HSTs - Paddington To Cardiff Via Bristol And Bath

It’s almost 50 years since High Speed Trains (HST) were introduced on the Great Western Main Line between London Paddington and South Wales via Bath and Bristol. For those lamenting the demise of steam and enjoying the new diesel and electric locomotives that replaced them, this latest innovation heralded the future of rail travel. It is now widely regarded as one of the most successful trains to operate on the rail network, significantly reducing journey times, improving reliability and increasing its customer base where it ran. This book features photographs taken along the length of this line over several decades. Collectively telling the narrative of the services that traversed the route, many power cars reappear in different liveries, some disappearing from service as they make way for the latest introductions. Along the way the changes to stations, signalling, countryside and industrial landscape are all detailed offering a nostalgic review of the region’s more recent rail heritage.