Train Diagrams

[Stuharris 6360]

Do class 42 cross country Come into bham?

What do you mean by Class 42 Cross Country @Trident 4194

[Trident 4194]

What do you mean by Class 42 Cross Country @Trident 4194

Apologies typo, meant type 43 XC services into brum?

[Stuharris 6360]

Apologies typo, meant type 43 XC services into brum?

I have attached a pdf of the current Class 43 (HST) Cross Country diagrams @Trident 4194

[Trident 4194]

I have attached a pdf of the current Class 43 (HST) Cross Country diagrams @Trident 4194

Thankyou, have you ever traveled on one?

[Dylanbusboy45]

Thankyou, have you ever traveled on one?

I have many of times. They are way better than the voyagers.

[Stuharris 6360]

Thankyou, have you ever traveled on one?

Yes they are brilliant, once when i worked for British Rail, travelled from Edinburgh to Penzance on one.

[Rob H]

I have many of times. They are way better than the voyagers.

I couldn't agree with you more there @Dylanbusboy45 love the HST's :) In my book nothing will beat these beauties.

[Stuharris 6360]

In the early days the engines were always the Archilles Heal of the HST, the dreaded "leg out of bed" problems and also when HST would arrive with Steam pouring out!

*For those who don't know, the leg out of bed was when one or more of the pistons would come crashing through the engine block immediately writing off the engine.

[Dylanbusboy45]

Yes they are brilliant, once when i worked for British Rail, travelled from Edinburgh to Penzance on one.

That must have been a very long trip on a HST, furthest I have done is New St-Plymouth. Although I would rather do Edinburgh-Penzance on a HST than a Voyager!

[Stuharris 6360]

That must have been a very long trip on a HST, furthest I have done is New St-Plymouth. Although I would rather do Edinburgh-Penzance on a HST than a Voyager!

It was a long journey, virtually 12 hours as far as I remember!

When I got to Penzance, just time for a quick trip to St Ives on Bubble Car 55012 (the train that went through the buffers at Stourbridge Town station and bogies fell onto Foster Street East)) and then i caught 50033 (Glorious) on the Penzance Paddington sleeper.

http://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/70s-station-smash-remembered/story-23719402-detail/story.html

[Roy]

Yes, the HSTs are still superb, even after 40 years in service.  If you want a quick day out from New Street on a Monday to Friday, catch the 1117 Plymouth service to either Cheltenham Spa (arr 1200) or Bristol Temple Meads (arr 1242).  The other HST diagram returns from Bristol at 1430 and Cheltenham at 1511, arriving at New Street at 1556.  I travelled to Swansea and back last week and deliberately timed my journeys to travel via Bristol Parkway on the above services, thus using HSTs for the complete journey.

Incidentally, for Black Country residents, the XC services will be operating via the Stourbridge line (non stop) from 26 October to 4 November as the line via Bromsgrove is closed.

Finally, I remember the incident at Stourbridge Town.  The reason Foster Street East was empty that afternoon was because the Grand National taking place at the time of the crash and Red Rum won the race for a third time.

[598]

Love HST's. They can be knackering to work though. Great to travel on. Much more comfortable and plenty of space

[Trident 4194]

Do the 43 go towards to Tamworth?

[Roy]

Do the 43 go towards to Tamworth?

They do, but not until late afternoon.  The basic rule is that they head south to Devon and Cornwall in the morning and return north in the afternoon.  On Mondays to Fridays, the departure times from New Street are 1603 and 1903 (+ 1703 on Mondays and 2103 on Fridays), while on Saturday (up to 10 September) they are at 1603, 2003 and 2156.  From 17 September, the Saturday times will be 1603 and 2103.  Not all of these services stop at Tamworth - the 1603 is one of those that does.

[The Real 4778]

Class 42 were always rare in Birmingham

http://wmbusphotos.com/Trains/Class42/D847.html

This is quite an unusual shot, last one was probably around 1970

I hate to say it, but with heavy irony D847 was in fact a Class 43!