Short HST's

[whole diary]

[Phil]

I'm fairly sure someone on here once corrected me, a long while ago now, by saying that an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) couldn't run without a Coach A.

It has to have a Coach A (a Trailer Guard Standard) to work in passenger service. 

A HST doesn't need to have a TGS to operate in passenger service, but it is desirable, if there is no TGS then the emergency equipment needs to be relocated, usually to the buffet area and the driver-guard buzzer will not be operational, so the train will need to be despatched with flags. The central locking system will, however, still work.

Great answer, thanks rts! (and a-d and cfn too of course)

I knew I hadn't been dreaming it when I saw that unit running around without a coach A long ago

[bobm]

the driver-guard buzzer will not be operational, so the train will need to be despatched with flags.

Out of interest, does it have to be flags or can the RA indicators - where available - be used?

[Super Guard]

Guard would still need to use a green flag to indicate to the platform staff to hit the RA plunger.  I cannot imagine we'd send a HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) out without a TGS into passenger service.

[Southern Stag]

I've never seen or heard of it on FGW^▸ (First Great Western), but Grand Central HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) always run without a TGS, as they don't have any TGS vehicles in their fleet.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

When the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) were first introduced on the Western, as 7 coach sets in 1976, none of them had a TGS. The guard travelled in one of the power cars.

[John R]

As originally built the western sets had as few as 4 x 72 = 288 (ish) standard class seats. With the latest changes, some sets will have around 6 x 80 = 480 (less a few in the TGS).