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Class 800/3 Bi-Mode IET's
From Autumn-2017 some Units are now operating on Paddington to Bristol and Paddington to Swansea services. The numbers are set to increase as more get commissioned. Several sets are currently out on mileage accumulation testing most days on The GWR.
GWR's 9-car IET-800319 runs downhill from bedminster through Parson Street with '1C10' the 10:25 from London-Paddington going to Weston-Super-Mare.
..5 september 2023..
Shaldon Bridge nr Teignmouth is the location for 800317 passing with '1A84' the 10:20 from Penzance bound for London-Paddington.
..4 september 2023..
Sludgy-Plastic 800310 rounds Langstone Rock at Dawlish with '1C74' the 09:04 from Paddington to Newquay.Well the sun was out?
..4 september 2023..
IET 800312 passes Bratton on the B&H with '1A77' the 08:35 from Plymouth to Paddington.
..16 august 2023..
800308 gets away from its Swindon stop as '1A81' the diverted 10:55 from Paignton to Paddington whilst 59204 waits in the centre road with '7A77' the 11:05 from Merehead to Theale waiting its turn for the mainline onwards towards Reading.
..28 february 2023..
Here is '1L51' the 10:22 from Swansea to Paddington on diversion today via the B&H.Here seen at Great Cheverell. 800310 'Commander Ken Rees' being todays chosen Dross.
..05 february 2023..
IET 800319 makes it way along the very cold B&H west of Crofton with '1C75' the 09:37 from Paddington going down to Paignton.
..9 december 2022..
IET-800311 rolls into Westbury operating '1C75' the 09:37 from Paddington to Paignton at the North Junction sdjscent to the Power Signal Box positioned there.Great Autumn colours here for another week or do maybe?
..14 november 2022..
Great Western IET 800303 speeds down the Frome Avoider with '1C76' the 08:51 from Paddington heading for the end of the line at Penzance.
..11 september 2022..
'1J74' the 06:40 from Plymouth to Paddington comes over Clink Junction having called in Frome Station.This is pretty much the only eastbound IET to do this each day.800302 being the Bi-mode in question.
..8 july 2022..
Just like this Bi-Model we will all soon be asked to start wearing masks again as Covid-19 continues to mutate as it becomes more infectious but with albeit a less serious mortality rate therefore the livery is still a relevant reminder its been 3 years since it all started. So here is 800321'The Mask' passing Clink with '1C84' the 14:04 from Paddington going all the way to Penzance in deepest Cornwall.
..7 july 2022..
Single 5-car 803013 'Michael Eavis' with its front end doors remaining wide open exposing the coupling mechanism's etc makes up '1C90' the 17:04 from Paddington going all the way to Penzance.
..27 june 2022..
How much longer will GWR's 800321 continue to wear its Mask now most of the countries poputation don't bother anymore? Here is '1C85' the 14:37 from Paddington to Paignton approaching Clink Road Junction at speed prior to taking the Frome Avoiding Line.
..11 april 2022..
800318 is viewed approaching Clink Road Junction in Frome with '1C75' the 09:37 from Paddington to Paignton service.
..22 march 2022..
Just occasionally I use a shot of a class-800 type as a reminder of the state of the current railway scene.Here is todays view of GWR's 800318 as it runs up past Bratton on the B&H with '1Z78' the 10:42 from Taunton to Paddington.This would normally be '1A78' but the line further West was closed due to severe flooding hence the 'Z' code for this duty today.
..21 october 2021..
800321 'The Mask' approaches Clink Road Junction amid the lengthening shadows of the approaching Autumn.Here it is working '1C86' the 15:04 from Paddington to Penzance. It's a pity more people aren't wearing masks currently amid the increasing Covid-19 infections rates of the last month or so. Our government has seemingly swept the whole thing 'under the carpet' and lots of people are simply pretending that it is all over.. Well the bad news is -It isn't!!!!!! and probably never will be....
..6 october 2021..
Wearing a Mask is still very advisable even though the government seems to be pretending Covid-19 has gone away! GWR's Plastic---800321 still retains its Mask as seen here on '1C80' the 12:04 from Paddington going all the way to Penzance.Pictured near Great Cheverell on the B&H.Sadly the vegetation that was nicely cleared away a year or so ago at this location is now returning with a vengeance--a pity.
..26 august 2021..
Here is a diverted '1A87' the 14:12 from Paignton to Paddington being sent via Swindon instead of its normal route up the B&H.There appeared to be a line blockage between Newbury and Reading due to a broken down train of some description.This 9-Car IET being 800311.
..28 july 2021..
My current incarceration with just Clink Road Junction to play with continues! Here is another local 'Star' 800321 adorned with its 'Mask' to protect its crew from getting Covid-19 working '1A88' the 14:15 from Plymouth going up to Paddington.Note the fairly misty conditions here today although the forecast was supposed to be a nice clear sunny day! ..2 march 2021..
y current in
With Tier-4 Covid restrictions now firmly in place and the skies being very grey and dull I took a short walk up to Clink Road Junction just 200yds from my front door to picture 'The Mask' 800321 working '1C79' the 11:03 from Paddington to Plymouth.
..3 january 2021..
800321 'The Mask' today made a rare weekday visit to the B&H.It usually runs between Bristol-Cheltenham and Paddington.It was operating '1A81' the 10:52 from Paignton to Paddington.Seen on the sweeping curve at Great Cheverell just west of Lavington.
..2 september 2020..
800321 which features a 'mask' on its noses as an NHS-Tribures passes Blatchbridge nr Frome in pretty poor lighting.It was operating '1A94' the 17:15 from Plymouth to Paddington.It seems to come this way at weekends,usually it is on the Padd to Bristol and Cheltenham routes during the week.
..26 july 2020..
Not content with just a 'tele' shot of this odd-ball masked Class-800 as 'pull back to a wider angle is included as well--------------- So here is GWR-'The Mask' 800321 heads west with '1C84' the 14:03 from Paddington tp Plymouth.Luckily a patch of blue sky opened up just in time for this after a largely overcast day up to then! Seen coming up the straightaway after passing Fairwood Junction having just come around the Westbury Avoiding Line.
..19 july 2020..
GWR-'The Mask' 800321 heads west with '1C84' the 14:03 from Paddington tp Plymouth.Luckily a patch of blue sky opened up just in time for this after a largely overcast day up to then! Seen coming up the straightaway after passing Fairwood Junction having just come around the Westbury Avoiding Line.
..19 july 2020..
'The Mask' 800321 speeds down the Frome Avoiding Line at Styles Hill.This set usually spends its time travelling to Bristol and Cheltenham out of the Capital.So to see it here on '1C74' the 09:02 from Paddington to Penzance was a bit of a bonus!
..11 july 2020..
9-car Bi-Mode 800320 passes Bunns Lane nr Witham Friary with '1C77' the 10:33 from Paddington heading for Paignton.Yes that is Dave Brush's Focus dumped in the lay-by. Hardly Ivo Peter's Bentley that's for sure!
..20 september 2019
..
Like them or louth them the Class-800's are now of the everyday scene in and around the Westbury area.So an occasional shot just to remind people of their existence will be featured...... Here is a 9-car variant 800311 coming away from Westbury with '1C77' the 10:33 from Paddington heading for Paignton.The Westbury White Horse has seen many designs of passenger trains pass by over the decades and will certainly outlast these 'efforts'.
..23 august 2019..
Hitachi -IEP 800313 swings through Grafton East-Junction (Well the site of it anyway before it was removed) with '1A83' the 11:32 from Paignton going up to the Capital.Lots of Network-Rail crap lying around here.Par for the course these days regretfully!
..13 may 2019..
Another shot that has reappeared recently is this one looking east off the road bridge nr Crofton Pumping Station.IEP-800311 rolls round the sharp curve here working '1C77' the 10:33 from Paddington going down to the seaside at Paignton.
..13 may 2019..
'1C47' the 10:33 from Paddington to Taunton accelerates away from its Westbury passenger stop and is pictured approaching Fairwood Junction. Set-800318,one of the 9-car version was doing to duty.This set looked quite dirty,a light coating of grime makes this GWR-Green livery look even worse than normal (If that is possible of course!).
..27 february 2019..
Another variation on the Hitachi 'worm' is this 9-car type 800316 here seen sweeping through Crofton with '1C51' the 12:33 from Paddington to Taunton.Services along here are currently quite plentiful due to the Taunton to Exeter line being closed.Pity its is mostly these ghastly things!
..25 february 2019..
'1C47' the 10:33 from Paddington to Taunton moves away from Westbury under the watchful eye of the famous local 'Horse' landmark.IET 800312 a 9-car version was doing the job.
..19 february 2019..
Hitachi 9-car 800316 cruises past Fairwood nr Westbury with '1C46' the 10:03 from Paddington going only as far as Taunton.The line beyond to Exeter being closed at Whiteball Tunnel for work repairing that structure.
..19 february 2019..
GWR's 9-car Hitatchi 800311 glides down through Didcot North Junction taking the avoiding line .It was '1P25' the 09:54 from Great Malvern to Paddington.
..14 february 2019..
IET's are now becoming increasingly common on the B&H as the HST replacement programme continues.Here is a 9-car example 800319 with '1A80' the 11:12 from Exeter-St-Davids to Paddington.Seen at Cowleaze Farm Lane -Bratton.
..27 january 2019..
These Paddington to Paignton services are now solid Class-800's.Here is a 9-car version of the GWR-worms 800319 crossing Hungerford Common having departed the Capital as '1C77' at 10:33.
..17 january 2019..
Looking almost brand-new 800301 rolls into Westbury over the newly relaid track layout on the north end of the station with '1C77' the 10:33 from Paddington to Paignton in a weak patch of sun.Of some minor interest this particular IET has the GWR monogram displayed on the nose cone.Yesterday this working was an HST although mostly it is now this Hitachi 9-car plastic!
..11 january 2019..
IET 800308,one of the 9-car variants runs down away from Westbury at Fairwood with '1C77' the 10:33 from Paddington to Paignton.No doubt to ran as far as Newbury under electric power since that section was finally brought into use just after Christmas(Only a few years late!!)
..8 january 2019..
9-car version IET 800319 passes South Marston nr Swindon actually drawing its power from the OHLE.Something of a novelty,most of the Hitachi's that were passing were on diesel power would you believe.This working '1G29' the 12:15 from Paddington to Cheltenham Spa will revert to diesel power anyway onwards from Swindon as the route from there to Cheltenham is wire-less.Its a funny way to run a railway!
..22 december 2018..
Hitachi 9-car 800304 passes Fairwood with '1C77' the 10:33 from Paddington going to Paignton.These trains to that Devon resort are now mostly IET's.
..20 december 2018..
Newbie 800309,one of the 9-car versions on the sadly now all too common IEP's is seen at Westbury during its station stop whilst working '1A83' the 11:32 from Paignton to Paddington.Of interest is these platforms are now fitted with new electronic train departure displays.Very useful for informing passengers just how late their train is going to be!
..19 december 2018..
The IEP take-over of most of the GWR services will be almost complete by an unofficial target date of 10 December 18.After that time only the services from Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance will remain largely HST's,at least for another few months anyway.Here is one of the Cornwall destined Hitachi's working the 10:33 from Paddington to Paignton '1A77'.These diagrams to Torbay are already mainly these plastic HST replacements.This one being 800310 and is seen passing Berkley Marsh nr Frome in full sunshine.Naturally my target of 43002 and 59205 on a Theale empties both passed in much duller conditions!
..26 november 2018..
9-car Hitachi 800315 bursts out of Middle Hill Tunnel in Box into a patch of weak autumnal sunshine working '1C15' the 13:03 from Paddington to Plymouth via Bristol-TM.
..7 october 2018..
9-car IET 800305 glides silently through Frome at Clink with '1C77' the 10:33 from Paddington going to Paignton.Sadly all of these Devon bound services are now booked for these plastic-worms.
..13 september 2018..
The nearly-new GWR-Green liveried 800313 9-car Japo-Plastic Pig slows for Clink Road Junction with '1J91' the 17:07 from Paddington to Frome.The duty has been IEP now for quite some time.Only the Plymouth and Penzance services via the B&H remain currently exclusive to HST's.Viewed over the recently harvested cornfields at Berkley marsh nr Frome.
..12 september 2018..
Brand new in totally unblemished condition GWR 9-car IET 800316 makes almost certainly its first appearance of probably many thousands here at Berkley Marsh nr Frome (Even the bogies and wheels were positively gleaming).These 'things' are now standard fare on the Paddington to Paignton roster.This working being '1C77' the 10:33 from Paddington to Paignton.
..3 september 2018..
Sadly the week commencing the 20th August (yesterday) saw the start of 'IET' scheduled workings over the B&H to Devon and Cornwall during the week.Those trains are to mainly comprise 800/3's which are the 9-car version with more engines and extra power to cope with the Devon banks (apparantly).Here is 800307 seen at Berkley Marsh with '1J91' the 17:07 from Paddington going only as far as Frome.This very new 800/3 set will no doubt be speeding west regularly as the diagrams slowly replace the HST's with Green-Plastic.
..21 august 2018..
800306 passes the green fields at Berkley Marsh with '5J91' the 19:13 ECS from Frome off of '1J91'.For some reason this evening this train returned to Paddington instead of going to Stoke-Gifford as usual?
..16 august 2018..
Not a shot I am particularly excited about although it is the first one I have recorded of an IET 9-car 800/3 in service.This is the type that is set to fully replace HST's on the B&H sometime in the coming months. So this is 800306 with the now regularly diagrammed for IET '1J91' the 17:07 from Paddington to Frome.Seen at Berkley Marsh as the set is slowing for Clink Road-Junction.
..16 august 2018..
Sadly not in decent light but worth recording anyway due to its significance. Here is the first scheduled revenue earning service of an IET from Paddington (08:18 ff) going to Devon,Paignton actually.It ran as '1C75' and really signifies the true beginning of the end of HST's to the South-West. 800309,one of the dedicated 9-car Units for the Penzance services was doing the job.Seen at a moody Styles Hill in Frome.