Trains - How to get on a Class 43 HST?

[Aidancky]

Hello all!

I'm not a big train geek in any way, but I do appreciate the past history of our trains, and do find them interesting.
I've never been a passenger on a Class 43 HST, and would quite like to - it seems like something that doesn't have long left sadly.

I live near York - whats the best way to get on one? I want to ride one for a short-medium journey, I know i'd likely get on one if I went to Edinburgh or down to London but I want a bit of a shorter journey, since it's purely for pleasure!

Or could someone point me somewhere that maybe lists routes and typical rolling stock used?

Thanks!

[SlowcoachIII]

Great Western Railway have over 60% of the Class 43 HST’s, so with the exception of the few Class 800s that have entered service, you’re pretty much guaranteed to use one if you take any of the longer routes/ London routes in the South West. Time for a holiday to Cornwall?

[Robertj21a]

Aidancky said:

Hello all!

I'm not a big train geek in any way, but I do appreciate the past history of our trains, and do find them interesting.
I've never been a passenger on a Class 43 HST, and would quite like to - it seems like something that doesn't have long left sadly.

I live near York - whats the best way to get on one? I want to ride one for a short-medium journey, I know i'd likely get on one if I went to Edinburgh or down to London but I want a bit of a shorter journey, since it's purely for pleasure!

Or could someone point me somewhere that maybe lists routes and typical rolling stock used?

Thanks!

I think Cross Country still run some HSTs and they go through York. You could easily just go a short distance on one.

[MrOrange]

Virgin East Coast still run class 43's. York to Doncaster is a short run.

[anonymous-user]

I think the 43s on the east coast are mostly used on routes up to Aberdeen and over to Hull

happy to be corrected on that

[Gareth1974]

CrossCountry have some HSTs through York.

There is a 0845 service to Plymouth, but the next one, departing York at 0944, also to Plymouth, is probably a better bet as you'd get an off-peak fare on it.

Heading in the opposite direction, back towards York, the 1225 Plymouth to Glasgow is a HST, so if you wanted to get a HST both ways, you've got the following options:

Visit Birmingham 1207 to 1603
Visit Cheltenham 1300 to 1511
Visit Bristol 1342 to 1430
Arrive back in York at 1830

Or if you just want a quick trip, jump out at Sheffield at 1051 - perhaps popping to Rails of Sheffield to buy one of these https://railsofsheffield.com/products/32196/hornby...

and get a Voyager back to York.

[MrNoisy]

EMT use them too.

[Yertis]

An old git writes...

They are but a shell of what they once were. You used to be able stretch out in the carriages, and take in the view. Now it's like being packed into an Easy Jet A320*. And then, of course, you had the Paxman Valenta powerplants...

• I appreciate that I'm referring to the Mk3 carriages here, and not the engines.

[alangla]

If you want to guarantee it, go to York station and catch any Virgin train heading to or from Stirling, Aberdeen or Inverness - these will definitely be HSTs. Some of the Edinburgh/Newcastle - Kings Cross services might be, but it's difficult to tell. The downloadable timetables used to say either HST or 225 at the top of each column, but this now seems to have been removed.

[miniman]

If you go down the Great Western route, treat yourself to First Class because the standard coaches are a million miles from how they were back in the day.

[SlowcoachIII]

miniman said:

If you go down the Great Western route, treat yourself to First Class because the standard coaches are a million miles from how they were back in the day.

GWR hasn’t got the best service but their 1st class carriages are by far the best.


Their new first class carriages are dreadful in comparison.

[Taffer]

Aidancky said:

....I've never been a passenger on a Class 43 HST, and would quite like to - it seems like something that doesn't have long left sadly....

The refurbished Class 43s that Scotrail are introducing in the near future will be running for quite a few years; plenty of life left in them!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/smoggyrail/393459007...

[steve-5snwi]

All the East Coast Aberdeen trains should be HST's as i don't think the line is electrified past Edinburgh, First class if you book in advance is much nicer and if you travel weekday in the morning you get breakfast. They are much nicer than the 225's too. The Cross country HST in standard class are nice too.

[MrOrange]

Virgin East Coast 125 and 225 at Kings Cross last September. Both look a bit battered.

[43034]

125Group should have the diagrams.

[Aidancky]

Thanks for the help everyone

[TommoAE86]

As above the WCML has them, I went from Paddington to Truro a couple of years ago and it was the most lovely journey I've had on a train since the last time I went to see relatives on an Intercity liveried HST (I now feel old).

Appreciation for the HST's was further boosted by my journey on one of those Voyagers from Bristol - Plymouth which was horrible and uncomfortable when I went to collect my Skyline from the importer!

[Rick101]

Big yellow one on a Monday morning

[BrotherMouzone]

I do like that Great Western has kept the odd one in classic InterCity livery.

[blueg33]

I use them weekly from Kingham to Paddington. Way more comfortable and quieter than any modern diesel train. The ,aim downside is that in the winter it can get cold and draughty because people leave the windows open after reaching out to open the door. Oh and some seem to have square wheels.

As said above, GWR first class has great seats