Great Western Railway has announced that the 12:10 arrival from London Paddington into Paignton on Saturday 28th July 2018 marked the first Intercity Express Train (IET) to come to the seaside town.
The 9 carriage train, No. 800309, is the first IET to come to the Paignton and beyond Exeter in passenger service.
Devon and Cornwall will be served from IETs when the Class 802 variations begin to be introduced later this summer.
The train operated to Devon for the first time as part of the normal rotation of the fleet.
What did the officials say?
GWR Transformation Director Richard Rowland said:
“This Intercity Express Train running to Paignton is a key milestone in the delivery of the new fleet across our network.
“From later this summer, our customers in Devon and Cornwall will see more of these new trains when we introduce our Class 802 versions, which were specifically built to deal with the steep gradients on route to Penzance.”
MP for Torbay Kevin Foster said:
“The arrival of GWR’s new Intercity Express Trains into our bay is a great moment not just for the passengers who will use them, but our region as a whole as these trains speed to the south west for the first time. These sleek new trains will replace the current fleet built in the 1970’s, improving journey times, comfort and reliability.”
“One hundred and seventy years after Brunel built the GWR his legacy lives on as these iconic trains use his iconic coastal railway.”
Dawlish councillor Rosalind Prowse said:
“This is welcome news. I am aware of the importance of railway and without it the economy of the South West would suffer. With the large amount of development in Devon and Cornwall it is necessary to have an updated service carrying us forward into the 21st century. We are here today because of I.K. Brunel and it is a pleasure to think we continue with his vision.”
Chief Executive of the South West Business Council Dr Robin Daniels said:
“This first Intercity Express, travelling from Paddington all the way to Paington, is testament to GWR’s support for the economy and the travelling public of the UK. Fast and efficient travel is key to building our economy and this important development is yet another indication that the South West is very much open for business.”
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Responses
Maybe its time to say goodbye to the Class 43 HST’s & the Mk3 carriages that were built and have dominated the Great Western Main Line and Great Western network for over 40 years. When the rest of the Class 802’s have been delivered and in service right across the network.