Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR)

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

It looks a bit like a blunt CrossCountry train, but so what, so long as it's OK in the passenger bit. And working

[REVUpminster]

I don't see 5 car175s being a problem with the amount of units they will have available. Just like 150s that outstable at Plymouth and Penzance some 175s will outstable at Exeter in the space vacated by the 158s.
There will always be odd days when one ends up on Paignton-Exmouth because a turbo or 150 fails.

[grahame]

I don't see 5 car175s being a problem with the amount of units they will have available.

I wish I shared your optimism.   Although there are - what - 26 units, I can see that fleet being stretched to the ultimate theoritically possible ... displacing Castles, displacing 150s where they can (Falmouth and St Ives) so that a minimum number of those need a refurb, providing trains for the midCornwall Metro, displacing 158s to replace 165s and 166s on the Cardiff Portsmouth to make those units available for Portishead in 2030, and to replace 5 car IETs^▸ (Intercity Express Train - replacement for HSTs (manufactured by Hitachi in Kobe, Japan)) on the Cardiff - Exeter service to provide units for an all day, every day Bristol to Oxford.  Not much left from the 26 ...

[REVUpminster]

The 150s are staying at Exeter. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) has five 3 car 158s, three of which are usually used on Barnstaple-Exeter. The 175s would have no problem replacing them. They have 10 HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) but only use about three regular diagrams Mon-Sat and one on Sunday.

The Laira training 175s in 5 car and 2 car formations ran a number of trips last week between Newton Abbot and Penzance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0U-WSbXSVE

One refurbished unit arrived at Laira from Wolverton under it's own power. There is another 7 or 8 at Wolverton which must be ready to come down. The rest are still at Ely.

175s are unlikely to appear on the Cornwall branches.

[REVUpminster]

Could this be the first 175 working  the only Sunday HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) diagram

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L17301/2025-12-14/detailed

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L16959/2025-12-14/detailed

[GBM]

There seems to be a halt to the 175 training runs around Plymouth?
Coincidentally, I note that most of the Cross Country runs to/from Bristol are 1Zxx's (confusing when you're looking for 175 runs!).

[John D]

Been reported elsewhere that units 175 111 and 175 115 are currently being hauled from storage at Ely to Wolverton works by locos 93006 and 93002

[BBM]

Been reported elsewhere that units 175 111 and 175 115 are currently being hauled from storage at Ely to Wolverton works by locos 93006 and 93002

RAIL Magazine has posted a photo of 93006 at the front of the train:

https://x.com/RAIL/status/1976245003006427310

[REVUpminster]

Where the 175s are as of today and still two months before the timetable change. Also the 158s are likely to be gone at the same time.

From another site.

Ely Mif :11:  175004/005/008/010 175102/103/104/105/109/110/116 (175008 is in two halves)

Wolverton : 11 : 175001/006/011 175101/106/107/108/111/112/113/115 Many of these must be ready to leave.

Laira : 5:  175002/003/007/009 175114 (only 003 is refurbished)

[John D]

Looks like another unit (or perhaps more than one in multiple) is moving from Wolverton works to Laira tomorrow

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K45673/2025-10-29/detailed

[REVUpminster]

Looks like another unit (or perhaps more than one in multiple) is moving from Wolverton works to Laira tomorrow

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K45673/2025-10-29/detailed

And under it's own power maximum 100mph. Hopefully more than one unit as it looks like more 175s being dragged to Wolverton from Ely Thursday.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:R19713/2025-10-30/detailed

This could mean a HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) diagram being replaced by a 175 before the December timetable change.

[REVUpminster]

Todays Wolverton-Laira cancelled. Might have a knock-on effect and cancel the Ely-Wolverton move tomorrow.


Ely-Wolverton is running Thursday.

[REVUpminster]

175102/116 moved to Wolverton

Ely Mif :9:  175004/005/008/010 175103/104/105/109/110 (175008 is in two halves)

Wolverton : 13 : 175001/006/011 175101/102/106/107/108/111/112/113/115/116 Many of these must be ready to leave.

Laira : 5:  175002/003/007/009 175114 (only 003 is refurbished)

[John D]

Sounds like a 2car 175 is on route from Wolverton to Laira (second unit to be delivered having passed through Wolverton works). Reports elsewhere it is set 175001

Expected to pass Westbury on avoiding line around 14:18

[TonyK]

175001 is shown at EXD^▸ (Exeter St Davids station ) today in a picture on Railways of Devon and Cornwall by Rich Martian Browne.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10241366930496540&set=g.384010423010289