180104 Shrivenham (Ashbury Crossing) 28 December 2001

180104 heads back to Reading after working what was supposedly the first revenue earning train for the much delayed class. I missed the outward run of the additional 11:15 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads service on 28 December 2001, but make no apology for including this going away picture of the return working, in view of its historic significance. The Class 180s, or Adelantes as they were then branded, were initially plagued with problems, and their introduction into traffic with First Great Western was delayed by over a year.