Class 175s to GWR

[REVUpminster]

Barnstaple had one 3 car and two 2 car trains running today. 0720 was two car.

 

[Parallel]

Barnstaple had one 3 car and two 2 car trains running today. 0720 was two car.

Most colleges have broken up now so this one probably isn’t as busy now as it was in the term time.

 

[Apedlar12]

As of right now only 2 units of 5 are active.

175002 on the Newquay branch
175114 on mainline.

175001 terminated at Totnes earlier 2E06
175007 didn't make it onto 2C26/2P21 due to "a problem with the onboard safety systems".
175112 terminated short at Newton Abbot on 2C18 but then came back into service on 2C31 just to fail short again and terminated at Par and is now returning to Laira.

All in all, a really poor day.

I believe 112 was terminated short because it had to then go down to Totnes to rescue 001 which had already failed.

Also GWR journey check earlier today was stating that the reason for 2C26/2P21 being cancelled, was due to a "shortage of train crew".

 

[XFeed]

I saw 114 at St Davids earlier

Did you notice if all 3 engines were running ?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Jul 2026 ==

I believe 112 was terminated short because it had to then go down to Totnes to rescue 001 which had already failed.

If 112 had to rescue 001 does that mean that it was at a "stand" and coudn`t move under its own power for some reason ?

 

[Apedlar12]

If 112 had to rescue 001 does that mean that it was at a "stand" and coudn`t move under its own power for some reason ?

I think after 001 failed at Totnes they tried to send it back down to Laira under its own power, but it didn't get very far, so it went back to Totnes to wait for 112.

 

[REVUpminster]

Most colleges have broken up now so this one probably isn’t as busy now as it was in the term time.

Barnstaple back to normal today and 175002 did the Paignton training run, but 2T07 the grammar school train to Paignton was cancelled (one hour gap). Okehampton was cancelled (2 hour gap) and a Paignton-Exmouth shortform again that coincides with the cheap day return tickets.

 

[TastyMaltesers]

Barnstaple back to normal today and 175002 did the Paignton training run, but 2T07 the grammar school train to Paignton was cancelled (one hour gap). Okehampton was cancelled (2 hour gap) and a Paignton-Exmouth shortform again that coincides with the cheap day return tickets.

GWR seem to be short forming loads of services throughout the network today, not just in Devon & Cornwall.

 

[Jrocks]

Barnstaple back to normal today and 175002 did the Paignton training run, but 2T07 the grammar school train to Paignton was cancelled (one hour gap). Okehampton was cancelled (2 hour gap) and a Paignton-Exmouth shortform again that coincides with the cheap day return tickets.

Tricky to constantly shortform/cancel the same trains everyday. Not that anyone should ever have to endure a cancellation or a short train but you dont want to do it to the same trains 2,3 or 4 days in a row! Sometimes you have to go with the least worst option in life

 

[TastyMaltesers]

It appears that 175011 has failed and blocked the Newquay branch.

 

[REVUpminster]

I wonder with the 175s if it's the driver. Some will get the train going trying everything and others not bothered if it fails.

I was a chief clerk in the ticket office on the underground years ago and we had a rest day cover who's motto seemed to be "don't do today what someone else can do tomorrow"

 

[RPI]

I wonder with the 175s if it's the driver. Some will get the train going trying everything and others not bothered if it fails.

If I were cynical I'd agree with this..... Thankfully I'm not cynical (I also wouldn't necessarily just say that it's drivers). But that's irrelevant because I'm definitely 100% not cynical......

 

[REVUpminster]

If I were cynical I'd agree with this..... Thankfully I'm not cynical (I also wouldn't necessarily just say that it's drivers). But that's irrelevant because I'm definitely 100% not cynical......

I also worked as a depot clerk at Upminster and if a driver was late and the spare had gone out on his train; the late driver would often jump on a fast train to Fenchurch St and pick their train up at Tower Hill.
I also worked at Parsons Green where nearly all the duties were short runs. The spare drivers dreaded the yardmaster saying Upminster and back. The yardmasters knew who they could trust because most of them used to be drivers. The promotional system all changed in 1993.

 

[Ashley Hill]

It appears that 175011 has failed and blocked the Newquay branch.

Power issues I believe. Unable to get above 15mph before sitting down near Roche.

 

[BillStampy]

175007 cancelled 2C20 at EXD.

Seemed to lose a few minutes on 2E06 just before EXD.

 

[Tetragon213]

Power issues I believe. Unable to get above 15mph before sitting down near Roche.

I remember talking to a mechanic who was riding on 175002 on Friday, and he mentioned that some of the units' engines were playing up; hence why he was on the platform and not in the depot.

 

[BillStampy]

I remember talking to a mechanic who was riding on 175002 on Friday, and he mentioned that some of the units' engines were playing up; hence why he was on the platform and not in the depot.

Likely not helped by the recent heat too.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Jul 2026 ==

I've just read online that 175103 is in GWR green at Wolverton and is basically ready to go - haven't got any photos so I haven't seen what it looks like yet!

 

[REVUpminster]

More spare parts coming then. In Modern Railways some time ago GWR wanted 19 extra trains hence the number of 769s which were 4 car trains. When they gave up on them they took on 26 175s and that's why they have been able to cannibalise them.

Modern Railways August issue usually has a feature on GWR so I shall be reading that with interest.

 

[Snow1964]

GWR DMU fleet seems to be dying

The train being used for the Par to Newquay service has broken down, and a spare is not currently available.

-The train that runs between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton has broken down.

One of the train being used on the Exeter to Barstaple service has developed a fault and has been taken out of service. There is no spare immediately available, and so regretfully we have had to reduce to service from hourly to two hourly. This is likely to be for the remainder of the day.

But not just 175s dying

The train operating between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham has failed and there is no spare train available to replace it

Rather feels like a DMU crisis, breaking down, no serviceable spares, are they simply be worked unrealistically hard, beyond point where they can repair them fast enough

Live Train Times and Journey Updates | Great Western Railway

See the Great Western Railway TrainTracker for live departure times and up-to-the-minute train journey updates.

www.gwr.com

 

[REVUpminster]

The 175s have been in service since December (7 months) and provided one extra train (Newquay). They have not improved any other service; only made them worse. GWR have 16 of them at the moment.

Perhaps GWR should try something radical and get some 769s out of storage and send them to Reading.

 

[XFeed]

Power issues I believe. Unable to get above 15mph before sitting down near Roche.

Is that piece of track on an uphill gradient and would be helpful to know if both engines running and both taking power, if anyone knew ?

 

[Sporty60]

....if only there were some Pacers in storage.

 

[REVUpminster]

175103 at Wolverton is listed on the train database as GWR green.

 

[CR165022]

175103 at Wolverton is listed on the train database as GWR green.

Oh that was me, purely because it was quoted as such on here, will change it back if it's not in green after all.

 

[Mollman]

The 175s have been in service since December (7 months) and provided one extra train (Newquay). They have not improved any other service; only made them worse. GWR have 16 of them at the moment.

Perhaps GWR should try something radical and get some 769s out of storage and send them to Reading.

Depends how they have been stored, might just end up with the same situation just different unit. The cancellation of the multi-TOC DMU program at end of 2000s really coming back to bight the railway.

 

[REVUpminster]

Oh that was me, purely because it was quoted as such on here, will change it back if it's not in green after all.

I'm sure if it does move the photographers will be out.

 

[BillStampy]

I'm sure if it does move the photographers will be out.

Might miss its move as I'm going to be out of the country from next Wednesday

Regardless, there'll be plenty of photos I'm sure so I'll get a good view regardless. Hoping the livery fits!

 

[REVUpminster]

I'

Might miss its move as I'm going to be out of the country from next Wednesday

Regardless, there'll be plenty of photos I'm sure so I'll get a good view regardless. Hoping the livery fits!

l'll try and catch it on dawlish cams.

 

[XFeed]

If there`s an imminent 175 in GWR colours about to break cover then I`m looking forward to see if it suits the unit as I have been quite fond of the TfW livery over the years.

 

[Parallel]

I wonder if GWR have a longer term plan on how they can improve the 175 situation. I don’t doubt that local crews and Laira depot are doing all they can with the units but things don’t seem to be getting much better, and having units fail on the main line or single track branch lines on a daily basis isn’t sustainable.

In theory these units should free up other stock to support much needed capacity enhancements in the Bristol area, and unit availability in the Reading area but it looks like they’re a long way from that.

Are the units genuinely past it after they’ve been stored out in the elements for so long, or is the situation salvageable by continuing to bed the fleet in and source replacement parts for anything that requires renewal?

 

[irish_rail]

One thing that is being mentioned on the ground is that drivers are having to prep the units for duty each day. When the 175s where at Chester they where prepped each day by expert fitters, yet now, drivers are being expected to prep the sets with fairly limited technical knowledge, largely limited to driving the things!

There are whispers that maybe fitters may take over prep duties. In my opinion this would be a VERY smart move, but we shall see if it materialises!