GWR Class 43 HST & Hitachi Class 802 IET depart Reading *HD*

It is quite rare to see two trains wanting the same line departing simultaneously from Reading, but sometimes special circumstances occur! And this is indeed one, Hitachi have paths to test their Class 800 and 802 trains out of North Pole IET Depot from Reading to Didcot, Swindon and even as far as Bristol Parkway and a lot of these services terminate at Reading and switch ends, then take advantage of the bi-directional platforms at Reading. In this circumstance, a GWR HST was running late as 1202 to Cheltenham Spa and despite this, the signaller somehow decided to allow the IET to depart as it was blocking a busy platform with trains bound direct to London, and put the 802 in front of the HST which departed cautiously despite already running 5L! Interesting work from the signaller...
Train Race!
[*SPOILER*] The 802 won quite spectacularly...

[@alexishamer6427]

Class 43s honestly were used for the intercity services for Great Western Railway until Monday 18th May 2019. Replaced by class 800s and 802s are 93 of them. I honestly like the 2017-18 trains. They are very cosy and comfortable. Class 43s are now with CrossCountry, Great Western Railway and ScotRail. XC, SR has 1st accommodation and GWR 43s has standard class only since regional railways happened in 2017.

[@orbitarchive346]

1:46 perfect photo oppo there

[@lifeonrails]

Old meets new. Shame that the iet didn't stop and have a race against the hst

[@LeoMartinDJ]

life_on_rails the HST was powering up as the IET passed so I would count this as a race. The HST failed, quite badly! And that IET wasn’t even on electric, was using the diesel motors which are also MTU!

[@neilfoord9140]

Grow up!!

[@Liamfootball-tw4mm]

@@neilfoord9140 you

[@petesomeguy]

Why wasn't IET using the electrical overheads?

[@LeoMartinDJ]

It was on test utilising the diesel motors. They occasionally test using the diesel motors as they need to test all power sources on the train.

[@petesomeguy]

Ahhh, ty :)

[@neilfoord9140]

What was the coloured bloke on about?

[@LeoMartinDJ]

Neil Foord a spotter behind me was beyond the signal taking photos. He was telling him to get back.

[@neilfoord9140]

@@LeoMartinDJ Fair enough.

[@pompeyjim]

being a jobsworth