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The Looe branch has been shut since December (?) because of flood damage to bridge structures. The line is expected to remain shut until at least Friday 6 March.
New longer video from Rail and Bus Journeys Around the UK of a ride on 175002 between Plymouth and St Germans on the 2/2/26, on 2C26 1340 Plymouth to Penzance Liskeard (yep, early-terminated due to a problem with the train).
Has the storage of the 175s meant that some parts have failed and therefore needed to be replaced (with different ones that do the same job, in some cases?) At 12:48, the internal "door released" beep is longer than normal and stays the same pitch (the original is shorter and decreases in pitch).
The latter part of that video gives an indication as to what later happened at Liskeard. It seems it’s obviously picked up a door interlock issue, the driver can be heard mentioning to the guard that the TMS was showing the cab door as open, and both guards seem to have an issue with the inner passenger door on Coach A (50702) A2 before eventually leaving with the BIL light on. So potentially an interlock issue, faulty relay or the TMS is having a supreme hissy fit?
What technical support, if any, are Alstom providing to solve this issue and get it back to the depot.
It seems very little as its taking far too long to come up with a solution.
The latter part of that video gives an indication as to what later happened at Liskeard. It seems it’s obviously picked up a door interlock issue, the driver can be heard mentioning to the guard that the TMS was showing the cab door as open, and both guards seem to have an issue with the inner passenger door on Coach A (50702) A2 before eventually leaving with the BIL light on. So potentially an interlock issue, faulty relay or the TMS is having a supreme hissy fit?
Having just watched the video there are a couple of issues with the unit at Plymouth prior to departure, 79 car leading with the Youtuber traveling in this car. Firstly No1 end vestibule door is stuck open or it has been isolated into the open position, secondly the cars internal ceiling lights are only half lit suggesting that one of the cars has a 110v charger fault, the driver would be aware of which car via the TMS, alternatively it could be a 3 phase fault in this car.
TFW Rider suggests @12.48 minutes that there maybe issues with the door arming audible sounds but I couldn`t hear anything abnormal but it is difficult to hear with the background noise.
The issues at St Germans are more complicated and its a pity that the Youtuber, when they realised that the unit had an issue, didn`t walk down the platform to record what the train crew were doing with the doors on the 50 car as this would have shed some light on the potential problem.
Due to the 79 car bodyside hazard light extinguishing when guards attempted to close the doors there is no issue with that car and it looks like the crew are trying to manually push 50 car A2 door closed as that`s where they think the problem lies. The problem that the driver mentions with the 50 car cab door not closed could be a traincrew issue as you can see one of them apparently using the T key at that door to electrically open and close it. Cab doors along with A2 and B1 doors can cause issues when an external green access handle has been used and not then reset but this does not happen in service as they would not need to use them.
I wish that we could have seen the operation of the A2 when closing and if I had to make a wild stab in the dark I would suggest an A2 door fourth locking point switch problem or its operating "shoot bolt".
Once the A2 door was fully closed, if that door was the problem, traincrew could then have locked that door out of use to gain door interlock, with that particular door isolated the unit can remain in service. With the unit then leaving with the 50 car bodyside hazard light lit they have either isolated a door or isolated a safety system but its unclear as to which as I could not see if the safety system isolated warning light was lit or not in the 50 car cab windscreen ?
TFW Rider suggests @12.48 minutes that there maybe issues with the door arming audible sounds but I couldn`t hear anything abnormal but it is difficult to hear with the background noise.
I just meant that the internal "door released" beep was different, like the part had been replaced with one that "mimicks" the original sound but isn't quite the same.
I wasn't talking about the actual problems with the unit (even though there were those actual problems to talk about), apologies for any confusion. As always though, your contributions are very much appreciated
I could tell the difference even with the background noise, but I suppose I just have a very good ear for it.
Attached are simulated comparisons I've made of the 'normal' and 'different' internal "door released" beeps, both without the external ones sounding simultaneously (for a better isolated comparison) and with the external ones sounding simultaneously (as they actually do of course):
Attachments
1 - 175 normal internal door released beep.mp3
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2 - 175 different internal door released beep.mp3
236.7 KB
3 - 175 normal internal door released beep + external one.mp3
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4 - 175 different internal door released beep + external one.mp3
They’re not in the sidings, both sets are coupled together on the chord between Liskeard Platform 2 and the ground frame. I don’t believe the sidings are long enough to accommodate a four car formation.
At present there are no trains running on the branch, as sections are flooded and other parts have sustained damage requiring repair. With engineering work scheduled for later this month, the units will need to be moved to allow engineering trains access to the branch.
1 - didn’t GWR own a large portion of the HST stock outright - so no leasing costs.
2 - who on earth draws up leasing terms that involve paying for trains before they are in a fit state to be used?
Is it possible to manually uncouple the two demics, withdraw the electrical boxes and mechanically recouple them. Then bring a 3rd set down, retract the electrical boxes couple up mechanically and bring the duff one home in the middle as a swinger with drivers on the two good sets?
That isn’t the issue. The HST lease was expiring. Even if they were willing to consider a shorter extension, although I suspect the ROSCOs would be eating to push for a long one, if the introduction went well, or even if it didn’t with a longer lease, you end up paying for two fleets just for one to sit idle.
The nature of leasing is that especially at the end of the trains lives you have to make a decision about when to lease a long time in advance. If there is an issue with the introduction, especially on a smaller fleet such as this, the ROSCO can effectively hold you to ransom knowing you’re desperate, or the next owner might’ve already been decided.
There doesn't seem to be much urgency about moving these units - it is a week and counting. I despair of the modern railway - what possible excuse is there now? The weather has calmed down - the sun is actually shining where I am right now in Devon!
There doesn't seem to be much urgency about moving these units - it is a week and counting. I despair of the modern railway - what possible excuse is there now? The weather has calmed down - the sun is actually shining where I am right now in Devon!
Not much urgency to get staff trained and a decent number in service by end of March, which is when the school holidays start, and SW starts to get much busier for the season.
OK, things are progressing (slowly), but at recent rate of introduction, they will be lucky to have the whole fleet in service by start of 2028
Ok thanks and I hope that the possible lack of technical support does not affect GWR in the short term as staff could take longer to become familiar with the class.
Not much urgency to get staff trained and a decent number in service by end of March, which is when the school holidays start, and SW starts to get much busier for the season.
OK, things are progressing (slowly), but at recent rate of introduction, they will be lucky to have the whole fleet in service by start of 2028
I just meant that the internal "door released" beep was different, like the part had been replaced with one that "mimicks" the original sound but isn't quite the same.
I wasn't talking about the actual problems with the unit (even though there were those actual problems to talk about), apologies for any confusion. As always though, your contributions are very much appreciated
I could tell the difference even with the background noise, but I suppose I just have a very good ear for it.
Attached are simulated comparisons I've made of the 'normal' and 'different' internal "door released" beeps, both without the external ones sounding simultaneously (for a better isolated comparison) and with the external ones sounding simultaneously (as they actually do of course):
This is not meant to be in any way critical at all but I was unaware that such things were examined in so much detail and I do find the different perspective interesting
As for the recordings of the bodyside doors internal sounders there is a difference between the two and this is probably due to the fact that some have been replaced possibly with a different supplier but providing the sound of the warning is not that materially different there will be no issue. The external sirens sound as they should.
175003 has been stuck at Liskeard for over an hour on 2C26, although I don't think it's the 175s fault this time as 1C76 is stuck ahead of it.
Also, strangely, 175002 has been allocated to 5Z23, has it been fixed while stuck at Liskeard?
This is down to a 'tree' (more like a branch) being down infront of 1C76. Not lying across the tracks, more hanging at windscreen level so not permitted to pass. Nothing to do with a 175 fault luckily!
Real-time train running information for 5Z23 1424 departure from Liskeard to Plymouth on 12/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Real-time train running information for 5Z15 1501 departure from Plymouth to Plymouth on 12/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Real-time train running information for 5Z23 1424 departure from Liskeard to Plymouth on 12/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Real-time train running information for 5Z15 1501 departure from Plymouth to Plymouth on 12/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
175002 allocated to 5Z23 from Liskeard to Plymouth
175011 allocated to 5Z15 from Liskeard to Plymouth
Watch this space....
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This is down to a 'tree' (more like a branch) being down infront of 1C76. Not lying across the tracks, more hanging at windscreen level so not permitted to pass. Nothing to do with a 175 fault luckily!
Yup. Without going into too much detail, the person who went down today was an expert in the field. I quote - 'if he cant fix it then nobody will be able to'. The result is 2 units that could move back to LA under their own power!
Yup. Without going into too much detail, the person who went down today was an expert in the field. I quote - 'if he cant fix it then nobody will be able to'. The result is 2 units that could move back to LA under their own power!
Brilliant! Hope it wasn’t too tricky to fix and some useful learning points can be made of this for future issues / fixes.
It must have been something of a pain to GWR having 011 trapped on the branch though given that it was a rescue unit and only seemed to pick up an issue after coupling to 002.
Yup. Without going into too much detail, the person who went down today was an expert in the field. I quote - 'if he cant fix it then nobody will be able to'. The result is 2 units that could move back to LA under their own power!
This is not meant to be in any way critical at all but I was unaware that such things were examined in so much detail and I do find the different perspective interesting
Just to be clear, they're not recordings in the sense of holding a microphone by the sounders with the engines off in a silent environment (though I suppose they are recordings in the sense that they're sound files) - they're recreations that I sequenced from scratch in a music production program
For the internal sounders, I set a synthesizer to a single sine wave oscillator, and then the 'normal' was progammed with the use of a slide note underneath each of the three normal notes to achieve the pitch decreases, whereas the 'different' was programmed with just the three (longer) normal notes.
For the external sounders, I set another synthesizer to a single triangle wave oscillator (to mimic their distortion), and then set it to decay each of the three (more frequent) notes, to mimic the way their volume ramps down slightly.
As for the recordings of the bodyside doors internal sounders there is a difference between the two and this is probably due to the fact that some have been replaced possibly with a different supplier but providing the sound of the warning is not that materially different there will be no issue.
Yup. Without going into too much detail, the person who went down today was an expert in the field. I quote - 'if he cant fix it then nobody will be able to'. The result is 2 units that could move back to LA under their own power!
Thanks for sharing, though isn't the Tamar Bridge the adjacent road bridge? I believe the railway bridge itself is the Royal Albert bridge (as stated in the top-right corner of the first two screenshots).
Also, does anyone in here know what is being pixelated out on the bottom-left and bottom-right? (I'm not necessarily asking for exactly what, just a rough idea). I don't understand what would be deemed acceptable to see in real life, but not remotely in web camera images.
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Real-time train running information for 5Z23 1424 departure from Liskeard to Plymouth on 12/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Real-time train running information for 5Z15 1501 departure from Plymouth to Plymouth on 12/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Just for anyone who may not understand, the "cancelled" 5Z15 isn't actually cancelled - they're just using existing paths/schedules, so the "cancellation" is showing due to the time lapsed during the bit that's not being used.
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175003 has been stuck at Liskeard for over an hour on 2C26, although I don't think it's the 175s fault this time as 1C76 is stuck ahead of it.
Also, strangely, 175002 has been allocated to 5Z23, has it been fixed while stuck at Liskeard?
Real-time train running information for 2C26 1340 departure from Plymouth to Truro on 12/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Real-time train running information for 1C76 1003 departure from London Paddington to Penzance on 12/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
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There doesn't seem to be much urgency about moving these units - it is a week and counting. I despair of the modern railway - what possible excuse is there now? The weather has calmed down - the sun is actually shining where I am right now in Devon!
Not much urgency to get staff trained and a decent number in service by end of March, which is when the school holidays start, and SW starts to get much busier for the season.
OK, things are progressing (slowly), but at recent rate of introduction, they will be lucky to have the whole fleet in service by start of 2028
There seemed to be some confusion here - there were the two matters of [moving the two stranded 175s] and [the general moving of the 175s as part of their introduction], and it seems that the two may have been mixed up.
Yup. Without going into too much detail, the person who went down today was an expert in the field. I quote - 'if he cant fix it then nobody will be able to'. The result is 2 units that could move back to LA under their own power!
Without going into too much detail would you be able to give us a bit of a clue as what the nature of the fault had been and an indication of the remedy for 002 to return to depot?
Also, does anyone in here know what is being pixelated out on the bottom-left and bottom-right? (I'm not necessarily asking for exactly what, just a rough idea). I don't understand what would be deemed acceptable to see in real life, but not remotely in web camera images.
I've seen similar pixellated areas on quite a few railway webcams, I understand it's usually to assuage privacy concerns of nearby residents or businesses.
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www.realtimetrains.co.uk
