CrossCountry XC Class 170 refurbishment

[tfw756rider]

Realtime Trains | 5Z70 0935 Crewe C.S. (L&Nwr Site) to Tyseley L.M.D. | 30/11/2025

Real-time train running information for 5Z70 0935 departure from Crewe C.S. (L&Nwr Site) to Tyseley L.M.D. on 30/11/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

170114 out of Crewe depot.

Realtime Trains | 5K71 1521 Tyseley L.M.D. to Crewe C.S. (L&Nwr Site) | 30/11/2025

Real-time train running information for 5K71 1521 departure from Tyseley L.M.D. to Crewe C.S. (L&Nwr Site) on 30/11/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Another 170 in.

Thanks for letting us know

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Nov 2025 ==

Well it will have a nice gentle return to service given XCs efforts today!

What efforts are these?

 

[GoneSouth]

Thanks for letting us know

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Nov 2025 ==


What efforts are these?

Virtually none again on the Cardiff to Nottingham today, over half the services cancelled.

 

[tfw756rider]

Virtually none again on the Cardiff to Nottingham today, over half the services cancelled.

Well that's not good. Have they just given up, or...?

 

[GoneSouth]

Well that's not good. Have they just given up, or...?

They gave up a long time ago.

They’re halving the frequency on Sundays in the new timetable but from what I’ve seen it’s doubtful they’ll even manage to run those which means 4 hour gaps at least. Those nicely refurbished 170s will most definitely be observing the day of rest

 

[tfw756rider]

They gave up a long time ago.

They’re halving the frequency on Sundays in the new timetable but from what I’ve seen it’s doubtful they’ll even manage to run those which means 4 hour gaps at least. Those nicely refurbished 170s will most definitely be observing the day of rest

Well, hopefully things will at least improve when CrossCountry is no longer operated by Arriva...

 

[1D54]

Well, hopefully things will at least improve when CrossCountry is no longer operated by Arriva...

Potentially that will be October 2031 unless they are stripped of the franchise.

 

[duffield]

Potentially that will be October 2031 unless they are stripped of the franchise.

It's my understanding that from October 2027 the government can terminate the franchise without cause by giving 3 months' notice. I would expect them to do this.

Edit:
Quote from linked document p15

2.2 Expiry on or after the Core Term Expiry Date (a) If the Secretary of State gives at least three (3) Reporting Periods' notice to the Operator pursuant to this clause 2.2 (an “Expiry Notice”), this Contract shall expire on such date as the Secretary of State may stipulate in the Expiry Notice, provided that such date shall be: (i) no earlier than the Core Term Expiry Date; (ii) no later than the date set out in limb (a)(i) of the definition of “Expiry Date”; and (iii) 01:59 on the first day of a Reporting Period.

Quote from linked document p424

“Core Term Expiry Date” means the later of: (a) 01:59 on 17 October 2027; or (b) any such later date that is specified by the Secretary of State pursuant to clause 2.3 (Amendment of Start Date/Expiry Date/Core Term Expiry Date);

Link to XC trains limited 2023 rail contract PDF:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/660d257267958c0011365abd/xc-trains-limited-2023-rail-contract.pdf

 

[1D54]

It's my understanding that from October 2027 the government can terminate the franchise without cause by giving 3 months' notice. I would expect them to do this.

Thanks for that and I'm very happy to hear it.

 

[GoneSouth]

Thanks for that and I'm very happy to hear it.

Me too give them notice immediately !

 

[duffield]

Thanks for that and I'm very happy to hear it.

I've amended my post to add an official citation.

 

[tfw756rider]

Thanks all.

 

[Russel]

Well, hopefully things will at least improve when CrossCountry is no longer operated by Arriva...

The management at the top of XC are rotten to the core, that being one of the reasons we have the situation we have, so unless they go with Arriva, I doubt we'll see any real changes.

 

[E B]

Anyone know which 170 will go to Crewe?

 

[Johnhayworth21]

Anyone know which 170 will go to Crewe?

170115

 

[Wyrleybart]

Thanks for that and I'm very happy to hear it.

Careful what you wish for !!!
Is Northern Trains performing so much better now that it is "nationalised ?
Just askin

 

[The_Train]

170115

Is this now at Crewe?

 

[Johnhayworth21]

Is this now at Crewe?

Yes, made the move yesterday.

 

[The_Train]

Yes, made the move yesterday.

Thank you

 

[E B]

170115

Thank you

 

[DR18037]

170115 is back in traffic this week. RailRecord has no allox on the recent Crewe delivery, does anyone have the Unit?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jan 2026 ==

170116 has been out of traffic since 24th Jan. Rest of the 170s have been run today or yesterday. So process of elimination.

 

[horsewalrus]

Got to experience the refurb for the first time on 170102 today. Initial impressions: the power sockets are a long-overdue addition, the interior is decent, seats are alright, but the vibrations are genuinely excessive. It might have just been my unit (I was sat in the front coach), but typing on my laptop on a table was a tad difficult at times because it was vibrating so much!

 

[Russel]

Got to experience the refurb for the first time on 170102 today. Initial impressions: the power sockets are a long-overdue addition, the interior is decent, seats are alright, but the vibrations are genuinely excessive. It might have just been my unit (I was sat in the front coach), but typing on my laptop on a table was a tad difficult at times because it was vibrating so much!

I've always found 170s to be bad for vibration and rattles, haven't notice much of a difference between refurb and non refurb.

 

[GoneSouth]

I've always found 170s to be bad for vibration and rattles, haven't notice much of a difference between refurb and non refurb.

Oddly I was only thinking yesterday how smooth the 170 ride was. I had just transferred from a northern 195 at Nottingham though so that might have swayed my thinking.

 

[GooseGuy]

Oddly I was only thinking yesterday how smooth the 170 ride was. I had just transferred from a northern 195 at Nottingham though so that might have swayed my thinking.

Usually it depends where you sit, I find that you get less vibrations if you don't sit around the centre of the carriage. Usually near the vestibules or cab it is better.

 

[fgwrich]

I've always found 170s to be bad for vibration and rattles, haven't notice much of a difference between refurb and non refurb.

The last time I travelled on one of Southern’s 171 fleet, I noticed how inventive some of the well to do commuters of Surrey and Sussex were with bits of the Telegraph, Times and folded used tickets wedged into some of the worst vibration points (luggage racks and glass dividers)

 

[AndrewJM70]

How many of the 170s have been refurbed so far?

 

[E B]

101, 102, 103, 112, 113, 114, 115

 

[DannyMich2018]

101, 102, 103, 112, 113, 114, 115

I had 114 last Tuesday on the 16.12 from Birmingham between Hinckley and Leicester. It was like a rocket in performance. Wonder if anyone else noticed this with refurbed ones or is 114 just a sprightly unit?!

 

[Russel]

I had 114 last Tuesday on the 16.12 from Birmingham between Hinckley and Leicester. It was like a rocket in performance. Wonder if anyone else noticed this with refurbed ones or is 114 just a sprightly unit?!

Can't say I've noticed to be honest.

I assumed all 170s accelerated at a snails pace.

 

[dk1]

101, 102, 103, 112, 113, 114, 115

Typical. I’ve just looked and have 106 today