24. The final MML HSTs; the end of an era-15.05.21

The end of a forty-five year era came on this day with the ending of HST operations leading to and from London. The first commercial HST service commenced on 04.10.76 at the start of the 1976/77 winter timetable with trains running between London and Bristol and South Wales. They ended their days at the end of the 2020/21 winter timetable with the final trains running between London and Leeds on the Midland Main Line. Despite the awful weather more reminiscent of winter than late spring, I went out to capture all four services with Andy joining me in the evening for the final two runs. It was all a bit emotional; very strange considering the disdain that we felt towards these now well-respected trains all those years ago. Interestingly, the first photograph in my collection of an HST was taken almost forty-four years to the day at Bath Spa of set 253015.