Autumn refresh for GWR Class 165/166 Turbos

[Siemens Staines]

5Q75 must have been 165111

Realtime Trains | 5Q75 1757 Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot | 30/05/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q75 1757 departure from Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot on 30/05/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

but does anyone know what was on 5Q25on Saturday? I am guessing one of 165106, 165116 or 165125

Realtime Trains | 5Q25 1240 Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops | 31/05/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q25 1240 departure from Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops on 31/05/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[FGW_DID]

5Q75 must have been 165111

Realtime Trains | 5Q75 1757 Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot | 30/05/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q75 1757 departure from Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot on 30/05/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

but does anyone know what was on 5Q25on Saturday? I am guessing one of 165106, 165116 or 165125

Realtime Trains | 5Q25 1240 Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops | 31/05/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q25 1240 departure from Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops on 31/05/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

It was 165116 to Doncaster.

 

[Siemens Staines]

It was 165116 to Doncaster.

Thank you for that information

 

[FGW_DID]

Had to go back a few pages to find this thread! For those who like to keep track of the moves:

165110 is on it's way back to Reading tonight.

Realtime Trains | 5Q74 1730 Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot | 12/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q74 1730 departure from Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot on 12/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

165107 is expected to be the next away to Donny tomorrow:

Realtime Trains | 5Q23 1239 Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops | 13/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q23 1239 departure from Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops on 13/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Siemens Staines]

Had to go back a few pages to find this thread! For those who like to keep track of the moves:

165110 is on it's way back to Reading tonight.

Realtime Trains | 5Q74 1730 Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot | 12/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q74 1730 departure from Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot on 12/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

165107 is expected to be the next away to Donny tomorrow:

Realtime Trains | 5Q23 1239 Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops | 13/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q23 1239 departure from Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops on 13/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Thank you, this information is much appreciated. Am I right in thinking that, after 165107, 165104,105,106 are the only other Reading 3-car 165s still to visit Doncaster?

 

[FGW_DID]

Am I right in thinking that, after 165107, 165104,105,106 are the only other Reading 3-car 165s still to visit Doncaster?

Yes, that's correct.

 

[Forty29]

Hi, haven't been following this thread until now are the units being overhauled or refurbished internally? I travelled on one last month( l didn't get the number) on the Reading to Basingstoke shuttle and was grotty inside with a good deep clean needed. Mechanically though seemed in good order.

 

[CR165022]

Hi, haven't been following this thread until now are the units being overhauled or refurbished internally? I travelled on one last month( l didn't get the number) on the Reading to Basingstoke shuttle and was grotty inside with a good deep clean needed. Mechanically though seemed in good order.

They've already finished being internally refurbished, last one was finished during last year I believe.

 

[Forty29]

Oh ok that's surprising considering it's condition. May have been the first to be refurbished but won't know without a number.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

What's with the GWR Turbos going to Doncaster, sorry?

 

[michael74]

What's with the GWR Turbos going to Doncaster, sorry?

To adapt/ sort the AC/forced air handling units so the pax don't bake in the summer.

 

[Mikey C]

To adapt/ sort the AC/forced air handling units so the pax don't bake in the summer.

Is that just the 166s, which have the ineffective original aircon, rather than the later air cooling(?) system retrofitted on the 165s?

 

[Siemens Staines]

To adapt/ sort the AC/forced air handling units so the pax don't bake in the summer.

I believe that work is being done at Wolverton rather than Doncaster with 165131 being the current turbo in Wolverton works. As I understand it, Doncaster is doing underframe C4 overhauls.

 

[Class455]

165107 is now on its way back from Doncaster, just seen it waiting to leave the works.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Perhaps this is a consequence of the change with more allocations becoming visible on RTT, but todays works transfer from Doncaster to Reading TCD actually comes up allocated 165107 on RTT

Realtime Trains | 5Q74 1738 Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot | 26/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q74 1738 departure from Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot on 26/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I was a little surprised by this, because this is a FOC operated service. I thought it was operated by ROG and wouldn't show up, but maybe it is GBRF?

 

[FGW_DID]

Perhaps this is a consequence of the change with more allocations becoming visible on RTT, but todays works transfer from Doncaster to Reading TCD actually comes up allocated 165107 on RTT

Realtime Trains | 5Q74 1738 Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot | 26/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q74 1738 departure from Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to Reading Traincare Depot on 26/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I was a little surprised by this, because this is a FOC operated service. I thought it was operated by ROG and wouldn't show up, but maybe it is GBRF?

It was a Rail Ops Group move.

Realtime Trains | 5Q24 1309 Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops | 27/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q24 1309 departure from Reading Traincare Depot to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops on 27/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Saturday's move to Doncaster which should be 165104.

 

[JN114]

So they’re ROG moves

But the allocations are put into the system by GWR still; so I suspect that is why the unit numbers show

Basically it isn’t worth the hassle of transferring the unit to ROG internally in railway systems to allow them to allocate themselves

 

[Siemens Staines]

unit

Thank you, that's interesting. I was just a bit curious because these works transfers to/from Reading have not shown the unit allocation before. Likewise, todays move from Wolverton to St Philips Marsh does not show an allocation either, although I assume it is 165131

Realtime Trains | 5Q05 0950 Wolverton Centre Sidings to St Philips Mrsh H S T D | 27/09/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q05 0950 departure from Wolverton Centre Sidings to St Philips Mrsh H S T D on 27/09/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[tfw756rider]

Hi, haven't been following this thread until now are the units being overhauled or refurbished internally? I travelled on one last month( l didn't get the number) on the Reading to Basingstoke shuttle and was grotty inside with a good deep clean needed. Mechanically though seemed in good order.

They've already finished being internally refurbished, last one was finished during last year I believe.

I rode on a 165 and two 166s recently (I don't usually) and they seemed in good condition inside to me, and looked to have had their refurbishment (or "Autumn refresh" - whatever that means - as this thread's title calls it, and will continue to do so, for whatever reason).

 

[cactustwirly]

I rode on a 165 and two 166s recently (I don't usually) and they seemed in good condition inside to me, and looked to have had their refurbishment (or "Autumn refresh" - whatever that means - as this thread's title calls it, and will continue to do so, for whatever reason).

They are Bristol based by the sounds of it, the ones the OP was talking about are Reading based which may be a factor

 

[tfw756rider]

They are Bristol based by the sounds of it, the ones the OP was talking about are Reading based which may be a factor

Yes they were. I forgot about the different bases, thanks.

 

[Siemens Staines]

It looks like 165104 has returned to St Philips Marsh instead of Reading, and 165108 is taking its place in Doncaster

Realtime Trains | 5Q81 1738 Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to St Philips Mrsh H S T D | 10/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q81 1738 departure from Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to St Philips Mrsh H S T D on 10/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Q24 1408 St Philips Mrsh H S T D to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops | 11/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q24 1408 departure from St Philips Mrsh H S T D to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops on 11/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[FGW_DID]

It looks like 165104 has returned to St Philips Marsh instead of Reading, and 165108 is taking its place in Doncaster

Realtime Trains | 5Q81 1738 Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to St Philips Mrsh H S T D | 10/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q81 1738 departure from Doncaster Works Wagn Shops to St Philips Mrsh H S T D on 10/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5Q24 1408 St Philips Mrsh H S T D to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops | 11/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Q24 1408 departure from St Philips Mrsh H S T D to Doncaster Works Wagn Shops on 11/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Plan is for 108 to come to Reading after its work is completed.

 

[Siemens Staines]

Plan is for 108 to come to Reading after its work is completed.

That would be numerically neater although I appreciate that there are far more important considerations to these decisions than numerical neatness!

 

[FGW_DID]

That would be numerically neater although I appreciate that there are far more important considerations to these decisions than numerical neatness!

That was my first thought as well. It may well be, as 165104 has the LIDAR fitment, that NR wish to utilise it on some of the routes in the West.

 

[Siemens Staines]

That was my first thought as well. It may well be, as 165104 has the LIDAR fitment, that NR wish to utilise it on some of the routes in the West.

That did always surprise me that the two units were both based at Reading, whereas one at each location would enable the entire GWR turbo network to be covered. Reading has some 2-car only 165 routes, which as far as I am aware Bristol doesn't (their 2-car only routes aren't cleared for 165s), so 165124 would have to remain at Reading and therefore 165104 at Bristol. I have no idea how the data gets downloaded and processed, but perhaps that required specialist NR equipment / personnel that hitherto was easier to do at Reading?

 

[Pep and co]

Wonder if 165130 will get it's refresh or remain at PM as a parts donor?

 

[The exile]

Reading has some 2-car only 165 routes, which as far as I am aware Bristol doesn't (their 2-car only routes aren't cleared for 165s),

Just out of interest, what “2-car only routes” does Bristol gave? Or are you lumping Exeter in with Bristol (at which point the answer is clear)?

 

[Siemens Staines]

Just out of interest, what “2-car only routes” does Bristol gave? Or are you lumping Exeter in with Bristol (at which point the answer is clear)?

Yes, I should really have said LTV and West instead of Reading and Bristol

 

[tfw756rider]

Yes, I should really have said LTV and West instead of Reading and Bristol

What's LTV?