InterCity in the SouthEast during the 1980s

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That change in 1998 was achieved by running a 0317 from Manchester to Bournemouth.

The earlier service I was referring to ran in the 1991/1992 timetable leaving Reading at 1029. It may have been that the HST was overnight at Old Oak Common?

Did that 0317 ex Manchester you mention in fact start further south in the Midlands? I recall there being odd earlier trains starting in the West Midlands but just can't remember any XC trains running with passengers before 0517 from Manchester. For instance for a short while there was a 05xx Wolves to Paddington that started running to form 1M20 at 09xx back due to the new 1M76 0450 Reading to Liverpool robbing an extra set. I think the early train off Wolverhampton may have stopped though once 3 weekday evening trains ran to Paddington.