D7052 1972 Paddington
Robert Waterman says "Apart from the woeful state of the paintwork on the Hymek - this is the worst I've ever seen on a Hymek - Warships and Westerns yes but not a Hymek - the 5th coach still in chocolate & cream livery!
By this date maroon was becoming rare but I never saw one still in chocolate & cream, despite the thousands of miles I travelled behind the diesel hydraulics during this period.
The 7 coach formation as depicted here was typical of the Worcester/Hereford services at this time, the last 3 carriages coming from Hereford and the front 4 carriages including a buffet car added to the front at Worcester.
The Hymeks could put up some very lively running with these trains and loads - I remember on one occasion achieving some 28.5 minutes start to stop Reading to Paddington (76.8mph average) just before their replacement by Class 31s from the Eastern. The 31s were very sluggish and pedestrian in comparison"
