HSTs in the first week of January 43186 +43187 & 43004 + 43042 head to Ely + Colas 43014 + 43062 NMT

During the later half of the first week of January, the clearout of the now retired GWR HST powercars and stock from Laira Traction and Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot began.

43186 ex ‘Taunton Castle’ + 43187 ex ‘Cardiff Castle’ are first seen on Wednesday 7th, following the 1C76 GWR IET along the Taunton - Westbury route they pass over a cold and blustery Athelney Crossing and into history in the morning with the first Europhoenix move of a now redundant, de-branded and off lease ex GWR Castle Class 255, working the 5Q40 Laira T & R.S.M.D. - Ely Papworth Sidings, taking with them thousands of miles and memories. The lead powercar was carrying a GWR Angel Trains HST Farewell headboard.

On Thursday 8th as the UK battened down the hatches for the approaching Storm Goretti, two more power cars headed on a Rail Ops Group stock move to Ely, as 43004 ex ‘Caerphilly Castle’ and 43042 ex ‘Tregenna Castle’ worked a 2+8 formation, which we see passing Bridgwater, again adorned with the GWR Angel Trains HST Farewell headboard.

Friday 9th brought a third HST to the region, and perhaps a sign of what will still remain once all ex GWR stock has gone, as 43014 + 43062 'John Armitt' worked the monthly New Measurement Train from Reading down far as Plymouth, and then back to Exeter owing to the disruption adverse weather had brought to Cornwall. It ran back from Exeter to Taunton via Bristol. We see the NMT speed through Bridgwater before again catching it at Taunton this evening changing ends and head to London.

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