Pines Express - Cross Country HST Farewell Tour - 26/09/2023

As they say game over!
Tuesday 26th September 2023 saw Cross Country run one of their HST sets for the final time, this being on a farewell tour from Leeds to Swanage, appropriately named the "Pines Express". This was ran in conjunction with the Branchline society and the Swanage Railway.
As well as the main tour a secondary tour ran alongside, using the same set, from Swanage to Bournemouth and return. Again appropriately named as the "Bournemouth Belle".
And so after 47 years 'full set' HST's (in revenue service) have come to a close.

[@yumenekotrain]

A wonderful place surrounded by nature.
I have subscribed to your channel. 😸👍

[@BethsRailVids]

Thank you ^-^

[@cedarcam]

A sad day indeed. I had my own farewell trip to Bristol a few weeks ago and was hoping to see the last public and this charter train but both were timed far too late to see them so I missed seeing the retro livery power cars in real.

[@BethsRailVids]

Yes, definitely a sad day.
Awww that's a shame, but a few are already preserved so hopefully you'll see some retro liveries one day! ^-^

[@cedarcam]

@@BethsRailVids Well it is not that I have not seen any in retro livery I did get video of 43 184 which unexpectedly arrived in Leeds soon after the Deltic had departed 24/09/2022 and sure to see other preserved ones in future

[@BethsRailVids]

@@cedarcam Ah fair enough ^-^
Yeah, at least some are preserved, who knows what the future holds for these two! Or even 184!

[@cedarcam]

@@BethsRailVids Preservation hopefully likewise for the LNER set that has never been seen again, the last I heard on that it was dumped outside but there is drone video of the yard and no sign of it on that.