Recent content by Steve14

Taken last year on a rainy morning.

A bizarre question it may seem but is there any reason why GWR would run their classes 800s and 802s on diesel? The Lizzie line and 387s are running as per normal under electric but have noticed the high speed services wizzing past the Burnham stretch under diesel.

Agreed, the ironing board seats doesn’t do any justice period let alone having passengers sit on them for 3-4 hours. It’s a joke. I get the fact that capacity needs to be maximised, but comfort shouldn’t be compromised. They’ve taken a leaf out of the underground book of cramming everyone in...

What are the thoughts around the comfortability of the Cl 373 Eurostar seating? I’ve never travelled on one but they look really comfy. Perhaps that level of comfort should be adopted for Intercity routes? Essentially if you’re trying to take a person away from their car and get them travelling...

IMHO, as a Government; I’d look to nationalise the production and maintenance of the trains and take back control of these sites. We done a cracking job creating some fantastic trains, bring in some top designers and even Sir Kenneth Grange to design these trains.

Are there any diagrams for what the proposed station looks like?

Not a bad shout, if it meant choosing a bespoke train to be created to revolutionise the sleeper services (which would reflect on the Night Riviera and Caledonian Sleeper), subsequently extending onto express passenger services, and having access to the resources and materials; a tri-loco hauled...

I'd be interested to hear how they wired up sleeper cars with a surrogate HST DVT and Cl91 during it's testing!

Why can’t the sleepers be hooked up to some HST power cars and just keep 57s on rescue missions? Top tail, I suspect some heavy modifications would be required too?

Although previous major works along the GWML saw HSTs running in and out of Marylebone and Waterloo, is anyone able to answer whether Hitachi/GWR have tested the 800s along those corridors if more future major revamps or extensive overhauling work is done. Would be interesting to them at either...

How lengthy would the process be to remove the buffers and make it original?

Just seen the Grand Central MK4 coaches and DVTs pacing past my house. Anyone know why they’re heading down to Eastleigh?

Saw it roll passed my house, a mixture of liveries (GWR Green, First Great Western ‘Barbie’ livery, rear leading coach was the pullman! Paint work looked fantastic, Eastleigh lot done a fantastic job on it for sure.

If some are freeing up, then surely SWR would be an ideal TOC, to replace the 158s/159s? SWR maintains an existing Desiro fleet and may just require further training to work with the diesel traction power? 1609788182 Then again, there may be some restrictions imposed on the weight in the route...

Found this, it has a comprehensive view of the timetable patterns dating back in that era, that service sounds like an XC one. http://www.1s76.com/1S76 1986.htm