Great Western Coffee Shop

It's that time of year again - when I attempt, but fail, to prove the existence of HSTs on the Cotswold line.

This time rail enquiries and FGW customer service seemed to align. They both denied they exist.

At Waterloo advance ticket sales, I asked about trains from Paddington to Honeybourne.

"An HS what?"

The sales person looked irritated when I asked again. I mentioned that First Great Western had it marked on their timetables.

"An HS WHAT?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."

The roll of the eyes was a very clear - stop going on and about HSTs. Go. Away. You are Irritating me.

Next attempt, I phoned FGW customer services.

Who redirected me to National Rail Enquiries.

Who redirected me back to First Great Western.

"An Inter City?"
"An HS City?"
"An HS WHAT?"
"Honeybourne yes it is a fast train. High Speed."
"No, I mean..."

This went on for ten minutes. The person at the other end of the phone apologised at the end of every sentence, apologised each time they resumed the call. They had absolutely no idea what an HST was, but boy they were going to keep apologising.

Eventually they put me through to someone back in England. Quick as a flash, they confirmed that yes, the 15:52 would be an HST. They apologised that their overseas colleague didn't know what an HST was.

It'm on it now. It's not an HST of course, it never is. I think in about 10 journeys planned around being on an HST, I've seen one. Maybe two at a push - including the "buffet in the toilet" special.

*bah* I'm not in a very Christmassy mood it has to be said. :(

Neither am I ... but I've added a couple of Santa onto the top banner for a couple of days to help us both  ;D

Isn't the 1552 normally an Adelante?

The IC125 is just one type of HST.

That's true; there's the Hubble Space Telescope too, and then there's Harmonised Sales Tax in Canada... but for most readers of this forum it'll be the multiple unit set as defined, for example, by Porterbrook (http://www.porterbrook.co.uk/downloads/brochures/HST%20Brochure.pdf)

Just checked - you are absolutely right. (And tbf, that's what was running too. Shame about the run around on the phone but hey ho.)

What I meant was that HST = High Speed Train. Includes the IC125, but also other similar-speed stock running on the rails

Happy Xmas, ChrisB!  :'(

Aaaand, I'm back with the story of the return journey!

Yes, it's the invisible 13:34 from Honeybourne to Pad.

I say invisible, because all the online live departure boards are showing it as having left all the stations from Evesham down on time. Our invisible train appears to be well on it's way to Oxford.

Baffled passengers here at Honeybourne have been phoning FGW.

The answer: "We don't know where the train is. All we know is it left Worcestor".

Oh dear. An HST missing in action. Maybe it stopped off at a pub for a festive half and got carried away.

It's just left Shrub Hill (at 13:54), so should be at Honeybourne at around 14:20 and is a HST (a proper one!).  Delayed at Worcester waiting the driver who'd previous working was the heavily delayed 11:05 Didcot Parkway to Hereford.

Aha... Thanks for info!

All the departure boards updated about five minutes ago and I was wondering how it lost 50 minutes between two stations in the same city :)

Well, the HST did turn up, and we've made it Oxford 50 minutes late.

Now just been told "Sorry, we don't have a driver".

We're now being turfed off, the train is now cancelled at Oxford.

HST - now you see it, now you don't.

Next HST from Oxford to Paddington isn't for about 90 mins.

Hmm. Go to pub, come back later? Or squash on to the next Turbo with my "treat myself" first class ticket, and the rest of the Cotswold line refugees?

Well, that was money well spent.

I rejoined with the only option being a Turbo. Interesting range of options, above and beyond, say, the 'Silent Carriage' on other services.

- The Boiling Carriage
- The Tepid Carriage
- The Unheated And f**cking freezing carriage.

Guess which carriage my "treat myself" first class ticket lies.

I have my hood up, trying to look menacing to the only other person daring the first class fridge. He has his head in his hands and is bent over the table.

But the First Class Fridge contains all the complimentary goodies :'( :'(

Including the lesser-spotted-fresh-milk ;D

Just be grateful you got a Turbo with working Air Conditioning :P