first scheduled production HST service 1976

[Richard5608]

What was the first HST scheduled diagrams in August 76
I know the 4th October was the main start date but I believe some services operated in august 1976 onwards

 

[theblackwatch]

What was the first HST scheduled diagrams in August 76
I know the 4th October was the main start date but I believe some services operated in august 1976 onwards

9th August 1976 was the date I saw quoted a few years ago, but I'm unsure what exactly the first train was.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I've now found the thread relating to 09/08/76, and it's at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=104262

 

[CatfordCat]

I think there was some sort of public trial service at fares less than standard during summer 1976

I'm aware that my family (I think it was a group thing organised by some of parents' colleagues) did a day trip from Paddington to Bristol by HST when they were very new.

Memory of this is somewhat vague - it was 40 years ago and I was quite little at the time...

 

[Commoner]

What was the first HST scheduled diagrams in August 76
I know the 4th October was the main start date but I believe some services operated in august 1976 onwards

From 09.08.76 two diagrams were introduced for St Philips Marsh based sets, running to existing 100mph schedules.

M-F 09.30 BTM-Padd/12.15-BTM/15.15-Padd/17.33-BTM
M-F 08.02 WSM-Padd/11.45-BTM/15.30-Padd/18.12-Taunton/ecs-WSM/22.34-BTM

SO 07.30 WSM-Padd/10.45 Padd/13.47 WSM/17.15-BTM
SO 09.30 BTM-Padd/12.15-BTM

SUN 16.15 BTM-Padd/19.45-BTM
SUN 15.45 BTM-Padd/18.45-BTM

Hope this helps. Kevin (Commoner)

 

[theblackwatch]

That's interesting info Kevin, details of the first workings appear to be quite sketchy. Do you know which sets entered traffic on 09/08/76? I saw 253001 was mentioned in the other thread, was it formed with its correct power cars (002/003)?

 

[Commoner]

That's interesting info Kevin, details of the first workings appear to be quite sketchy. Do you know which sets entered traffic on 09/08/76? I saw 253001 was mentioned in the other thread, was it formed with its correct power cars (002/003)?

253 001 formed 43003/2, 41003/4, 40001, 42029/03/04/05.
253 003 formed 43007/6, 41007/8, 40003, 42009/33/34/35.
253 005 formed 43012/10, 41011/12, 40002, 42027/15/16/17.

No TRUKs delivered by this date. 40005 not available for traffic. 43011 awaiting Works (collision damage). 42010/11 in bogie test train, yet to enter WR stock.

3 sets were formed to cover the diagrams, 2 for traffic, 1 standby. 253 001/3 in traffic on first day.

 

[Taunton]

Did the prototype HST not perform some timetabled daily runs before the production units started to be delivered. The public timings were to established times so a loco-hauled substitution could be made if required.

I vaguely recall it did two round trips from Bristol TM to Paddington, starting at around 7 am and finishing about 8 pm, but the unit was actually based at Old Oak Common, from where it left ECS at 4 am and got back late evening, so was a real mileage-builder. This got to the attention of a journalist in the general press, who wrote about the empty running as "a typical piece of BR inefficiency" :roll:

 

[theblackwatch]

Did the prototype HST not perform some timetabled daily runs before the production units started to be delivered. The public timings were to established times so a loco-hauled substitution could be made if required.

Yes it did - I have one friend who rode on it in service, and another who saw it at Reading going into Paddington, he didn't get on as he was hoping for a Western on the service behind it. He wasn't impressed when a 47 rolled in, and even now still curses having not got on the prototype HST!

 

[30907]

Did the prototype HST not perform some timetabled daily runs before the production units started to be delivered. The public timings were to established times so a loco-hauled substitution could be made if required.

I vaguely recall it did two round trips from Bristol TM to Paddington, starting at around 7 am and finishing about 8 pm, but the unit was actually based at Old Oak Common, from where it left ECS at 4 am and got back late evening, so was a real mileage-builder. This got to the attention of a journalist in the general press, who wrote about the empty running as "a typical piece of BR inefficiency" :roll:

Sometime in the Easter 1975 vacation I travelled from Barnstaple to Oxford via Axminster (bus), Bridport (closure was imminent) and Bath (to check out the HST). I can't find my notes, but the Weymouth to Bristol was the long-standing 1600-ish departure, and 18.30 Temple Meads to London would make sense (obviously a different diagram then!).
My principal memory is buying a steak pie from the hot buffet which, when I got back to my seat, turned out to have been overdone to rock-solid. Microwave cookery was a novelty back then. ISTR there wasn't time for another before Didcot, so I presume I had a refund.

 

[Commoner]

Did the prototype HST not perform some timetabled daily runs before the production units started to be delivered. The public timings were to established times so a loco-hauled substitution could be made if required.

I vaguely recall it did two round trips from Bristol TM to Paddington, starting at around 7 am and finishing about 8 pm, but the unit was actually based at Old Oak Common, from where it left ECS at 4 am and got back late evening, so was a real mileage-builder. This got to the attention of a journalist in the general press, who wrote about the empty running as "a typical piece of BR inefficiency" :roll:

Sometime in the Easter 1975 vacation I travelled from Barnstaple to Oxford via Axminster (bus), Bridport (closure was imminent) and Bath (to check out the HST). I can't find my notes, but the Weymouth to Bristol was the long-standing 1600-ish departure, and 18.30 Temple Meads to London would make sense (obviously a different diagram then!).
My principal memory is buying a steak pie from the hot buffet which, when I got back to my seat, turned out to have been overdone to rock-solid. Microwave cookery was a novelty back then. ISTR there wasn't time for another before Didcot, so I presume I had a refund.

Introduced on 05.05.75 the initial Prototype HST diagram was M-F
03.30 OOC-Bristol Parkway/07.45-Padd/10.15-WSM/13.48-Padd/16.45-BTM/19.55 Malago Vale-OOC.

SO 04.35 OOC-WSM/07.57-Padd/11.45-BTM/15.30-Padd/18.45-BTM/22.10 Malago Vale-OOC

From 06.10.75 the working was altered to M-F
04.20 OOC-Swindon/06.25-OOC/OOC-Padd/09.00-Swansea/12.52-Padd/16.45-BTM/19.15-Padd/-OOC

The Saturday working was booked for 09.00 Padd-Swan/12.52-Padd, but was withdrawn to allow more maintenance time for the set. Additionally, the set spent most of October 75 in Works. It re-entered service in the first week of November 1975.

I wondered whether your trip 30907 was spring 1976, as your recollection seems to fit more closely to October 75 diagram?

 

[Taunton]

Thank you Commoner. I'm more than a little surprised that the detail has stuck in my head for the last 40 years, given I was in no way connected with it and didn't ride on it, just came from reading a paragraph in Modern Railways at the time.