Andy’s Thought Dump

  GWR HST at Teignmouth 2023 I know, I know - I promise I wouldn’t turn this into a 24/7 railway blog! But sometimes, a piece of history is so intertwined with your own life that you simply have to pay your respects. Today, I’m saying a final, fond farewell to a true icon of the tracks: the British Rail Class 43 HST , better known to most of us as the Intercity 125 . A Soundtrack to My Youth If I had to describe my early years in one sound, it would be "the scream." While I didn't grow up in the city itself, Cardiff was a massive part of my life. I spent so much time there shopping with my Mum before catching my train back up the valleys to Pentrebach . Those HST engines were the constant backdrop to our trips. I remember being a small child and hearing that unmistakable roar echoing out of Cardiff Central . Even when I wasn't at the station, the sound followed me. I’d be at my auntie and uncle’s house in Fairwater , and you’d hear them screaming past on the main line...