43304 Up Hatherley 16 March 2009

43304 accelerates away from its booked stop at Cheltenham and passes Up Hatherley on 16 March 2009 whilst working the 1V31 06:08 Edinburgh to Plymouth Cross Country service. The recent introduction of HSTs onto some long distance cross country services must seem like a quantum leap in quality for passengers that had previously had to put up with Voyagers. It also must be very embarrassing for the operator when thirty year old trains are preferred to more modern units. Obviously Arriva are more forward looking (by looking back!) than Virgin Trains were!