John Oram's photos with the keyword: HST

Photography at stations these days can be challenging and that is very frustrating on a special visit. However, I always carry a compact camera and it is hard to imagine one better or more agile than the Panasonic TZ70. Thus equipped I was able to take advantage of a limited sight line landside as it were. ScotRail Class 43 HST power car 43181 was at Aberdeen. TZ70_P1000369CE

My previous visits to Laira have been largely unproductive but today's sparse presence of stock worked in my favour as I was able to photograph two Class 43 HST power cars. Back to back with 43092 was former First liveried 43091 with the markings removed or covered - it is hard to say which. TZ70_2_P1000093E

My previous visits to Laira have been largely unproductive but today's sparse presence of stock worked in my favour as I was able to photograph two Class 43 HST power cars. Back to back with 43091 was GWR liveried 43092 'Cromwell's Castle'. I don't know why the number is unsharp compared to the rest of the picture and even after editing. Perhaps it was an effect of the incident light. TZ70_2_P1000092E

I hope no-one will take offence that I took a fence but this garden-centre surplus stock is part of Eastleigh today and shots are hard to get. The actual subject is the two Class 43 power cars, formerly of East Midlands Railway. The car on the left is 43468. It would be reasonable to assume that the other is 43423 as they arrived together on 3 March 2021. 200_4_P1010615CE

East Midlands Railway HST Class 43/0 power car 43083 at Eastleigh. 200_3_P1120960CE

When recording the rail scene of today, much of what we see is, frankly, mundane so we sometimes have to try to record it interestingly. I am not and never will be in the league of Jim Knight, Gordon Edgar or Phil Sangwell all of whom excel at railway photography but I am pleased with today's shot of First Great Western Class 43 HST 43163 passing West Drayton at speed and wearing a promotional livery for Plymouth. I had about four seconds to plan the shot and did not use burst shooting. This single shot is SOOC except for straightening. 200_2_P1050261

With evidence of Crossrail development all around, Paddington bound First Great Western Class 43 HST 43088 passes West Drayton on a Sunday afternoon. 200_2_P1050262

Following the apparent popularity of my picture of an Inter-City 125 power car at St Pancras, I have revived an image from the adjacent Kings Cross. My reasoning remains the same. A lot has changed in the more than 30 years since I photographed 43056 at the London terminus. I think both the trolleys to the left and the van to the right (a generator van?) are of interest also. 822808 - crop

Photographs which were taken 30+ years ago and were, at the time, quite unremarkable, assume now a far greater interest for many different reasons. The HSTs have been through numerous incarnations and St Pancras station has changed almost beyond recognition. Named Inter-City 125 Class 43 power car 43116 'City of Kingston upon Hull' stands at the London terminus on a June Tuesday in 1983. 8310304

First Great Western 125 with 43126 leading, arriving at Truro from Penzance with the 1142 to Paddington. The trailing power car was 43169 'The National Trust'. 200_P1020166

First Great Western 125 with 43126 leading, standing at Truro from Penzance with the 1142 to Paddington. The trailing power car was 43169 'The National Trust'. How long will the lower quadrant semaphore and signal box be with us? 200_P1020168