Class 175s to GWR

[Jacob Porrett]

I think there are 10 3car units, no 2car units

175 101, 102, 106, 107, 108, 111, 112, 113, 115, 116

however some have been there months so might have missed something

Thank you.

 

[XFeed]

In the January Modern Railways there's an article re the 175's and in that GWR are quoted saying there's 140+ activities done at Wolverton for Angel Trains, it's not clear if that's per vehicle or unit however it states that further activities have also been identified. From the article it's clear the work required to return the units to passenger service is greater than expected and hence is delaying the roll out on GWR.

140+ activities per unit would sound excessive let alone for one vehicle but if they are carrying out a "Baselining" programme on each unit prior to releasing them to GWR then it is quite conceivable that 140+ activities per unit could be possible, plus during this exercise further unknown issues are often identified which is one of the purposes of the baselining.

A number of years ago the fleet was subject to a baselining programme to increase reliability further and it was a pretty intensive list of checks and tests.

 

[D365]

140+ activities per unit would sound excessive let alone for one vehicle but if they are carrying out a "Baselining" programme on each unit prior to releasing them to GWR then it is quite conceivable that 140+ activities per unit could be possible, plus during this exercise further unknown issues are often identified which is one of the purposes of the baselining.

It could also include all of the Engineering Change activities to be undertaken on each vehicle.

 

[REVUpminster]

A train or trains have left Wolverton 11 early

Realtime Trains | 5V84 1145 Wolverton Centre Sidings to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. | 23/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5V84 1145 departure from Wolverton Centre Sidings to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. on 23/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[XFeed]

It could also include all of the Engineering Change activities to be undertaken on each vehicle.

Agreed and during the time that they have been out of service would have been, in my opinion, an excellent opportunity to catch up with the remainder of the FMI`s - Fleet Modification Instruction - which were on the system at the time of withdrawal from Chester including those which weren`t fully completed across the fleet at the the time that they left.

 

[Snow1964]

175 delivery to Laira is now running 41 mins early passing Theale

Depending on how long it waits at Taunton, hopefully will get past Dawlish before the storm problems.

Realtime Trains | 5V84 1145 Wolverton Centre Sidings to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. | 23/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5V84 1145 departure from Wolverton Centre Sidings to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. on 23/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Apedlar12]

Railcam currently quoting 175101 as being the unit on the move...

 

[REVUpminster]

175 delivery to Laira is now running 41 mins early passing Theale

Depending on how long it waits at Taunton, hopefully will get past Dawlish before the storm problems.

Realtime Trains | 5V84 1145 Wolverton Centre Sidings to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. | 23/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 5V84 1145 departure from Wolverton Centre Sidings to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. on 23/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I don't think the driver is going to stop for anything; nearly an hour early. If he does not stop at Taunton the train will be 100 minutes early.

 

[50039]

Railcam currently quoting 175101 as being the unit on the move...

Confirmed - saw it through Tring earlier

 

[Snow1964]

I don't think the driver is going to stop for anything; nearly an hour early. If he does not stop at Taunton the train will be 100 minutes early.

Yes looks like he/she wants to get it delivered and return via Dawlish before any closure, as now running 109 minutes early

 

[REVUpminster]

This train timings illustrates how good the 175 is. Let's get some passengers on them.

 

[simonmpoulton]

This train timings illustrates how good the 175 is. Let's get some passengers on them.

The 3-car ones are quick!

 

[BillStampy]

The 3-car ones are quick!

Blink and you'll miss it!

 

[REVUpminster]

Blink and you'll miss it!

I blinked and missed it. Newton Abbot yesterday. and now West Drayton where you can clearly see it's number as it disappears into the distance.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jan 2026 ==

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jan 2026 ==


Monday 26 January
175002 un-refurbished being used on a training run then to make up passenger 1340 to Penzance. 175001 refurbished also out training.

 

[fgwrich]

Possibly another service debutant today, 175002 is out and about on the slightly delayed 1340.

Realtime Trains | 2C26 1340 Plymouth to Penzance | 26/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 2C26 1340 departure from Plymouth to Penzance on 26/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[northernbelle]

Monday 26 January
175002 un-refurbished being used on a training run then to make up passenger 1340 to Penzance. 175001 refurbished also out training.

I keep seeing reference to 'unrefurbished' and 'refurbished' - to be clear, no units currently with GWR have received an interior refurbishment or indeed an external rebranding.

 

[BillStampy]

I keep seeing reference to 'unrefurbished' and 'refurbished' - to be clear, no units currently with GWR have received an interior refurbishment or indeed an external rebranding.

The actual term is whether or not they've been through Wolverton; which 175002 has not. Any "unrefurbished" units haven't received whatever modifications were carried out there and have come straight from Ely (although I would stop to consider whether Laira has been doing some of the modifications themselves with help from Alstom).

 

[tfw756rider]

Possibly another service debutant today, 175002 is out and about on the slightly delayed 1340.

Realtime Trains | 2C26 1340 Plymouth to Penzance | 26/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 2C26 1340 departure from Plymouth to Penzance on 26/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

As mentioned in this morning's update to the post above yours, but thanks for additionally providing the Realtime Trains schedule link

 

[REVUpminster]

The actual term is whether or not they've been through Wolverton; which 175002 has not. Any "unrefurbished" units haven't received whatever modifications were carried out there and have come straight from Ely (although I would stop to consider whether Laira has been doing some of the modifications themselves with help from Alstom).

An Ely unit, 175010, did get dragged to Long Rock so maybe the work is being done there?

 

[XFeed]

Possibly another service debutant today, 175002 is out and about on the slightly delayed 1340.

Realtime Trains | 2C26 1340 Plymouth to Penzance | 26/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 2C26 1340 departure from Plymouth to Penzance on 26/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Are there any known reasons why the service run 20 odd minutes late throughout ?

 

[Jrocks]

Are there any known reasons why the service run 20 odd minutes late throughout ?

Door interlock issues I believe

 

[XFeed]

Door interlock issues I believe

Thanks for the information.

There seems to be an awful lot of varying door issues being encountered by the train crews in service and I don`t really understand why yet ?

 

[RPI]

Thanks for the information.

There seems to be an awful lot of varying door issues being encountered by the train crews in service and I don`t really understand why yet ?

Probably a combination of the stock having being stored for so long and new traction for the crew who are still not that familiar with them.

 

[XFeed]

Probably a combination of the stock having being stored for so long and new traction for the crew who are still not that familiar with them.

Yes and a good argument for the reasons that you mention especially unfamiliarity of the units.

I still standby what I have said previously that it would be prudent of GWR to have a member of the maintenance staff riding the units in service to combat any issues that arise especially as they are new units to GWR, this has a number of benefits including preventing in service failures/caped units along with providing the train crew with valuable support and knowledge which in turn gives them confidence. Something which I have witnessed plus any issues encountered can be investigated in service and corrective actions then passed back to the depot for rectification at the end of the day.

 

[simonmpoulton]

I still standby what I have said previously that it would be prudent of GWR to have a member of the maintenance staff riding the units in service to combat any issues that arise especially as they are new units to GWR, this has a number of benefits including preventing in service failures/caped units along with providing the train crew with valuable support and knowledge which in turn gives them confidence.

That would certainly seem sensible but this is the railway so who knows!

 

[Snow1964]

Probably a combination of the stock having being stored for so long and new traction for the crew who are still not that familiar with them.

Mark Hopwood in yesterdays Green Signals interview (available on You tube) alluded to being stored outside, doing their sensitive electronics no good.

Although he did not directly say condensation, frost, damp, mildew etc had damaged them, he used an analogy of if you were going away for a year you wouldn't store your laptop with its electronics on your garden shed roof, then expect it work.

Reading between the lines, was clearly saying if Leasing Co wants to store trains, got to do lot better to protect them against weather, and electronics need protecting with those moisture absorbers (desiccant or silica gel pouches) so everything stays dry. 25 year old electronics do not work reliably after getting damp. I got the impression now regretting having to reactivate trains (175s) that had been stored long time unprotected as just a heap of trouble, and meanwhile leisure traffic has grown and they are struggling with capacity.

 

[Envoy]

Surely, there must be recently retired people who operated/ maintained these trains when with TFW who could be brought in to give helpful advice?

Goodness knows why they were even put into storage and not sent straight down to Exeter once TFW was finished with them.

 

[REVUpminster]

Surely, there must be recently retired people who operated/ maintained these trains when with TFW who could be brought in to give helpful advice?

Goodness knows why they were even put into storage and not sent straight down to Exeter once TFW was finished with them.

Money. GWR spent a lot of money on HST Castle Class, wasted a lot on 769s which was to be the answer. Spent a lot of money on Exeter depot to be the centre of the universe in the southwest and has never been used to it's full potential; has the lifting road ever been used?

 

[Anonymous10]

Surely, there must be recently retired people who operated/ maintained these trains when with TFW who could be brought in to give helpful advice?

Goodness knows why they were even put into storage and not sent straight down to Exeter once TFW was finished with them.

The key word there is retired, they may not wish to rejoin the workforce, and if they do rejoin it would be for a price.

Then you also have the distance, leading to them possibly having to move if still around the cheshire area.

These issues will be ironed out i am sure, but it will likely neither be quick, easy or cheap.

 

[Dan G]

Mark Hopwood in yesterdays Green Signals interview (available on You tube) alluded to being stored outside, doing their sensitive electronics no good.

Although he did not directly say condensation, frost, damp, mildew etc had damaged them, he used an analogy of if you were going away for a year you wouldn't store your laptop with its electronics on your garden shed roof, then expect it work.

Reading between the lines, was clearly saying if Leasing Co wants to store trains, got to do lot better to protect them against weather, and electronics need protecting with those moisture absorbers (desiccant or silica gel pouches) so everything stays dry. 25 year old electronics do not work reliably after getting damp. I got the impression now regretting having to reactivate trains (175s) that had been stored long time unprotected as just a heap of trouble, and meanwhile leisure traffic has grown and they are struggling with capacity.

Cars don't mind being stored outside. They might get mouldy if they have a leak but that's not inherent. Their electronics are potted, connectors are designed to be waterproof etc. Why would a train fare worse?