I'm starting as a driver with Avanti soon - my only regret is that I wasn't born 20 years sooner and got to experience driving these incredible old workhorses. Fantastic and insightful video, thanks for uploading.

Covid-19 boredom brought me here...but boy am I glad it did...

you have so made my year!!!1 i have looked for this programme for years!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH

Great stuff. I work at Donny PSB.

From 3:04 the quality of the audio when the Valenta is in the background is the best I've heard. You really appreciate what it's like in the cab and it's probably more interesting hearing inside the cab than outside. There are very few videos out there that haven't been dampened down for narration or have been filmed on digital cameras rather than 'proper' camcorders.

I read somewhere that the HST powercars were actually used to help push the train along, because leaving the Valentas idling was causing problems with the piston rings. So thats 5 mk3s & 6000bhp!

Same anywhere when Reggie rail went over to sprinters, The Portsmouth Cardiff used to be a 33 and 5 mark 1's most trains you could get a seat. FGW have finally started using 3 car 158's in the past couple of years, but it's still not enough in the peak hours and worse on Fridays!

I remember this from when i was a kid, love comment by driver (we are now winding it up!). The Load regulator fails before they reach York. Valenta sounds fit though.

indeed that was because the MK4 stock wasn't ready and the HST power cars had buffers fitted, just in case a 91 had to haul south and not push!

Could not imagine a tv show like this nowadays thanks to the chaos of privatising BR. Plus we had decent trains then like the HST rather that the voyager rubbish that dosnt even tilt despite the cramped carriages. Bring back British Rail !

Yes they tested the 91's on 5 mk3 sleepers and a HST buffered power car as the DVT.

At 2:32 onwards it is significant to me, because the Liverpool-Norwich train on here is 8 carriages long, yet nowadays it is only 2-carriage Class 158s! Even if the locomotive hauled trains in the 1980s ran at half the frequency of today, today's service is a massive and unacceptable downgrading, especially considering how overcrowded that service is now.

Yes indeed the Consist was HST power car 5 MK111 sleeper coaches and a Class 91 pushing this was the basic test formation. plenty of spare sleepers as at this time a lot less sleeper services unlike mid 1980's, no more ECML sleepers at the time of filming.

Is that passing train at 5' 30" one of those HST/91 combos or am I seeing things?

@back2frinky No different from day time either any obstruction is just as difficult to avoid as stopping takes nearly a mile at line speed!

No, that's the right order...

The drivers name was John Swaby - Doncaster based Inter City Eastern region

nice to hear the valenta screaming away in the background...

P.s anything of worth (train footage) is already posted (check my main videos page). I am not able to send or make copies for anyone sorry.

Blame the TOC's that have taken over since BR... the plan was to have everything Electric but the TOC's went for cheaper traction and some of their destinations are off the wires so unless Hull and Scotland (Aberdeen & Inverness) get wired with OHLE then you get 220 and Grand Central HST's etc....Ironically it's called progress! :)

@CheekyBandit What the 47 and coaches? maybe not some workings were still loco hauled until 1990/91 on transpennine that could have been a Liverpool - Norwich normally 31's but it could be an additional?

Feb 1989

That's 5 mark 3s and 8,340hp! Because the '91's have 6090 and the HST powercars have 2,250hp.

Correct.

Geez,that 91 was being tested! They used mk3`s & a HST powercar as a DVT.

perhaps they meant ! ..... ? Next.

Then buy Rail Simulator 2012 and you will?

About 95% but it's mostly this lot talking about something they knew nothing about....