GWR confirms Class 175s will enter service this year

After months of speculation, GWR has finally confirmed it has signed a lease deal with Angel Trains to take 26 of the ex-TfW Class 175s for use in Devon and Cornwall.

The move has been on the cards for months, indeed, several units had already moved to their new home of Plymouth Laira for staff training

Moving are 10 two-car Class 175/0s (175001-007/009-011) and 16 three-car Class 175/1s (175101-116). They are expected to start to enter service in Devon and Cornwall later this year, with the entire fleet expected to be operational from the end of 2026. 

Fire damaged 175008 is not making the move and is likely to be used for spares and then scrapped.

The will mostly work between Exeter St Davids and Penzance, as well as to Barnstaple and Okehampton and can run in multiple, allowing two-, three-, four-, five- and six-car formations.

They will replace the Class 43 HST Castle sets as well as elimination Class 150/158s on the Cornish main line. They will also allow these units to be used elsewhere on the GWR network. Some of the nearly 40-year old Class 150s could also be withdrawn.

GWR Managing Director, Mark Hopwood, said: “The benefits of these trains will be felt across the whole of the GWR network. With more trains we will have more scope to increase resilience where it is needed most, delivering the reliability our communities deserve and need.

“They are a fantastic addition to our fleet and will provide a welcome boost as we seek to rejuvenate our regional and suburban services.

Now the deal is signed, it is expected more ‘175s’ will move to Devon for commissioning. After 175010 ran into issues at Leicester during its move to Plymouth Laira on February 4, it spent three weeks dumped at the UKRL depot but on February 25 it was collected by 37423 and 37901 Mirrlees Pioneer and taken back to Ely as 7Q50, the 1115 Leicester LIP-Ely Papworth Sidings.

Two days later the same ‘37s’ collected 175007 – which had initially been the unit to transfer to Devon and was swapped for 175010, as 7Q84, the 1103 Ely Papworth Sidings-Laira TRSMD, running via the Welsh Marches as usual.

Then on March 4, 37510 Orion joined 37901 on 7Q70, the 0309 Ely Papworth Sidings-Wolverton taking 175001/003.