East Coast HST goes West.

[1H was 2E]

Caught the 0900 Leeds Plymouth XC train yesterday to take advantage of the diversion via Smethwick & Kidderminster.
Turned out XC were not only providing a railtour at ordinary fares, but also rare traction.... an East Coast HST.
The standard XC is 7 trailers, to allow ascending Lickey OPCO; of course, this could not be a problem due to the diversion; but the South Devon banks (GW sets have 8 trailers) certainly bought the speed down.

[Mickey]

The old mid-1970s British Rail HST125 (also known as a Flying Banana by some) it almost feels nostalgic writing it even though i never liked them cos they replaced the mighty class 55 Deltics on ECML front line train workings in 1977 plus also they replaced the class 45 'Peaks' on the Midland out of st Pancras in 1982 as well.

Wots that Deltic it looks like a 'Regiment' by the size of that nameplate?.

[Andy W]

It is No 19 that is on the SVR for the summer. Odd for me to see it parked next to 50026 as I was professionally involved with both locos in BR days, albeit at very different locations!

[Mickey]

I never liked the HST125s on the ECML they never looked quite right somehow but in hindsight they were probably better suited to the Western Region working out of Paddington plus personally i thought they looked very good in the British Rail Intercity swallow livery.

[1H was 2E]

And, yesterday, another East Coast went West (Coast). (well, quite a few, actually)
For the last three weekends, due to all lines closed Edinburgh to Berwick for planned engineering work, KX to Edinburgh and north services ran via Newcastle Central (reverse) and Carlisle.
The race to the North; on Saturday, the 09.45 from KX was booked to arrive at Carlisle only minutes behind the 09.43 from Euston.