I do recall the HST's had a few teething problems on introduction back in 1976, but I don't recall a frequent catalogue of more prominent problems that the 800/802 fleet have experienced, and very rarely a complete train failure such that happened in Bridgend today and Exeter a week or so ago. The pioneer run of the HST in service in October 1976 between Paddington and Bristol was fault free and even arrived a few minutes early. Compare that to 16th October last year when the 06:00 Bristol TM - Paddington pioneer 800 run made the headlines for arriving very late and giving some of its passengers an on board cold shower. In 40 years plus I have rode on HST's up to Edinburgh, down to Penzance and frequently to/from London and South Wales and I have never once been on one that failed completely (some did run with one power car, but I got to my destination). My second ride on an 800 at Swansea never left the station due to "an on-board electrical fault" - I never did find out exactly what the fault was as the staff or the fitters didn't seem to want to elaborate, but I had to wait another hour for a HST service which ran with no issues. It goes to show, new is not always better and for the vast amount of money spent building this new fleet of trains, we should not be experiencing frequent problems that cause trains to go out of service.
In thirty years time, will people be criticising the IET replacement? Yes is the answer, and people will continue to do so until necessary.
i certainly kept an open mind until I took a handful of journeys on the 800. People will agree, people will disagree, but I conclude they are an uncomfortable, poor replacement for the HST.
If the replacement is an improvement, then there should be less critisism.
Of course HST's can not go on for ever, nothing can and its not about sentiment. Take a long hard look at how successful the HST has been over 40+ years and its popularity with most passengers. It is a very successful design. The basic concept of that successful design should have been used to design a HST 2 for the 21st century.
The HST fleet should have been retired 8-10 years or so ago. That way the re-engineering costs would have been saved - they were effectively a 10 year sticking plaster on them.
The successful concept of just one train (not units joined together) of fixed formation with no under-floor engines with open and comfortable coaches. It was a government vanity project to embark on mass electrification, only to end up running vastly over budget, drastically late and to not finish the job as intended. Add into that a very expensive and complex Agility managed fleet of expensive,over complicated trains of various lengths and no wonder its not going smoothly. Should have stuck to diesel, built a new fleet closely based on the successful HST design with fuel efficient diesel engines with more capacity coaches, closely based on the mk III design with retention tanks and at seat sockets and wi-fi. Hey presto, a cheaper, ready to go modern train (with the minimum of distruption from unnecessary electrification work) that passengers would like, saving the tax payers billions of pounds that could be better spent elseshere, such as the NHS or education. After all, a fleet of 802's will be working Paddington to Penzance working just 52 miles under the wires to Newbury, so what is the point of having an expensive bi-mode train for this? Totally pointless.
Exactly, they are worse for passenger comfort and as its designed specifically for carrying passengers, it is relatively safe to conclude that the IEP project is not an improvement - its a de-improvement.
If it's all about a 'tried and tested' design, ten years ago you'd be talking about a big order of Voyager/Meridian DMUs. Wouldn't that have been lovely?
Yes, that's the point for me. The HSTs have had their day, but I remember going on one for the first time in 1976 and it had the wow factor, just as the first ICE I went on did. It's a real let down that the passenger facilities and internal decor on the IETs are so mediocre when this train is supposed to be the pride of the high speed fleet.
I was actually comparing with Mk II aircon coaches...
I do recall the HST's had a few teething problems on introduction back in 1976, but I don't recall a frequent catalogue of more prominent problems that the 800/802 fleet have experienced, and very rarely a complete train failure such that happened in Bridgend today and Exeter a week or so ago. The pioneer run of the HST in service in October 1976 between Paddington and Bristol was fault free and even arrived a few minutes early. Compare that to 16th October last year when the 06:00 Bristol TM - Paddington pioneer 800 run made the headlines for arriving very late and giving some of its passengers an on board cold shower. In 40 years plus I have rode on HST's up to Edinburgh, down to Penzance and frequently to/from London and South Wales and I have never once been on one that failed completely (some did run with one power car, but I got to my destination). My second ride on an 800 at Swansea never left the station due to "an on-board electrical fault" - I never did find out exactly what the fault was as the staff or the fitters didn't seem to want to elaborate, but I had to wait another hour for a HST service which ran with no issues.It goes to show, new is not always better and for the vast amount of money spent building this new fleet of trains, we should not be experiencing frequent problems that cause trains to go out of service.
