Intercity 125 FGW HST Valenta finale. Another (mostly) Paxman sights + sounds trip to Didcot 21/4/06

Another trip to GWR Didcot (plus some scenes at the 'old' Reading station) to see and hear the Paxman Valenta power units at work. In 2006 they were in their last months of operation with FGW as more and more went MTU. Some other side interest also such as a Class 60 shunting in the yard and another on a tank train. The power station cooling towers are no more, the old Reading is now more, the Valenta's are no more, the HST's on this section are no longer a daily sight and the wires are up. How times change.

[@generalfilms9947]

Best trains ever I remember riding them years ago i really miss them i love how loud they were when they pass through stations

[@GeorgeLumkin]

For me it’s the whistle of the power cars and whine of the carriages at 7:25 that encapsulates the 125’s for me… never understood what that noise was but they always did it on my commute to/from college, reminds me of home 👍

[@TrainsbyM]

Shoutout for the departure at 2:20. That might be one of the best sounds I've ever heard in this world. Smashing footage all together Sans Pareil, but I wanted to point that one out in specific. ❤ Oh and I hope ''Finale'' doesn't mean your last bit of Valenta footage, but I'd be thankful for all the amazing additional footage you've recently shared with us. ☺☺ Thanks.

[@SansPareil]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks again!!

[@grahamallison6704]

Really brought back memories for me, miss the HSTs, as I did the 50s and the Westerns. Progress has a price but the replacements just aren’t there. Good video, thanks.

[@EXSKIN]

Yep the old man had something to do with 6697 GWR kettle and we went up nearly every weekend in the 70's, as a kid I'm going to sit on the station Dad while you play with the kettle. Valenta's and Hoovers galore.

[@767kevin]

just wanna say how much i LOVE 3:52-4:15 thank you. man that must of been so cool to see…. just when it can’t get any better the other HST comes roaring in - those things rumbled the ground so much & were SO LOUD i can only imagine what 2 did

[@garyfitzgerald4340]

Always love the way the GW drivers always seemed so understated in their use of the power controller, gradually adding a notch at a time.... mostly. The ECML drivers seemed to thrash them from the off, even straight out of the Cross! :-) Happy days.