as well as a similar train that does Manchester-North Wales.

The sleeper services also throw up interesting locomotives.

Some services on the Cumbrian Coast and in the Norfolk area have class 37's on them.

Class 68 workings can also be found on the Fife coast, Norfolk and Chiltern mainline.

Class 91's operate on the ECML and class 90's on the London-Norwich services.

For other interesting workings, visit the Allocations and Diagrams sub forums and look at the top of the page where there is a dedicated thread called the frequently requested diagrams thread and that lists most of the ones that are a bit different.

A lot of the older stuff is getting replaced over the next few years, so make the most of it while you can.
 
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sprinterguy

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At present, the class 37s operating on selected services on the Cumbrian Coast between Barrow-in-Furness (plus one trip through from Lancaster during the week) and Carlisle with early 1970s mark 2 coaches are a highlight.

Mark 3 coaches of the same general design as used by the Intercity 125 can be found in use with modern locomotives between Holyhead/Llandudno and Manchester (as well as one train a day to/from Cardiff), and London Marylebone and Birmingham stations, on certain services.

If you wish to reacquaint yourself with Intercity 125 services, then now is the last chance you will probably have to do so before they are withdrawn from squadron mainline service: At present, the trains still provide the backbone of high speed services on the Great Western main line and on off wires services on the East Coast main line, but this is soon to change with the introduction of Hitachi AT-300 multiple units over the next couple of years. The same Intercity 125, or HST, sets see continued limited use with East Midlands Trains and Crosscountry; the latter of which have begun fitting power doors to their sets to allow continued use beyond 2020, in which form they are expected to also find use with Scotrail and, in a limited form in the South West, with GWR.
 
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Segedunum

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Wales is primarily Class 150/153/158/175 DMUs on the long distance routes operated by Arriva Trains Wales (though you'll end up a bit numb if you're stuck on the former two for too long!)

In Cardiff and the Valleys, there's a plentiful supply of the famous Pacer units mixed in with 150s, with a 153 normally shoved on the Cardiff Bay branch.

If you want a heritage DMU, there's some peak hours only workings of a Class 121 'Bubble' between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough.
 

Steve4031

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It appears not as much has changed as I thought. I'm gonna to keep these suggestions I'm mind. How much are reservations when one uses a britrail pass?
 

Segedunum

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It appears not as much has changed as I thought. I'm gonna to keep these suggestions I'm mind. How much are reservations when one uses a britrail pass?

Well the britrail website seems to mention charging but as far as i'm aware, if you get some seat reservations from a ticket office while you're here, there should be no charge.
 

Steve4031

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I remember a very helpful British rail ticket agent at the Piccadilly circle travel center helping me with all of my reservations on my 8 day pass in 1988. I had arrived with a written itinerary for the entire 8 day pass. He went over it with Mr and advised me on different options that would be better.

How difficult is it to get seats on the cross country routes in first class? In wales? And will a first class britrail pass include the meal service that I've seen mentioned?

Thank you.
 

Segedunum

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A first class Britrail should entitle you to everything that any other first class passenger would get.

First Class on CrossCountry services is generally quiet and you shouldn't struggle to get a seat, especially on those operated by Voyagers and Super Voyagers which I've tended to note only have around three or four in the carriage at Newcastle. You cannot however say the same for standard class. Ones operated by HSTs you will not have a problem.

The only Welsh service to my knowledge with First Class would be the WAG Class 67 operated service and Great Western Railway services from London Paddington to Cardiff and Swansea/Carmarthen. I haven't any experience of these but I'd imagine the latter to be generally easy to source a seat, despite the loss of a first class carriage recently.

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PHILIPE

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Wales is primarily Class 150/153/158/175 DMUs on the long distance routes operated by Arriva Trains Wales (though you'll end up a bit numb if you're stuck on the former two for too long!)

In Cardiff and the Valleys, there's a plentiful supply of the famous Pacer units mixed in with 150s, with a 153 normally shoved on the Cardiff Bay branch.

If you want a heritage DMU, there's some peak hours only workings of a Class 121 'Bubble' between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough.

Some of the Radyr Corytons are also 153 worked. 158s only on the Cambrian and VT 221s on the North Wales Coast.
 

Segedunum

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Some of the Radyr Corytons are also 153 worked. 158s only on the Cambrian and VT 221s on the North Wales Coast.
158s operate in North Wales as well. Primarily on Holyhead to Birmingham International services but I've had them to Llandudno too.

However as you say, Cambrian is solidly 158s.

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PHILIPE

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158s operate in North Wales as well. Primarily on Holyhead to Birmingham International services but I've had them to Llandudno too.

However as you say, Cambrian is solidly 158s.

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158s work down south also, but the Cambrian can be nothing else due to ERTMS
 

Steve4031

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Thank you once again. I appreciate your support. If any of you plan a trip to the USA to ride trains I will be glad to help.
 

Steve4031

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I think I rode some of the predecessors to the class 158. I did most of my riding in the summer of 1988 and 1990. I was amazed and delighted at the slam-door carriages with doors in each compartment. Better yet, the windows opened far enough so it was like an American railroad car Dutch door. I had a few amazing rides in those cars.

I also enjoyed a breakfast in the dining car between Glasgow Anderson Crewe. And dinner on an intercity 125 between Plymouth and London.
 

30907

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A first class Britrail should entitle you to everything that any other first class passenger would get.

First Class on CrossCountry services is generally quiet and you shouldn't struggle to get a seat, especially on those operated by Voyagers and Super Voyagers which I've tended to note only have around three or four in the carriage at Newcastle. You cannot however say the same for standard class. Ones operated by HSTs you will not have a problem.

The only Welsh service to my knowledge with First Class would be the WAG Class 67 operated service and Great Western Railway services from London Paddington to Cardiff and Swansea/Carmarthen. I haven't any experience of these but I'd imagine the latter to be generally easy to source a seat, despite the loss of a first class carriage recently.

Sent from my SM-A310F using Tapatalk

I've seen it reported somewhere on here that the southbound Highland Chieftain from Inverness can be very busy in first (for the breakfast service) and dinner on a Friday evening ex Paddington might also be busy (it's not a freebie!).
 

Steve4031

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The service out of paddington has a dining car with menus. I saw the menus and prices on the website of the operating company. I was amazed at the breakfast service described on virgins Route via york.
 

Ash Bridge

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The service out of paddington has a dining car with menus. I saw the menus and prices on the website of the operating company. I was amazed at the breakfast service described on virgins Route via york.

If onboard dining is your thing, then the current GWR Pullman restaurant on the HSTs out of Paddington really shouldn't be missed, arguably the best train meals available definitely not cheap but you get what you pay for, just check out the TripAdvisor reviews.
 
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