9th August 1976 - 50 years of production HSTs in passenger service.

I guess there are many milestones in the history of the HST but today seems a particularly significant one. Whilst there will be much focus on 4th October in a couple of months, today marks 50 years since production HSTs first started carrying fare paying passengers. On 9th August 1976 two diagrams on the Paddington-Bristol/Weston-S-M route were converted to HST working, albeit operating in existing 100mph timings. On the first day, 253 003, formed 43007/6, 41007/8, 40003, 42009/33/34/35 worked diagram 1 - 08.02 WSM-Padd>11.45 Padd-BTM>15.30 BTM-Padd>18.12 Padd-Ttn>21.50 Ttn-WSM.22.34 WSM-BTM whilst 253 001, formed 43003/2, 41003/4, 40001, 42029/03/04/05 worked diagram 2 - 09.30 BTM-Padd>12.15 Padd-BTM>15.15 BTM-Padd>17.33 Padd-BTM. Hard to believe that as I write this, 50 years ago the sets above were making their first of many million miles in service. Wondered, did anyone travel on these early workings? Indeed was anyone on the first one?

The 125 Group are doing a railtour on 3 October from London to Swansea and back, with a passenger-carrying one-way move from St Pancras to Manchester the following day on the Project Rio route.

Saturday 3 October 2026

3
Oct
The Journey Shrinker
Paddington Swansea Paddington Departs 09:00

Sunday 4 October 2026

4
Oct
Rio Revival
St Pancras Manchester Piccadilly Departs 12:00

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Commoner said:

Wondered, did anyone travel on these early workings? Indeed was anyone on the first one?

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Not quite, but on 11th August I was returning from a coach tour of Europe with several drop off points in England, one of which was Paddington, where we all admired the HST that some of the party were to catch (probably the 12:15 departure). I hadn't realised at the time that this was only the third day in revenue service, although I had seen the prototype in service the previous November when I visited London for a university interview.

As I got the university place, I moved to London two months later. One of the first things I did was to ride out to Reading on an HST

I recall seeing the prototype HST at Chippenham several times - once, to my sibling's intense annoyance - I managed to grab a quick cab visit before it went back to Swindon.

Took me until October 1978 - which means managing a 50th anniversary (service train) trip is going to be a bit touch and go, I imagine.

My first ride in a HST was 43010 / 43012 Swindon - Chippenham 17 August 1976, hard to believe that was 50 years ago!

A personal snap shot of units noted at Old Oak Common prior to passenger service;

30/5/76: 252.001.

2/6/76: 253.003, 004 and 005.

11/7/76: 253.002, 004, 008 and 252.001.

25/7/76: 253.004, 006, 007, 008 and 252.001.

6/8/76: 253.004, 006, 008 and 009.

StephenHunter said:

The 125 Group are doing a railtour on 3 October from London to Swansea and back, with a passenger-carrying one-way move from St Pancras to Manchester the following day on the Project Rio route.

125 Group railtour tickets

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Thanks for the info - booked a ride on the 'Rio Revival'

(Having travelled on one of the 'Project Rio' trains back in the day, it's a bit of nostalgia, a nice ride and - assuming it follows the original route - traverses the south curve at Dore too)