Class 175s to Great Western Railway (GWR)

[whole diary]

[REVUpminster]

2Z28 arrived at Exeter and they didn't hold 2M77 the Bristol connection 10 minutes and it went 1/2 minute early.

Looks unfortunate - as I read it, that's the last train east from Exeter St David's?   Wouldn't have happened in the days that the services were through   al the way from Penzance to Bristol, but then in those days the performance figures for Bristol would have ended up worse with a late arrival.

Better late than never, as they say.

The train was late and the connecting train was not held so Penzance passengers could not get to Bristol. Perhaps GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) taxi them. Looking at the night train I thought they could wait for that but last night it went via Newbury, today it's going via Melksham!

[bobm]

According to Modern Railways, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) has announced a plan to improve the situation.

https://www.modernrailways.com/article/gwr-revises-175-plans

Great Western Railway’s Alstom Class 175 trains must now each complete 1,000 miles of trouble-free running before they are cleared to enter revenue-earning service. At the time of writing, just two trains, Nos 175003/115, are in regular operation with the operator.

Speaking to Modern Railways, GWR Programme Director Barry Milsom explained that the fleet’s period in storage after Transport for Wales Rail replaced them with Class 197s has led to a series of unexpected problems, despite the units being refurbished at Wolverton Works.

Water ingress from corrosion in the trains’ roofs is said to be leaking into electrical equipment, with door operating system failures a major – but not the only – issue affecting the fleet. Engine and suspension air bag replacements have had to take place on some trains, and air-conditioning units are also being refurbished by Alstom and the wider supply chain before trains enter traffic.

Continues in link...

[TaplowGreen]

According to Modern Railways, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) has announced a plan to improve the situation.

https://www.modernrailways.com/article/gwr-revises-175-plans

Great Western Railway’s Alstom Class 175 trains must now each complete 1,000 miles of trouble-free running before they are cleared to enter revenue-earning service. At the time of writing, just two trains, Nos 175003/115, are in regular operation with the operator.

Speaking to Modern Railways, GWR Programme Director Barry Milsom explained that the fleet’s period in storage after Transport for Wales Rail replaced them with Class 197s has led to a series of unexpected problems, despite the units being refurbished at Wolverton Works.

Water ingress from corrosion in the trains’ roofs is said to be leaking into electrical equipment, with door operating system failures a major – but not the only – issue affecting the fleet. Engine and suspension air bag replacements have had to take place on some trains, and air-conditioning units are also being refurbished by Alstom and the wider supply chain before trains enter traffic.

Continues in link...

despite the units being refurbished at Wolverton Works. - so am I reading this wrong, they were refurbed and then it was discovered they had corroded, leaking roofs etc or was that addressed as part of the refurb? (in which case why do they seem to be fit for little more than the scrapyard post refurb?)

[old original]

Temporary reduction in service from Monday 7th...

https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/news/train-gremlins-lead-to-gwr-announcing-cancellation-of-services-until-further-notice-942797

[grahame]

Temporary reduction in service from Monday 7th...

https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/news/train-gremlins-lead-to-gwr-announcing-cancellation-of-services-until-further-notice-942797

It seems the news IS now announced, and I can share what loos looks like pretty definite timetable changes:

Thinning out of Cornish main line services - draft timetable from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).   Called the "175" timetable in the file name, which rather suggests why it's being done - the lack of working units of class 175??

Posting this morning to the moderator's area as GWR have asked this not to be widely shared while they check / consult with passenger groups. This is version 2 after a meeting yesterday and I don't know if this is what will finally happen. I will move / share on a public board once I'm sure that the embargo has been lifted.

https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/mirror/K1-175-timetable-Sept26-v2.pdf

It's notable that the K1-175 timetable is dated "to 12th December 2026" and that suggests to me that the changes will be with us until the end of First's operating contract and perhaps beyond.

Edit note: Typo corrected, for clarity (and to spare grahame from any embarrassment). 

[grahame]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) take on the story - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1wxdz8ev7do?

A number of rail journeys will be cancelled across Devon and Cornwall from next week due to recurring issues with a fleet of trains, a rail operator has said.
Great Western Railway (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) said five weekday services will be cancelled between Penzance and Plymouth/Exeter from Monday.

The issue is down to the company's Class 175 fleet, which it said had been "challenging from a reliability perspective," prompting too many cancellations for customers.
The operator said it understood the timetable changes would be "frustrating for customers" but believed the move would "provide a more reliable service in the short term" while it worked to bring its fleet up to standard.

The Class 175 trains entered service in 2000, when they were used by Transport for Wales.

GWR brought in 26 of them last year to replace older diesel trains, with hopes to reduce costs and pollution.

The trains, however, had been "out of service for a prolonged period" before transferring to GWR, "requiring more recommissioning work than anticipated", a spokesperson for the operator said.

[bobm]

Looking at the temporary timetable, it largely reflects what has been happening over the last few weeks.   As has been said it just removes the seemingly inevitable last minute cancellations. 

[REVUpminster]

It's basically the old HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) diagrams. As far as I know a 175 will operate the key 2C05 diagram that finishes with 2E28 the last Penzance train to connect at Exeter with the last Bristol.

I don't know if they have sorted out the sunflower situation at  night in case the driver forgets what the aspect of the last signal they passed in a long section.

[TaplowGreen]

Media reporting it

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/major-uk-train-operator-to-reduce-timetable-next-week/ar-AA2bB4BS?ocid=socialshare

[REVUpminster]

006 doing Newquay today. Have to see what happens tonight when it gets dark.

112 running up and down empty.

[REVUpminster]

Ely :2: 175008 (half), 175104

Wolverton : 9 : 175005 by road.  175102/103/105/106/107/108/109/110. 175008 (half) Bold are Green

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

Exeter : 1 : 175004 ex Wolverton

Long Rock : 1 : 175010 ex Ely

as of 10 September 2026. No trains from Wolverton since the 23 June 2026

A video of Ely Papworth. Very few trains anymore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3Pxs7EZLo0&t=81s

[eightonedee]

There's a section on the class 175 problems in this week's Green Signals podcast and weekly You Tube video, including an interview with Barry Milsom of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). See https://www.greensignals.org/podcast/more-diversions-gwrs-plan-to-keep-customers-on-trains-over-christmas/ at 14.55
 
(it also includes a piece on diversions during the up-coming blockades between Reading and Paddington that members will find of interest).

[IndustryInsider]

There's a section on the class 175 problems in this week's Green Signals podcast and weekly You Tube video, including an interview with Barry Milsom of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway). See https://www.greensignals.org/podcast/more-diversions-gwrs-plan-to-keep-customers-on-trains-over-christmas/ at 14.55
 
(it also includes a piece on diversions during the up-coming blockades between Reading and Paddington that members will find of interest).

Yes, a good interview - well worth a listen...as is the previous section on the GWR diversions.

[Kernow Otter]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd94y7d7qyzo

And meanwhile in the North, a fleet of new trains to serve the PM's constituency amongst others.  No mention of the new stock being privately owned however.

Two tier transport?

[bradshaw]

Funded by Rock Rail with Alstom also having maintenance contract.
https://mediacentre.tpexpress.co.uk/news/tpe-unveils-gbp-1bn-battery-train-fleet-to-transform-rail-travel-across-the-north