Class 168 Refurbishment Discussion and Updates

[Bletchleyite]

Just been set swapped from 1R37 @ 14:02 (Birmingham run with 108) to 2V38 @ 1427 (Aylesbury Vale run)...

...in place of a 165 which was originally planned to do 2V38 and is now with 108 on 1R37.

I'm sure there's a reason but that one doesn't make much sense to me

168s on Aylesbury services are generally to get them to and from Aylesbury depot, so there's probably some sort of issue with it, likely it'll get swapped out again there.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

168s on Aylesbury services are generally to get them to and from Aylesbury depot, so there's probably some sort of issue with it, likely it'll get swapped out again there.

Yeah that seems the most likely

 

[HeelBurton]

Just been set swapped from 1R37 @ 14:02 (Birmingham run with 108) to 2V38 @ 1427 (Aylesbury Vale run)...

...in place of a 165 which was originally planned to do 2V38 and is now with 108 on 1R37.

I'm sure there's a reason but that one doesn't make much sense to me

There's a line blockage from the 23rd December at AYS and all platforms will be blocked. They are probably moving units about so they do not get trapped in the possession and therefore useless until the line reopens

 

[CR165022]

There's a line blockage from the 23rd December at AYS and all platforms will be blocked. They are probably moving units about so they do not get trapped in the possession and therefore useless until the line reopens

It was already at Aylesbury though, only being sent out first on 2H33. I think the reasoning of it needing to go back to the depot because of an issue is the likely reason here.

It's being swapped with 165033 in a few minutes when it gets to Aylesbury.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Dec 2025 ==

Updated List:

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


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

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 - Out of Service at Aylesbury

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


Other non 168 fleet updates:

165003 - Out of Service at Aylesbury since April 2024
165021 - At Doncaster Works
165024 - Formed with 58851 from 165018, 58868 from 024 in service in 165018 - Out of Service at Aylesbury since May 2025

 

[HeelBurton]

It was already at Aylesbury though, only being sent out first on 2H33. I think the reasoning of it needing to go back to the depot because of an issue is the likely reason here.

It's being swapped with 165033 in a few minutes when it gets to Aylesbury.

they need to be very forward thinking with what units end up where for maintenance issues. I would assume any units due a A or B exam, approaching mileage or have niggling issues will need to be at or as close to Aylesbury over the next few days. Aylesbury to london is about 33 miles so makes sense to keep it on the shorter trips vs your 66 miles to Oxford and 102 to Birmingham (give or take on the mileage distances)

 

[MerlinRail 804]

There’s a lone middle vehicle of one of the refurbed 168s sat at Banbury (terrible photo attached)
Does anyone know which unit it is from? 004 is 4 car as normal, and all the other 4 car ones seem to be showing as 4 car on RTT, so I’m guessing 218?

 

[HeelBurton]

There’s a lone middle vehicle of one of the refurbed 168s sat at Banbury (terrible photo attached)
Does anyone know which unit it is from? 004 is 4 car as normal, and all the other 4 car ones seem to be showing as 4 car on RTT, so I’m guessing 218?

Correct. It’s 218.

 

[150219]

Correct. It’s 218.

Incorrect. It's an intermediate vehicle from 168003.

 

[HeelBurton]

Incorrect. It's an intermediate vehicle from 168003.

Funny enough now walking onto the depot, Ive just seen that!

Apologies for the misinformation above

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Hasn’t 003 had to lose an intermediate vehicle temporarily before?

 

[150219]

Hasn’t 003 had to lose an intermediate vehicle temporarily before?

How far back in the past do you want to go? They've all lost intermediate vehicles before.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

How far back in the past do you want to go? They've all lost intermediate vehicles before.

Post refurb. Probably correlation not causation though

 

[150219]

Post refurb. Probably correlation not causation though

Ah, sorry. Cannot answer that question immediately without looking it up. When you're dealing with trains everyday, one unit becomes much like another.

 

[CR165022]

168003 did lose one of its middle cars late 2024, wasn't for very long though

 

[fodphil]

168004 is out and about today, 5Z00, 5Z01, 5Z02 Aylesbury - Marylebone - Bicester N - Aylesbury

 

[MerlinRail 804]

168004 is out and about today, 5Z00, 5Z01, 5Z02 Aylesbury - Marylebone - Bicester N - Aylesbury

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jan 2026 ==

5Z01 at Princess Risborough

Looking nice and shiny and clean. Any progress on 219 or 005?

 

[CR165022]

168003 ran from Banbury to Aylesbury last night, back as a 4 car, so hopefully shouldn't be too long now until 58453 is fixed and the unit is back out as a 4.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Jan 2026 ==

Edit 19/01: 168004 re-entered service this morning.
Edit 20/01: 168003 is also back in service this morning as a 4 car

 

[Mikey C]

Was on 168004 yesterday. Both the USB A and the USB C sockets worked well

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Looks like there could be another swap in for tomorrow:

Realtime Trains | 3K68 1010 Banbury Depot to Crewe C.S. | 14/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 3K68 1010 departure from Banbury Depot to Crewe C.S. on 14/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3U68 1457 Crewe C.S. to Banbury Depot | 14/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 3U68 1457 departure from Crewe C.S. to Banbury Depot on 14/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[CR165022]

Might not mean anything but 168111 is being moved to Banbury currently with 165032, could maybe be so there's a unit free to go tomorrow? Either that or 111 will go itself.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Saturday didn’t run, but looks like they’re trying again on Friday:

Realtime Trains | 3K68 0940 Banbury Depot to Crewe C.S. | 20/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 3K68 0940 departure from Banbury Depot to Crewe C.S. on 20/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3U68 1407 Crewe C.S. to Banbury Depot | 20/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 3U68 1407 departure from Crewe C.S. to Banbury Depot on 20/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[HeelBurton]

Saturday didn’t run, but looks like they’re trying again on Friday:

Realtime Trains | 3K68 0940 Banbury Depot to Crewe C.S. | 20/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 3K68 0940 departure from Banbury Depot to Crewe C.S. on 20/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3U68 1407 Crewe C.S. to Banbury Depot | 20/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 3U68 1407 departure from Crewe C.S. to Banbury Depot on 20/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

8108 is in the usual position, But this is being used for runs currently daily for the training north end of our network. Will be interesting what unit goes up if this runs. Perhaps some usual musical chairs to be played

 

[CR165022]

Are there any updates on 168329? It's been nearly a year since it came back now, not even 165004 took this long!
I have seen that it's finally had it's missing front valance re-attached, so at least it's actually being worked on and not just left alone.

 

[Chorley Cake]

Are there any updates on 168329? It's been nearly a year since it came back now, not even 165004 took this long!
I have seen that it's finally had it's missing front valance re-attached, so at least it's actually being worked on and not just left alone.

It was sat in the lane directly outside Aylesbury depot on Saturday 14th

 

[CR165022]

Am assuming it is 168108 that's gone off to Crewe today, as the other two that stabled at Banbury last night (111 & 214) are both out.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Am assuming it is 168108 that's gone off to Crewe today, as the other two that stabled at Banbury last night (111 & 214) are both out.

Seems to be so according to railcam

 

[170399]

Are there any updates on 168329? It's been nearly a year since it came back now, not even 165004 took this long!
I have seen that it's finally had it's missing front valance re-attached, so at least it's actually being worked on and not just left alone.

When I saw it on the 2nd February parked next to Aylesbury station not only was the front valance re-attached it also has a lot of new components underneath as well which as an optimist means that progress could be going well but again that is still no indicator of when it could re-enter service.

I am hoping it will be soon as it is one of 6 168s that I still need. On the subject of that can anyone shed some light on 168112 please as I can never find that on RTT?

 

[CR165022]

I am hoping it will be soon as it is one of 6 168s that I still need. On the subject of that can anyone shed some light on 168112 please as I can never find that on RTT?

168112 was last in service on 30/01, It ran 2V12 to Aylesbury with 165036 where it was taken off, and went into the depot, hasn't been out since.

 

[HeelBurton]

8219 back at Banbury

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Saw 219 out already in service today