GWML HST speed

[truckman060473]

few questions. along the Great Western route, say, between Swansea and Paddington, where are the parts of the journey where maximum speed is allowed? it is east of Bristol Parkway isn't it? do the class 43's with the re-engined MTU units still work happily at 125mph? does the HST operate at maximum speed through Didcot? i have visited this station and you wouldn't want to be anywhere near the platform edge when they pass through.

 

[poshbakerloo]

I assume they are going at 125mph when the limit is that high...but I guess the only was to truly know is to go in the cab at speed and see for urself...

 

[starrymarkb]

Or use an GPS with speed readouts

 

[Techniquest]

125 is in play from just east of Swindon to most of the way to Paddington, with some exceptions for Reading obviously. Still 125mph through Didcot, love seeing that and travelling on a HST doing so. Think 125 is also in play west of Swindon to quite some way near Bristol Parkway, but not entirely certain on that.

 

[SWT Driver]

HST the worlds best train, nearly 35 years old and still looking good & has the best ride of any train.

 

[ailsa]

Think 125 is also in play west of Swindon to quite some way near Bristol Parkway, but not entirely certain on that.

There is 125mph running between Swindon and Box tunnel (approximately). Bath to Temple Meads is 90/100mph IIRC.

 

[traji00]

Does anybody know of the max. speed on the Reading - Exeter stretch (if possible) ?

 

[A60K]

Or use an GPS with speed readouts

Or go back to the method I used in my childhood: a stopwatch to time the train past each quarter milepost and then convert that time to mph.

For those that don't know how to do this: time the train between each quarter milepost, then divide 900 by the time the quarter mile took to get the speed. Alternatively, time over half a mile and divide 1800 by the number of seconds.

 

[The Planner]

Does anybody know of the max. speed on the Reading - Exeter stretch (if possible) ?

Not more than 100mph I think

 

[turbo mick]

Does anybody know of the max. speed on the Reading - Exeter stretch (if possible) ?

I know its 110mph max line speed reading to westbury



cheers

 

[SWT Driver]

110mph on selected sections.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

125 between Acton and Reading east - 30 miles
125 between Reading west and east of Swindon (South Marston) - 35 miles
125 between Swindon west and Box Tunnel - 18 miles
and that's it for 125mph.
Lots of 25mph in Bristol and Plymouth, and 60mph in devon places in between, to slow things down nicely.
In Corwall, its largely 45 / 55 / 60 and just briefly a rocketing 75mph for 5 miles through St Erith station