The new Class 800 IET trains were launched on GWR's mainline on 16th October 2017. The first service was one that departed Bristol heading for London, the second was at 7am - leaving Paddington to go to Bristol and back, and that's the one that Geoff caught at Reading on its way back to London.

Thanks to the lovely onboard staff who kindly let me sit in First Class for a portion of the journey.

Quite by change we bumped into our friend Roger who also decided that he'd take a ride on the new train on the day it was launched ..

.. and then, by quite even bigger chance the day ended at Paddington with a steam train, the launch of 'Paddington 2', and some rather famous people who showed up as part of a charity event.

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