Class 175s to GWR

[Apedlar12]

I assume still white and red? Not sure which unit is going into green first.

I'd guess so, I think the 'green' unit is supposed to be released later in the summer.

 

[REVUpminster]

Seems to have come to full stop in Wembley Yard after arriving 8 early.

 

[CR165022]

Seems to have come to full stop in Wembley Yard after arriving 8 early.

In fairness I think that's more of an Acton Wells problem rather than a 175 problem, all the freight in that area is stopped currently.

 

[REVUpminster]

In fairness I think that's more of an Acton Wells problem rather than a 175 problem, all the freight in that area is stopped currently.

underway 67 late

 

[317362]

175116, white and red, just through Kintbury

 

[REVUpminster]

175116, white and red, just through Kintbury

Good picture confirming the number. From 70 minutes down to 8 minutes early at Laira. I noticed it had a free run through Reading and once past made good timing that even 1C84 couldn't catch it.

 

[brad465]

Good picture confirming the number. From 70 minutes down to 8 minutes early at Laira. I noticed it had a free run through Reading and once past made good timing that even 1C84 couldn't catch it.

Something this made me think of, do 175s manage to hit 100mph between Exeter St Thomas and near Starcross, the only 100mph running stretch on their planned operating turf?

 

[craigybagel]

Something this made me think of, do 175s manage to hit 100mph between Exeter St Thomas and near Starcross, the only 100mph running stretch on their planned operating turf?

I've been wondering about this myself. Leaving Crewe in their TfW days they normally hit 100 somewhere between the M6 bridge and Holmes Chapel station - depending on if 2 or 3 car and if a running brake test was required. That distance is broadly the same as Exeter St Davids and Starcross.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Something this made me think of, do 175s manage to hit 100mph between Exeter St Thomas and near Starcross, the only 100mph running stretch on their planned operating turf?

Have only seen 92mph at the moment.

 

[Elecman]

I assume still white and red? Not sure which unit is going into green first.

Yes was 116 and still Red and White saw it passing Headstone Lane

 

[brad465]

Have only seen 92mph at the moment.

Thank you for this. Of course if they ever end up running north of Exeter for whatever reason they'll have no trouble hitting 100mph there. The other higher stretches they could utilise are 90mph between Teignmouth and Newton Abbott, or if they get cleared for Axminster, 85mph on various sections that way, especially down Honiton bank (unless I've got the top speed here wrong).

 

[REVUpminster]

Update
Ely :3: 175005/008, 175104 (175008 is in two halves)

Wolverton :9 : 175004, 175102/103/105/106/107/108/109/110

Laira : 14: 175002/007/009, 175114 ex Ely; 175001/003/006/011, 175101/111/112/113/115/116 ex Wolverton

Long Rock : 1 : 175010 ex Ely

as of 28 May 2026

 

[Snow1964]

Great Western Railway uploaded a YouTube video on Fri 8/5/26 titled 'Best train service for Newquay since the 1960s is almost here':

It has a lot of 175 footage throughout, including:

• drone footage of a 3-car 175 (presumably 175114) in Newquay, crossing Trenance Viaduct from the start, running on the ground and arriving into the railway station with a sea view
• staff and invited guests standing by and getting on the 175 at Newquay railway station, and other external and internal footage of the 175
• talking pieces onboard the 175, from Matt Barnes (Head of Strategic Service Development, Great Western Railway), Councillor Dan Rogerson (Portfolio holder for Transport, Cornwall Council) and Richard Burningham (Manager, Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership)
• 'Driver's Eye View' footage from the 175, including its arrival into Newquay railway station as a spotter captures the moment

I believe that this was the working:

Realtime Trains | 2Z51 0725 Laira T.& R.S.M.D. to Par Chapel Siding | 07/05/2026

Real-time train running information for 2Z51 0725 departure from Laira T.& R.S.M.D. to Par Chapel Siding on 07/05/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

(Laira T.& R.S.M.D. to Par Chapel Siding via Par, Newquay and Par)

Attached below are 8 still pictures from the video showing the scenes described above, and a Realtime Trains 'train information' screenshot:

Although GWR PR spin is saying things are improving, this seems to be spin.

ORR have just released new figures, and table 1.3 shows GWR have quietly cut 2% of trains since previous year

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/4pmhex4x/performance-stats-release-jan-mar-2026.pdf

So seems the 175 introduction has actually resulted in 2% less trains, not more services

 

[Benjwri]

So seems the 175 introduction has actually resulted in 2% less trains, not more services

Correlation not causation. GWR has huge issues with rest day working and has consequently cut back a lot of sunday services. Bristol Metro services are an example of this. You can't take that figure and instantly assume the 175s are the cause.

 

[TheLastMinute]

So seems the 175 introduction has actually resulted in 2% less trains, not more services

Correlation not causation. GWR has huge issues with rest day working and has consequently cut back a lot of sunday services. Bristol Metro services are an example of this. You can't take that figure and instantly assume the 175s are the cause.

Completely agree with @Benjwri. The railways are such a complex system, that there is absolutely no way that such a conclusion can be drawn solely from such a blunt number. In fact, if you look at the 12 months to March 26 rather than the 3 months that @Snow1964 quoted, the planned number of GWR services actually increased by 0.2% from the previous year.

I suspect the reduced number of planned services in Q1 2026 was partly down to the awful February weather we had in the south-west plus engineering work rather than the 175s. Quite a few of the Devon and Cornwall branch lines were closed for weeks at a time which meant large numbers of trains were removed from the timetable in that period.

 

[REVUpminster]

Completely agree with @Benjwri. The railways are such a complex system, that there is absolutely no way that such a conclusion can be drawn solely from such a blunt number. In fact, if you look at the 12 months to March 26 rather than the 3 months that @Snow1964 quoted, the planned number of GWR services actually increased by 0.2% from the previous year.

I suspect the reduced number of planned services in Q1 2026 was mainly down to the awful February weather we had in the south-west plus engineering work rather than the 175s. Quite a few of the Devon and Cornwall branch lines were closed for weeks at a time which meant large numbers of trains were removed from the timetable in that period.

Nothing to do with 175s but a reduction in late evening services.

 

[Teddy Greene]

Least if they are green, they don't stand out as the red and white trains that always breakdown.

 

[simonmpoulton]

Least if they are green, they don't stand out as the red and white trains that always breakdown.

Sounds like another misinformed individual - these units were perfectly reliable when Alstom were maintaining them. The issues started once CAF took over, i'm sure that given Alstom are involved again at Laira with the maintenance that they will get back to being as reliable as they used to be.

 

[Teddy Greene]

Sounds like another misinformed individual - these units were perfectly reliable when Alstom were maintaining them. The issues started once CAF took over, i'm sure that given Alstom are involved again at Laira with the maintenance that they will get back to being as reliable as they used to be.

Misinformed, you haven't been stranded on one for hours cause the doors wouldn't close.
You don't have family and friends who have also been stranded by them, then ask you to make sure their journeys don't involve those red and white trains that breakdown.

So how thats misinformed I don't know

 

[XFeed]

you haven't been stranded on one for hours cause the doors wouldn't close.

That`s an unusual fault to result in being "stranded on for hours" as for instance if a bodyside or cab door would not close when commanded and remaining open or partially open it can be manually pushed closed and then locked out of use as to be able to continue with journey.

Do you have any further information regarding if it was one or all the open bodyside doors that were open at that time that then would not close or maybe a cab door ?

 

[Apedlar12]

Test to Barnstaple now scheduled for Friday morning next week:

Realtime Trains | 3Z20 2255 Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple | 04/06/2026

Real-time train running information for 3Z20 2255 departure from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple on 04/06/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Z21 0032 Barnstaple to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. | 05/06/2026

Real-time train running information for 3Z21 0032 departure from Barnstaple to Laira T.& R.S.M.D. on 05/06/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[The exile]

Sounds like another misinformed individual - these units were perfectly reliable when Alstom were maintaining them. The issues started once CAF took over, i'm sure that given Alstom are involved again at Laira with the maintenance that they will get back to being as reliable as they used to be.

As far as people in the South West are concerned - red and white trains are noticeable, and it’s obvious that you’re on one if it breaks down. Hence “the red and white trains that always break down”. How they performed in the past or will perform in the future is irrelevant when what you notice that the trains that break down on you are the red and white ones.

 

[RPI]

As far as people in the South West are concerned - red and white trains are noticeable, and it’s obvious that you’re on one if it breaks down. Hence “the red and white trains that always break down”. How they performed in the past or will perform in the future is irrelevant when what you notice that the trains that break down on you are the red and white ones.

Most of the Public think they're XC trains!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Most of the Public think they're XC trains!

I'm not doubting you (well), but really? What makes you say that?

 

[BillStampy]

Today's been probably the most positive day since the timetable change with only 007 running into some issues but rescued without issue by 114 to work a 5-car service. A 4-car service in form of 175006 and 175001 on 2E28 tonight too ahead of the Okehampton test.

 

[Teddy Greene]

As far as people in the South West are concerned - red and white trains are noticeable, and it’s obvious that you’re on one if it breaks down. Hence “the red and white trains that always break down”. How they performed in the past or will perform in the future is irrelevant when what you notice that the trains that break down on you are the red and white ones.

Thats what stands out to my friends and family who have no interest in railways.
They have no interest in oh they used to work properly in Wales.
Hours trapped on one on the NQY branch or stuck someone in cornwall cause ones broke down again.
Aren't helping the cause

 

[brad465]

Today's been probably the most positive day since the timetable change with only 007 running into some issues but rescued without issue by 114 to work a 5-car service. A 4-car service in form of 175006 and 175001 on 2E28 tonight too ahead of the Okehampton test.

Are 175s permitted to run in multiple in passenger service with both units accessible to passengers yet?

 

[Apedlar12]

Are 175s permitted to run in multiple in passenger service with both units accessible to passengers yet?

I think I saw something earlier saying that the 5 car on 2P20 (114+007) was only available as a 3 car to the public, with 007 locked out of use on the rear.

Would also like to know the answer to this.

 

[BillStampy]

Are 175s permitted to run in multiple in passenger service with both units accessible to passengers yet?

As far as I'm aware I don't think so currently due to some internal thing, other people will have more details than me but that's my general idea of what the situation is but I'm sure at some point soon it'll be possible to run units in multiple.

I think I saw something earlier saying that the 5 car on 2P20 (114+007) was only available as a 3 car to the public, with 007 locked out of use on the rear.

Would also like to know the answer to this.

I'd like to think that 007 was locked out of use due to it's fault but I doubt that's the actual reason it was locked, who knows.

 

[Teddy Greene]

They aren't permitted to run as pairs No SDO for the smaller shacks in Kernow