How old is the HST fleet?

I know they were introduced in 1976 but how old are most them? This morning all the voyagers seemed to have been replaced with ancient HSTs (class 37?) and class 90s.

I had to get an HST which annoyed me as I had bought my batteryless laptop to do some work (HSTs don't have power sockets). As soon as I saw it with its rust and slam doors on the carriages I thought this is going know where.

Anyway the train broke down at Stockport which meant I was late as I had to get a Pendolino heading to London.

So the big question is are these trains older than me? If they are newer than 1982 I feel very very old!

The train guard must hate me as I well as I was a bit relucant to get on it, I said is this the Birmingham train he said yes and I stupidly said will get it us there.

I know people are fond of HSTs, but I feel a lot safer than modern class 220/221s and Pendolinos.

I have also realised in the last few weeks I am developing an interest in trains - That cannot be healthy!

 

Dunno how old the ones in service are, but I remember seeing my first one in 1977 on the KingsX/Edinburgh line. Before that the express trains were pulled by Deltics on that line - the Deltics were in service for getting on for 30 years before they completely phased them out so don't be too surprised if some of the HSTs are almost as old now.

PS. Before I get accused of trainspotterdom, I was all of 10 years old at the time and the railway line ran past our garden - I grew out of it almost 30 years ago and have since redirected all nerdy tendencies in other directions - music, turntables and web forums it would seem - so don't bloody start

 

The Deltics were only taken out of service for freight duties in the last 10 years weren't they?

I also spotted some class 86 trains in virgin liverly on a siding just outside Manchester and they didn't look like they were scrapped, they must be at least 40 years old now.

 

Not sure, but I never saw any (at least during the day) on our line past about 1981.

Just Googled - and hey I was wrong about when they started but right about when they ended - I thought they came in the fifties, but it seems it was the early sixties, but out of service by 82 - so they were only in service just over 20 years:

http://www.napierchronicles.co.uk/

Noisy bastards they were and I don't think anyone living by the line (except the trainspotters) were all that sad to see them pass.

 

Your recent posts on trains, quoting class numbers and locomotive types etc. are signs of serious case trainspotterdom!

Michael.

 

Thats just the way I am, I like a child in that resprect I take interest in everything I do or see. Where most people would not give a second though about what train they are on I like to know the history of them.

I am the same with buses (as you all know). My dad was a London Routemaster bus number collection as a kid so I think I get it off him.

 

I love trains, aircraft, ships, cars....

...but not buses. Hate the damn things. As a passenger, as a driver, as a pedestrian, as a tax payer, in every way possible I hate them.

Isn't it hard to collect routemaster numbers in manchester? Or was it a very small collection?

 

Don't think routemasters were just a Landon thing. We had them in Stevenage when I was a child - just the same as the London ones - only dark Green.

 

He did say london...

 

Careful!
When I worked for Auntie Beeb I was transferring some film of the East Lancs railway onto Beta SP...
Next door the TK operator was transferring rushes of a 3-in-a-bed scene for some drama. There was plenty of it and much, much raunchier than was actually broadcast.
So the guy from next door asked to swap jobs with me. I did the sex film on my own, and when I'd finished (transferring, that is )there were 10 TK chaps next door orgasming over Castle and Atlantic class locomotives...
Each to his own, mind, but most of them (aged 40odd) still lived with their mothers

 

My dad is a Londoner he only moved to Manchester to do his diploma but he never moved out

The dark green Routemasters were the Greenline service which went slightly out of the Greater London area.

No other cities have realy used them, I think some where bought during the mid 80's when the buses were privatised e.g Stagecoach in Glasgow and GM buses tried running some in Manchester as a gimick in the early 90's but as a whole they are London buses, they are made for London Transport.

I like buses near me becuase just work, they are every 1-2 minutes, quite fast, clean, modern and cheap but I realise its not like that every where.

Leo you're scaring me now, on a possitve note I haven ot played with my Horny railway set consisting of Class 90 models for at least 10 years

My dad and his friends (they were about 15-16 at the time) would go down to depots and cab buses, that basicaly means sitting in the drivers seat and moving the steering wheel, amazingly nobody bat an eye lid. Imagine that today.

 

HORNY railway sets???

Now it really gets worrying

Isaac, I merely assumed that London Routemaster was a generic name for said type of bus