Early HST Timings

[whole diary]

[eightf48544]

Something to look up so please dust off your old timetables.

Q1 Late 70s early 80s there was an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) in the afternoon which ran the 70.9 miles from Bath to Reading non stop in a little over 40 minutes giving an average speen start to stop of 100 mph +. What was the actual time?

Q2 Similar theme there was morning train from Reading to Bristol Parkway non stop. What was the time for the 75.8 miles?  I think this was also a 100 mmph+ run.This was memorable as i managed to squeeze in a full English Breakfastin the time.

Q3 On breakfast theme I also manged to consumme another full english during the 49.6 miles between St Pancras and Bedford non stop. What was the timing obviously a much  slower average.

It helped on both occasions I seem to recall I was the only diner.

Thanks

Merry Lockdown

[grahame]

Something to look up so please dust off your old timetables.

Q1 Late 70s early 80s there was an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) in the afternoon which ran the 70.9 miles from Bath to Reading non stop in a little over 40 minutes giving an average speen start to stop of 100 mph +. What was the actual time?

The 14:22, getting to Reading at 15:07 - 1st June 1981 to 16th May 1982 timetable. Repeated 2 hours later.  10:22 and 12:22 too. 10:45, 12:45 and 14:45 the other way (perhaps a 44 minute schedule as the times shown are departures from both Reading and Bath)

Q2 Similar theme there was morning train from Reading to Bristol Parkway non stop. What was the time for the 75.8 miles?  I think this was also a 100 mmph+ run.This was memorable as i managed to squeeze in a full English Breakfastin the time.

The 10:15 from Paddington called at Reading at 10:39 and  Parkway at 11:24.  Note there were longer non-stop bus such as the 11:15 from Paddington, first stop Newport  133.5 miles at 12:39, which I make 106.8 m.p.h.

Q3 On breakfast theme I also manged to consumme another full english during the 49.6 miles between St Pancras and Bedford non stop. What was the timing obviously a much  slower average.

The only restaurant car train that called at Bedford was the 11:08 which called at 12:02.  The 07:50 and 08:48 called at Luton but skipped Bedford,  and of course the 08:10 didn't have any refreshemts.  The 08:00 was first stop Kettering, and the 09:53 first stop Leicester.  Ah - memory is a wonderful thing, but having a printed timetable on the shelf helps!

[eightf48544]

Thanks Grahame.  Re Bath to be 100 mph it needs to 42 minutes or less. Pretty sure i worked it out previously to be 100. So may be late 70 when new. The memory fades,

Re the Parkway that may have been earlier but the 10.15 arr 11 24 gives a 100 mph average.

I may have been out on my dates to Bedford but definel7y between 82 and before 1985 the train definitely had a Restuarent Car and served breakfastnot. Pretty sure it was an HST^▸ (High Speed Train).