December 13 saw the last revenue runs for the Class 43 [EDIT: in England], after half a century of yeoman service
WCRC supposedly picked up 2 power cars and quite a few coaches (10+). I think the rest are off to Mexico.
You British do that much less than we do... Napoléon once said that one can judge a nation by the respect it shows for its old trains. Errr... no, not 100% sure he said that.
Im probably one of the few who didnt really give a toss about the HST's being scrapped in England. The engines were ok but ultimately just as ugly as the 'badger' and I will die on that hill.
The only reason they are so popular now is that they are much nicer trains than the modern IET’s etc. that replaced them. Back in the bashing days they were scorned in favour of being loco hauled and even within the rail industry the fixed formations presented a challenge at busy times. That’s why, up to the start of sectorisation then privatisation a substantial fleet of Mark One stock was kept to run relief trains during the high summer or around Bank Holidays.
If they struggled with the HSTs then surely they must be cursing the IETS as those are truly fixed formation lol.
In theory having a more frequent service increases capacity but that doesn’t really apply to the West Of England route and as soon as there’s perturbation anywhere between Paddington and Swindon, the Cardiff terminators get cut out as probably do the Cheltenham trains to run Swindon to Cheltenham and vv only. In addition, GWR have a habit of substituting 5 car sets on 9 car diagrams. Better than a cancellation but drastically cuts the number of available seats.
I agree with the fact they are (as in diesel hauled) are nicer than the IETs, I just dont understand the infatuated love with them. Perhaps its just my "younger" age or era I guess (no offence meant to others).
It happens with all new trains. Deltics and Westerns etc were scorned by steam enthusiasts but when they were withdrawn they attracted a large following, even by some of the previously mentioned steam enthusiasts. Class 47's were seen as boring as they were everywhere but by the early 2000's people were sad to see the back of them. I disliked sprinters as they replaced the beloved by me modernisation plan DMUs but now I enjoy seeing them. In the future people will lament the demise of Voyagers and Electrostars.
Almost certainly a lot of people will. It's always like that, if in UK, in Germany or anywhere else. Back in the 60s the 110 and 140 were the disliked new stuff, because nothing's better than steam! Stay away with those modern soulless electric Einheitsloks! In the 80s and 90s the 628 was hated for superseding the old Schienenbus and the last V100 + Umbauwagen from the rural lines. Oh, and don't even speak about the 101, replacing the German queen of rails in form of the 103, the one and only Intercity loco. And nowadays start mourning about the declining numbers of 425s, because... whatever. It'll always be like that and at some point people will even miss FLIRT, KISS and Talent 2. I guess one just misses the trains one grew up with, whatever that may be.
I will never love or respect those damn iron broad seats on the 800s Honestly if it’s the new norm then I’m just going take buses even though I hate them, since at least I don’t end up with back pain for multiple weeks afterwards
