Class 168 Refurbishment Discussion and Updates

[MerlinRail 804]

Over on this thread about Chiltern and their use of 165s to Birmingham, some discussion came up about the refurbishment of the class 168s which is now underway, so I did some digging on here, and decided to start a new thread for discussion and updates around it. AFAIK it’s 001 and 003 currently at Crewe, correct me if I’m wrong. Also what changes are being made to the trains with refurbishment?

EDIT: Below is a list of the 168s and their refurbishment statuses, correct as of Tuesday 14/07/2026, thanks to @CR165022

168001 - Refurbished - In Service
168002 - Under Refurbishment - At Crewe
168003 - Refurbished - In Service
168004 - Refurbished - In Service
168005 - Refurbished - Out of Service at Banbury

168106 - Refurbished - In Service
168107 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168108 - Refurbished - In Service
168109 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168110 - Under Refurbishment - At Crewe
168111 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168112 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168113 - Unrefurbished - In Service

168214 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168215 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168216 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168217 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168218 - Refurbished - In Service
168219 - Refurbished - In Service

168321 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168322 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168323 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168324 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168325 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168326 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168327 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168328 - Unrefurbished - In Service
168329 - Unrefurbished (Vinyl Livery) - On Training Runs out of Banbury Depot

Named Units:
168001 - "Adrian Shooter CBE"
168215 - "Marylebone Station 125 Years"


Other non 168 fleet updates:

165002 & 165034 - At Doncaster Works
165003 - Out of Service at Aylesbury since April 2024

 

[CR165022]

168003 was due back yesterday however never ran, 2nd time it's failed to come back, but hopefully it will soon.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

168003 was due back yesterday however never ran, 2nd time it's failed to come back, but hopefully it will soon.

Wow this isn’t off to a good start

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2024 ==

168003 was due back yesterday however never ran, 2nd time it's failed to come back, but hopefully it will soon.

Is it being hauled or under its own steam?

 

[CR165022]

Is it being hauled or under its own steam?

Should go by itself. Was meant to go with 168321 back the first time because 321 was there anyway, but obviously didn't.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Should go by itself. Was meant to go with 168321 back the first time because 321 was there anyway, but obviously didn't.

What time does it leave?

 

[CR165022]

What time does it leave?

Won't know until a new path is put in

 

[ScottGallagher]

How many times have the 168s been refreshed or refurbished since introduction, got to be at least twice?

 

[Russel]

How many times have the 168s been refreshed or refurbished since introduction, got to be at least twice?

I think twice.

I used one to get back to Birmingham just before Christmas when the WCML fell apart (unusual, I know!) and although not in a terrible state, the 168 I got was certainly looking a little rough.

 

[Noseygit]

Wow this isn’t off to a good start

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2024 ==


Is it being hauled or under its own steam?

More likely to be under diesel more than steam

 

[CR165022]

How many times have the 168s been refreshed or refurbished since introduction, got to be at least twice?

The /0s will be going onto their 3rd. The /1s & /2s will be on their second, and the /3s will be on their 4th (?). Not sure how many times they were refurbished as 170s but it will be the second time as 168s.

 

[Russel]

What are we expecting with this refurb, is it a simple tidy up, new carpets and such?

 

[MerlinRail 804]

What are we expecting with this refurb, is it a simple tidy up, new carpets and such?

I think so, though I haven’t found much info about it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Aug 2024 ==

Should go by itself. Was meant to go with 168321 back the first time because 321 was there anyway, but obviously didn't.

321 seems to be back now according to RTT:

Realtime Trains | 1Y25 0904 Oxford to London Marylebone | 16/08/2024

Real-time train running information for 1Y25 0904 departure from Oxford to London Marylebone on 16/08/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Vanmanyo]

Should go by itself. Was meant to go with 168321 back the first time because 321 was there anyway, but obviously didn't.

I went all the way to Crewe for that move! Was disappointed! Apparently 8003 picked up a minor fault that they've been working on

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2024 ==

What are we expecting with this refurb, is it a simple tidy up, new carpets and such?

I've spoken to quite a few chiltern staff members about this and, sadly, this is not a refurbishment as such. It is more of a refresh - a deep clean, new seat cloths and carpets. Probably most interesting is the new livery! I believe it is similar to the original blue that they first wore.

 

[sd0733]

Probably most interesting is the new livery! I believe it is similar to the original blue that they first wore.

Having seen it, it's nothing like any of the original liveries. It's majority dark, almost navy blue with a light blue stripe at the top and a silver 'border' at the front, top and bottom.

 

[Vanmanyo]

Having seen it, it's nothing like any of the original liveries. It's majority dark, almost navy blue with a light blue stripe at the top and a silver 'border' at the front, top and bottom.

I've seen it too and I thought it was quite light blue but the white on the original livery is now grey

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2024 ==

I've seen it too and I thought it was quite light blue but the white on the original livery is now grey

Ah no nevermind I've just looked at the images again and it is dark blue with the light blue line on top

 

[Doomotron]

I've seen it too and I thought it was quite light blue but the white on the original livery is now grey

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2024 ==


Ah no nevermind I've just looked at the images again and it is dark blue with the light blue line on top

I haven't found any images, are they on any Facebook groups?

 

[12LDA28C]

168003 was due back yesterday however never ran, 2nd time it's failed to come back, but hopefully it will soon.

That move was cancelled before yesterday , there's still some outstanding work to be completed.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2024 ==

I've spoken to quite a few chiltern staff members about this and, sadly, this is not a refurbishment as such. It is more of a refresh - a deep clean, new seat cloths and carpets. Probably most interesting is the new livery! I believe it is similar to the original blue that they first wore.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2024 ==

What are we expecting with this refurb, is it a simple tidy up, new carpets and such?

Given that the 168/0s are 26 years old I'm sure there's a bit more to it than that. You wouldn't want to apply a new livery without carrying out bodywork repairs first, for example.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

168003 is still at Crewe depot having work done to it. It looks very smart however.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Does anyone have any pics of 003 in the new livery?

 

[CR165022]

Realtime Trains | 5Z68 0845 Aylesbury to Crewe C.S. | 09/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Z68 0845 departure from Aylesbury to Crewe C.S. on 09/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5A68 1434 Crewe C.S. to Aylesbury | 09/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 5A68 1434 departure from Crewe C.S. to Aylesbury on 09/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Attempt 3, hopefully it runs this time!

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Realtime Trains | 5Z68 0845 Aylesbury to Crewe C.S. | 09/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 5Z68 0845 departure from Aylesbury to Crewe C.S. on 09/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5A68 1434 Crewe C.S. to Aylesbury | 09/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 5A68 1434 departure from Crewe C.S. to Aylesbury on 09/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Attempt 3, hopefully it runs this time!

Finally! It should have been enough time to fix the problems. Can’t wait to see that livery!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Sep 2024 ==

I'll definitely try and get a pic of it somewhere [if!] it runs and pop it on here too.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

168003 finally left Crewe depot today after work done to it was completed. I saw it leave earlier on today whilst at work.

 

[wls1]

Realtime Trains | 5A68 1434 Crewe C.S. to Aylesbury | 09/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 5A68 1434 departure from Crewe C.S. to Aylesbury on 09/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Ran today just on approach to Princes Risborough. Outshopped in a new blue/silver/white livery, however cannot see many details.

There is a photo on Facebook however it isn't mine so cannot share

 

[MerlinRail 804]

A few shots from Risborough. Interior is quite similar just refreshed and stuff. The Aylesbury Shuttle arriving at the same time made for a creative shot which required some significant arm stretching! I think the new livery is quite good.

Can’t really see it well on the pics but it said Quainton Road on the front!

 

[12LDA28C]

Realtime Trains | 5A68 1434 Crewe C.S. to Aylesbury | 09/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 5A68 1434 departure from Crewe C.S. to Aylesbury on 09/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Ran today just on approach to Princes Risborough. Outshopped in a new blue/silver/white livery, however cannot see many details.

There is a photo on Facebook however it isn't mine so cannot share

Looks more like plain grey rather than silver.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Looks more like plain grey rather than silver.

Yeah it’s much more of a blue livery. I feel like the grey has a bit of blue

 

[Vanmanyo]

I saw it further up the line but it looks smart it must be said! Hopefully we can see some interior shots!

 

[MerlinRail 804]

I saw it further up the line but it looks smart it must be said! Hopefully we can see some interior shots!

I couldn’t find much difference with the interior apart from it looked all clean and new. Same design and stuff, just new paint and fabrics

 

[LUYMun]

Perhaps if the upper light blue strip was moved to the lower half then Chiltern could get away imitating the Regional Railways livery. Still, more tolerable than the silver liveries on most of the rolling stock.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Perhaps if the upper light blue strip was moved to the lower half then Chiltern could get away imitating the Regional Railways livery. Still, more tolerable than the silver liveries on most of the rolling stock.

Yeah never really been a fan of the mainline livery.