Prototype HST workings

[AY1975]

The prototype HST has already been mentioned in several threads in passing but I can't find a thread on prototype HST workings as such, so I thought I'd start one as a follow-on to the recent thread on 50 years of production HSTs in passenger service at https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-production-hsts-in-passenger-service.305636/

AFAIK the prototype HST started test runs in about 1973 and ran in revenue service, mainly between London Paddington and both Bristol/Weston-super-Mare and Cardiff/Swansea, from at least May until the autumn of 1975. Does anyone have any more details of which services it worked?

 

[Martyr]

AFAIK the prototype HST started test runs in about 1973 and ran in revenue service, mainly between London Paddington and both Bristol/Weston-super-Mare and Cardiff/Swansea, from at least May until the autumn of 1975. Does anyone have any more details of which services it worked?

From my own experience and records of when I had an All-Line Railrover ticket in July 1975 I can say that at that time it was - I think - scheduled to make two round trips a day out of Paddington to at least Bristol Temple Meads. On Friday 18th July 1975 it was scheduled to work the 1015 to Weston-super-Mare and I was all set to travel on it as far as Bath. However, when I got to Paddington I found class 50 haulage instead.

Conversely, on Tuesday 22nd July I'd been aiming to get a 1040 service to Swansea, but when I got to Paddington found the prototype HST was this time on the 1015 Weston service. So as not to disrupt my itinerary too much I had a ride on it as far as Reading, arriving at 1049.

The two things that have remained with me from my first ride on an HST was the rate of acceleration, and the internal doors which seemed to open themselves. (Whatever would they think of next?)

 

[Grumpy]

The two things that have remained with me from my first ride on an HST was the rate of acceleration, and the internal doors which seemed to open themselves. (Whatever would they think of next?)

I had a ride from Paddington to Newport when it first moved to the Western. I don’t remember the departure time exactly but it would have been approx 0930. I believe it had worked an up train from Swansea after running ECS from Old Oak Common.
I recall that the coach carpet was soaking from a leaking water tank, and there was a travelling engineer on board.

 

[Commoner]

The prototype’s life on the WR started in December 1974 when the set was delivered to Old Oak Common following an extensive overhaul and modification. The early part of 1975 was spent on test running and crew training, including one timing run Paddington to Plymouth and return in January with a similar run to Penzance in March. The set entered traffic on 5th May 1975 and operated throughout the summer, but on some days its diagram was covered by loco and coaches, especially on Saturdays.

5/5/75-5/10/75
M-F – OOC-B Pkwy>07.45 B Pkwy-Padd>10.15 Padd-WSM>13.47 WSM-Padd>16.45 Padd-BTM>BTM-OOC
SO – OOC-WSM>07.57 WSM-Padd>11.45 Padd-BTM>15.30 BTM-Padd>18.45-BTM>BTM-OOC

The set was used on a special run from Kings Cross to York to celebrate the opening of the National Railway Museum at the end of September 1975, but suffered a significant power car failure, that required a works visit. This delayed the sets entry into regular working on the South Wales route by a month. It took up its regular diagram from 3/11/75, but as previously there were days and sometimes weeks where the set was absent for maintenance/repair. There was no diagram for Saturday working in the October 75 timetable.

06/10/75*-02/05/76 *03/11/75 in actuality

M-F Ecs OOC-Swdn>Swdn-OOC>09.00 Padd-Swan>12.52 Swan-Padd>16.45 Padd-BTM>19.15 BTM-Padd>OOC

Just before the end of this timetable period the set was stood down and the power cars returned to Derby Works. They then spent the summer of 1976 periodically employed on a test train consisting of Mk 3 production vehicles and a MK 3 loco hauled vehicle, testing the trailers P8 tyre profile. These tests came to an end mid-August 1976.

Due to the slow delivery of production HST sets, it became apparent to the BR that there would barely be enough commissioned sets to launch the WR interim 125mph service from 4/10/76. As part of the contingency it was decided that the prototype set would be used on 1 of the production sets regular diagrams. The set was reformed mid-September 1976 and after a short period of crew training in South Wales, was in traffic on the first day of the inaugural Inter-City 125 timetable. It was confined to the following diagram and remained in service for a month..

4/10/76-05/12/76
M-F OOC-Padd>08.00 Padd-Swan>12.00 Swan-Padd>16.00 Padd-Swan>20.00 Swan-Padd>Padd-OOC
SO OOC-Padd>08.45 Padd-BTM>11.30 BTM-Padd>15.00 Padd-Swan>19.00 Swan-Padd>Padd-OOC
SUN OOC-Padd>09.45 Padd-BTM>13.30 BTM-Padd>16.45 Padd-BTM>21.00 BTM-Padd>Padd-OOC

At the beginning of November 1976 the set was permanently stood down as enough production sets were available to cover the 8 diagrams that constituted the initial service. It’s last known working was on 3/11/76. The set languished in the carriage shed adjacent to Old Oak’s HST shed through the winter of 76/77. That is until the power cars were moved to Derby for overhaul in mid-February 77. The trailers were then stabled at St Philips Marsh for a period but were eventually stored at Worcester from May 1977. Subsequently, trailers were moved to Derby for conversion for other use.

Hope this helps.

 

[70014IronDuke]

I thought its first passenger workings were "The North Briton" working Leeds - (Somewhere like) Dundee - and back - or has my ageing brainbox made this up?
Yes, it was on the WR from sometime (May?) in 75, but I assume that was after the decision was made at BRB to introduce it first on the WR because of level crossing concerns on the ECML.

 

[Commoner]

I thought its first passenger workings were "The North Briton" working Leeds - (Somewhere like) Dundee - and back - or has my ageing brainbox made this up?
Yes, it was on the WR from sometime (May?) in 75, but I assume that was after the decision was made at BRB to introduce it first on the WR because of level crossing concerns on the ECML.

Leeds to Edinburgh. As far as I am aware that plan never advanced. ASLEF objected to the power car's cab layout believing it was a step towards single manning. Having initially refused to crew the train, the union agreed to man the test programme on the ER/SCR but would not extend that agreement to the train's use in passenger service. However, many of the test runs worked Leeds-Edinburgh and return, which may have given the impression that the set was employed on the North Briton working. By the time the train reached the WR ASLEF had relaxed it's position, although negotiations on crewing the production trains were ongoing.