Spare HSTs
Passengers board overcrowded trains across the UK while power cars and High Speed Train Mk 3s are sent off-lease.
AS many as 464 High Speed Train Mk 3 coaches and 81 Class 43 power cars could be stored off-lease by the end of the year… while passengers board overcrowded trains across the UK.
As this issue of RAIL went to press, there were 134 Mk 3s and 14 power cars off-lease. However, this number is set to rise dramatically in the coming weeks as Great Western Railway dispenses with long-distance HST duties (see Fleet News, pages 28-29). LNER plans to withdraw its fleet from October onwards.
RAIL Managing Editor Nigel Harris highlighted the shortfall in rolling stock, by tweeting about his journey on an overcrowded interregional route in Wales on April 15.
He tweeted: “Sorry TfW, but I’ve just endured one of the most badly overcrowded rail trips I can remember - the 1139 from Salop to Cardiff. A two-car ‘175’ was way too small - a four-car unit is required. I had already had my train cancelled from Porthmadog and then travelled by bus to Mach [Machynlleth].
“The guard then had to apologise repeatedly because no four-car train was available, so I’d already had one horribly overcrowded two-car trip. From Salop it was much worse. Two small luggage spaces are pitifully inadequate, leading to both wheelchair spaces being filled with big bags.
“Getting off at Cardiff was stressful for everyone because pushchair and ‘walker’ users had nowhere else to go but the vestibules. I felt sorry for their predicament. Then, when I did manage to get off, I was horrified to see at least 70-100 more passengers crushing to get on!
“Gradually they were all absorbed, but ‘full and standing’ was a mild way of describing that train as it dragged its way west. It was a horrible experience for me, but infinitely worse for the poor beggars who boarded at Cardiff. I know new trains are coming but urgent short-term solutions are desperately needed.”
Speculation suggests Transport for Wales could lease two ‘mini’HSTs to cover for its unavailable trains, and that this would be in addition to the use of Class 37-hauled trains on the Valleys (see separate story). However, this has not been confirmed by the operator, or by the roiling stock companies.
Commentators and MPs have also called for redundant HSTs to be leased by CrossCountry, to boost its capacity and ensure trains continue to run west of Exeter in poor weather.
As this issue of RAIL went to press, there were 81 Angel Trainsowned Mk 3s stored at Ely and 53 Porterbrook-owned Mk 3s at Long Marston, as well as six ‘43s’ at Ely and six’ ‘43s’ at Long Marston. A further two (one from each rolling stock company) are stored at Laira (Plymouth), awaiting movement.
Once the long-distance GWR services finish, the operator will return 20 Angel Trains-owned power cars and 15 Porterbrook ‘43s’ to their owners (with 43002 Sir Kenneth Grange designated for the Railway Museum). None currently have a future.
A further 191 coaches will also be removed from service by the end of the year. Currently two fivecoach sets are hired to Hull Trains until the end of the year, while some ‘classic’ sets are being used by GWR until its converted ‘Castle’ sets become available.
That number is set to rise between October and December this year, when LNER returns its fleet of HSTs to their owners. This would add a further 32 ‘43s’ and 139 Mk 3s to the storage pool, although Government has told RAIL that some of the LNER sets could transfer to East Midlands Railway as a stop-gap until enough new trains have been delivered (from 2022).
A Porterbrook spokesman told RAIL on April 15: “We have a number of discussions ongoing around the future of these versatile, go-anywhere trains.
“Unfortunately we are not in a position to elaborate on these at present, but the fact that the offlease HSTs have gone into secure storage shows that Porterbrook remains positive about their potential for a continued role on the network.”
An Angel Trains spokesman told RAIL: “Angel Trains anticipates that the majority of HST vehicles, which are not being leased to Abellio ScotRail, will be redelivered to Angel Trains during 2019.
“Angel Trains intends to store these surplus vehicles at Ely prior to any further lease or disposal. These trains remain popular with the travelling public, and consequently we are exploring a number of opportunities for their continued use.”
The HSTs are being removed from traffic by GWR and replaced by Intercity Express Trains. After May 18, GWR will only use 11 mini-HSTs on ‘local’ services, with the rest returned to their owners.
The operator has already sent 54 power cars to ScotRail for its Inter7City sets, where 121 coaches will be used in 26 sets, with the possibility of more transferring north for conversion if required.
Two HSTs have been bought by Locomotive Services Ltd for charter use, although their identities have not yet been revealed.
Rail Operations Group has confirmed it wants to use HSTs for freight, albeit with one power car and an electric locomotive at the other end, while GB Railfreight is also keen on using them. Intermodality is also looking to use HSTs, but so far none of these deals have been confirmed.