Should the HSTs be Replaced?

[wbbminerals]

The problem with the above idea is the fact that staff knowledge has to be retained, which is prohibitive if there are only a few of that type of rolling stock.

I can imagine some HSTs ending up at Carnforth somehow!

 

[AndyLandy]

I don't think HSTs will all have gone by 2020. Apart from the few that will continue to serve the West Country, I can see some ending up with OA operators, some might get cascaded to secondary services, and I expect there'll be railtours aplenty.

It'll be a sad day when they leave mainline service for good, but everything has its time and everything ends.

 

[tbtc]

I don't think HSTs will all have gone by 2020. Apart from the few that will continue to serve the West Country, I can see some ending up with OA operators, some might get cascaded to secondary services, and I expect there'll be railtours aplenty

I think it says something that Grand Central want to change their mixed fleet into a fleet of 180s (which are limited in number and wanted at other TOCs) rather than a fleet of HSTs (which are going to be spare in large numbers in five years time, when IEP replaces dozens of them).

With HT route potentially being wholly electrified in CP5, and no realistic hope of Go-Op (or other OA proposals), I can't see many HSTs on Open Access (though there will be a few "fantasy suggestions" on here, no doubt!).

As for the West Country services, there'll be a few 222s spare to consider too.

 

[The Ham]

I don't think HSTs will all have gone by 2020. Apart from the few that will continue to serve the West Country, I can see some ending up with OA operators, some might get cascaded to secondary services, and I expect there'll be railtours aplenty.

It'll be a sad day when they leave mainline service for good, but everything has its time and everything ends.

Once the XC Voyagers go off lease, and it's after the introduction of IEP, I'd expect a lot more HST's to be used by XC where they are able to free up Voyagers to run paired up where HST's are not an option. As it is likely that if XC can use them without needing them to have any modifications (which may need an exception after the end of 2019 for disability regulations) then I would expect the cost of leasing them would be fairly low.

However that would only be until there is an order put in for EMU's early in their franchise (mid to late 2020) potentially with a option for a follow on a few years later.