HST and 225 bash ideas

[RE460Swiss]

Hi All,

Have bought a first class (8 days in 1 month) interail ticket to tour the uk and it starts on the 23rd of March 2019.

I see the current GWR HST diagrams come to a close at around this time but I was hoping to try and catch the last few in first class as I am told that these are the best seats on any train in the uk.

I was planning something to meet with a friend in Plymouth on the 23rd and return on the 24th with HST haulage. I will be based from Sandhurst.

I would also like to visit scotland and get some haulage behind the remaining HSTs on LNER to scotland and potentially the 225s. I feel this is more likely not to be an issue as the IEPs on the east coast have been delayed from what i understand.

I then intend to ride some of the HSTs in scotland and tour scotland.

Please could you advise what would be the best way to get value out of this first class rover ticket that is valid for (8 days in) 1 month from 23/03/2019?

I was hoping to get as much classic traction in as possible.

Let me know your thoughts....

TIA

Best,
RE460

 

[cactustwirly]

Hi All,

Have bought a first class (8 days in 1 month) interail ticket to tour the uk and it starts on the 23rd of March 2019.

I see the current GWR HST diagrams come to a close at around this time but I was hoping to try and catch the last few in first class as I am told that these are the best seats on any train in the uk.

I was planning something to meet with a friend in Plymouth on the 23rd and return on the 24th with HST haulage. I will be based from Sandhurst.

I would also like to visit scotland and get some haulage behind the remaining HSTs on LNER to scotland and potentially the 225s. I feel this is more likely not to be an issue as the IEPs on the east coast have been delayed from what i understand.

I then intend to ride some of the HSTs in scotland and tour scotland.

Please could you advise what would be the best way to get value out of this first class rover ticket that is valid for (8 days in) 1 month from 23/03/2019?

I was hoping to get as much classic traction in as possible.

Let me know your thoughts....

TIA

Best,
RE460

Perhaps some EMT & XC HSTs as well?

Maybe Edinburgh - Sheffield on an XC HST, then transfer over to Nottingham, for an EMT HST to London St Pancras?

 

[James Wake]

There's a direct Plymouth to Glasgow Central XC HST on Monday-Saturday, 1225 from Plymouth.

 

[433N]

If your plans are involving Scotrail HSTs then hopefully you are aware that the currently scheduled HSTs are very erratic at the moment. Hopefully, issues will be sorted by the end of March 2019, allowing you to have more confidence in actually boarding one.

 

[RE460Swiss]

Perhaps some EMT & XC HSTs as well?

Maybe Edinburgh - Sheffield on an XC HST, then transfer over to Nottingham, for an EMT HST to London St Pancras?

Sounds like a fantastic plan! I'll try and encorporate it into the plan.

There's a direct Plymouth to Glasgow Central XC HST on Monday-Saturday, 1225 from Plymouth.

That is ideal, shame it doesn't run on Sundays. However, I might head down to Plymouth on the Monday provided HSTs are still available, stay overnight and then head up north the next day.

If your plans are involving Scotrail HSTs then hopefully you are aware that the currently scheduled HSTs are very erratic at the moment. Hopefully, issues will be sorted by the end of March 2019, allowing you to have more confidence in actually boarding one.

Yes, hopefully the dust will have settled a little more by then. I might have to try the GWR one that is currently on test but I understand is running a regular timetable.

Thanks all for your comments so far. I understand the sleeper is included (subject to £100 supplement) so may catch that from Euston. To get max value I would likely go to Inverness. Is there much in the north if Scotland?

 

[route101]

Yeah Pot luck on Scotrail HSTs , tried to do 2 services from Queen St recently and both 170s

 

[RE460Swiss]

Thanks all for your comments so far, Do we think that there will be any 225s/125s left on East Coast Main line past the end of the year or will they be gone and replaced by the IETs?

Best,
RE460

 

[221129]

That is ideal, shame it doesn't run on Sundays. However, I might head down to Plymouth on the Monday provided HSTs are still available, stay overnight and then head up north the next day.

It does.. the 1425 from Plymouth to Edinburgh is also booked a HST on a Sunday. (That's the one I'm on tonight)

 

[30907]

To get good value you must use at least some of the services that offer dining:

The Cardiff-Chester-Holyhead loco-hauled is unique and excellent (drinks are extra).
GWR dining trains to and from the SW are reputedly superb, but you have to pay for the meal.
East Coast evening meals (most trains 1700-1900 from Kings Cross) are IMO the best of the "freebie" food though portions are not huge, but others may disagree.
In Scotland, the London-Edinburgh-Inverness/Aberdeen HSTs are the only ones to offer meal service - this forum swears collectively by the Inverness train, I can't comment from experience.