Western Region HST Formations 1976/77/78 - HELP REQUIRED

[Commoner]

Unsure if this is the correct forum for a request for help from the 1970s. Apologies to all if it’s misplaced.

I wondered whether any members of the forum could assist me in my efforts to document Western Region HST operation during the years 1976/77/78. I am in need of direct observations from the period in order to build up an overview of how the WR fleet was formed and utilised. As many of you will know, set formations were quite fluid in the early days, with frequent changes being made due to maintenance problems, late delivery of vehicles and changes to catering provision. My aim is not to establish how the HST sets were meant to be formed – this information was available in publications such as the RCTS Coaching Stock and Platform 5 Motive Power Stock Books – but how they were actually formed on a daily basis.

Not many people recorded HST formations in the early days, so relevant records are in short supply. If anybody was interested enough to record such information could they please dust off their old notebooks and contact me. The basic details I require are observations which record individual formations (power cars and trailers) with an accurate date (day/month/year). Any additional information such as location or service working would be very welcome if available. Observation of sets or “loose” vehicles on depots or works are also helpful, as are details of sets observed on commissioning, delivery or crew training runs.

I am willing to negotiate payment for information supplied if required. I understand that it can take considerable amounts of time to reproduce the sort of material requested. I can be contacted at kevindaniel@btinternet.com

Please get in touch even if the material you hold is minimal or seems insignificant.

Thanks for taking the time to read the above.

 

[theblackwatch]

I seem to recall the RCTS had an appeal for similar information a few years back - might be worth getting in touch with them? (Or was it you who made that appeal!)

 

[Commoner]

I seem to recall the RCTS had an appeal for similar information a few years back - might be worth getting in touch with them? (Or was it you who made that appeal!)

Many thanks for your helpful reply and well spotted. Yes that was me. have placed a number of ads in the railway press over the years with varying degrees of success. However, the responses and supply of information has dwindled. So now I am resorting to desperate pleas for help on the web. So if anybody is reading this please get in touch. As stated in my post I am open to negotiating a payment for relevant gen.

Thanks

 

[theblackwatch]

Out of interest, what do you plan to do with all your info? If you published it in a book I'd be interested, although I suspect it may have limited appeal! Have you tried contacting the 125 Group - I know their main interest is Valentas but I'm sure they must have members who are interested in the historical aspects of train consists too.

Unfortunately I can't help with any info due to living up north and being under 10 years old at the time - I did always take an interest in the ER fleets though. I do remember there being a load of coaches stored at Swindon at one time, a mix of new TF vehicles and TS which had been declared surplus by the delivery of TGS but that was past the time you are trying to document.

 

[Commoner]

Out of interest, what do you plan to do with all your info? If you published it in a book I'd be interested, although I suspect it may have limited appeal! Have you tried contacting the 125 Group - I know their main interest is Valentas but I'm sure they must have members who are interested in the historical aspects of train consists too.

I have been interested in and engaged in research into HST operation in BR days for many years.
In addition to my own observations, I have sought assistance from interested individuals through appeals in the railway press, society magazines and the web and have received help from various well placed individuals who were involved in the HST project at the time. However, information from the early years on the WR, which is my main area of interest, is extremely hard to come by. After all, there was a lot of interesting diesel traction around in the 1970s, to keep people’s attention and the HST was regarded by most as a multiple unit representing uniformity and lacking individuality.

I hope that one day I might be able to get something written and into print, but when and how is the big question. The more I have researched, the more I have become convinced that a detailed account of early HST operation is required and deserved. However, I work full time and like most people have a life to lead, and additionally I have no track record (excuse the pun) in publishing, except for contributions to a couple of articles that appeared in the RCTS magazine in the 1990s.

Going back to my original request, observations of set formations help me track temporary and more permanent changes in the fleet. They also enable me to establish delivery and overhaul dates (in regard to the former the WR never published details of early deliveries and allocations prior to 1978). If I should ever publish it would be my aim to provide a detailed summary of the main changes to set formations. It would not be possible to detail them all as they would require a book on their own, and as has been highlighted, I doubt if there would be sufficient interest in it.

If anybody has relevant information I would appreciate it if they contacted me. My offer of payment is not for the information itself, but more an acknowledgement that to be shared, notes have to be reproduced, either by hand, typed, photographed or copied. This all takes time and I think it is important to offer some sort of reward if it is required to those who are generous enough to dig out their notes and spend time collating them. As I have said should I ever achieve my aim I don’t anticipate publishing records in detail, and in any case would not do so without the contributor’s permission. I would also of course acknowledge in print any help received.

As for the 125 Group I have been a member since 1994. A few individuals from the Group have assisted, but I think there are few members old enough and who were sufficiently interested in 76-78 to record the detail required. I have also posted a request on www.hstgen.co.uk but I think the same applies.

So if anybody reading this can assist or has any suggestions please get in touch. Anything relevant would be welcome, whether it’s an odd one off sighting or an extensive report. It may seem insignificant but it could very interesting and helpful to me. My email is at the top of the thread.

Thanks.