Great Western Railway

GWR battery train 230001 at West Ealing station. JOE CAMPBELL.

News

GWR battery train trial "shows technology can replace diesel units"

Great Western Railway says battery and fast-charging technology can prove discontinuous electrification can work.

Great Western Railway 2 Jul

GWR 175002 leaves Plymouth with a driver training run to Newton Abbot on June 23. DAVID HUNT.

News

GWR begins Class 175 driver training runs in Devon

Great Western Railway still aims to introduce the first units before the end of 2025.

Great Western Railway 27 Jun

802104 is one of three GWR (Great Western Railway) Hitachi units at London Paddington. ALAMY.

News

Network Rail explains work done to fix almost daily Great Western Main Line failures

Network Rail tells RAIL about the first 12 months of Project Brunel.

Network Rail 21 May

GWR 'Castle' Class 255 HST set with 43192 'Trematon Castle' and 43198 passes Scorrier near Redruth on 20.6.22 with 2C79 1401 Cardiff Central to Penzance service. PAUL BIGGS.

News

New turns for GWR Castle HST sets as part of May timetable changes

The operator's last remaining HSTs operate solely in Devon and Cornwall

Great Western Railway 7 May

News

Proposal to increase Old Oak Common line speed submitted by Network Rail

NR wants to increase westbound line speed while station on GWML is being built.

Old Oak Common 22 Apr

News

Calls for hourly Oxford-Bristol services as GWR confirms end date for successful Saturday trial

Department for Transport and GWR say they are working to see if the trial can be expanded.

Great Western Railway 31 Mar

175114 at GWR's Plymouth Laira depot. GWR.

News

GWR confirms Class 175s will enter service this year

All 26 operational units will be leased by the operator.

Great Western Railway 11 Mar

News

Case for Oxford electrification set to be made again as infrastructure remains 'totally unused'

Local politicians want to push case to get wires into Oxford years after plan was abandoned.

Electrification 4 Mar

On August 26, carrying GWR colours, 800004 Isambard Kingdom Brunel/Sir Daniel Gooch passes Worle Junction, with a training run from Exeter St Davids to Swindon. It ran from Hitachi Rail Europe’s North Pole depot to Exeter via the Berks & Hants route, then to Swindon, and then to Kemble before returning to HRE’s depot via London Paddington. DAN HASSELL.

News

South West politicians call for service improvements to offset Old Oak Common disruption

Leaders want options to improve on-train experiences when route into Paddington is closed.

Great Western Main Line 25 Feb

A GWR Class 150 at Newquay station opposite the newly rebuilt platform. NETWORK RAIL.

News

Third stage of Newquay line improvements under way but start date for increased services is pushed back

Increasing the frequency of trains to hourly, as part of the Mid Cornwall Metro project, will be after summer.

Cornwall 14 Feb

The GWR-organised inspection train passes Claydon on East West Rail. JACK BOSKETT.

News

GWR-organised train travels along East West Rail to show HS2 mitigation plans

Chartered inspection train visits East West Rail and other sites in trip arranged by Great Western Railway.

East West Rail 13 Feb

The trial train arrives at West Ealing, where it will receive a fast-charge after its journey to Greenford and back. JOE CAMPBELL

Feature

Behind the scenes: GWR trials fast-charging battery technology

Joe Campbell joins the team conducting trials of fast-charge battery technology on the West Ealing to Greenford branch.

Electrification 15 Jan

First Great Western HSTs at London Paddington. JACK BOSKETT.

News

Ex-Great Western Railway HST power cars move to preserved railway pending export

Two power cars along with Mk 3 sleepers were taken from Laira in mid-December leaving just three Class 43s at the Plymouth depot

Great Western Railway 8 Jan

News

FirstGroup's half-year results reveal plans for 'operational delivery' for rail

Company presented upbeat set of half-year results to shareholders at end of 2024.

FirstGroup 6 Jan

GWR Class 165 at Guildford station. STEPHEN ROBERTS.

News

Battery-electric trains the preferred option to replace Class 165s and 166s on GWR cross-country route

DMUs need replacing by the mid-2030s

Great Western Railway 31 Dec

News

Solution to GWR's Sunday service problems 'not going to happen any time soon'

Great Western Railway has regularly had to cancel long-distance Sunday services

Great Western Railway 18 Dec

urophoenix 37510 Orion, with 37407 Blackpool Tower on the rear, hauls ex-Transport for Wales 175002 (between barrier 6330 and buffet car 1203) at March on November 26, as the 1103 Ely Papworth-Laira. KEITH PARTLOW.

News

First Class 175s move to GWR's Laira depot - but no deal signed yet to take them on

Two Class 175 units have now been transferred from Ely to GWR's Laira depot in Plymouth

Class 175 10 Dec

HST power car 43063 at Plymouth Laira depot. DANIEL PHILLIPS

News

GWR gifts HST power car to preserved railway for cosmetic restoration

The power car has been moved to the Plym Valley Railway, along with another which will be broken up for spares

Great Western Railway 2 Dec

Feature

Wales and Western’s route to reliability

Network Rail’s Project Brunel should improve performance on the Wales and Western Region. How have the first six months gone? Tom Edwards find out.

Permanent way 20 Nov

News

New open access operator given go-ahead to launch service between Swindon and Taunton

Go-op will become the first regional open access operator in the UK, and plans to start running services from December 2025

Open access 15 Nov

Great Western Railway

GWR battery train trial "shows technology can replace diesel units"

GWR begins Class 175 driver training runs in Devon

Network Rail explains work done to fix almost daily Great Western Main Line failures

New turns for GWR Castle HST sets as part of May timetable changes

Proposal to increase Old Oak Common line speed submitted by Network Rail

Calls for hourly Oxford-Bristol services as GWR confirms end date for successful Saturday trial

GWR confirms Class 175s will enter service this year

Case for Oxford electrification set to be made again as infrastructure remains 'totally unused'

South West politicians call for service improvements to offset Old Oak Common disruption

Third stage of Newquay line improvements under way but start date for increased services is pushed back

GWR-organised train travels along East West Rail to show HS2 mitigation plans

Behind the scenes: GWR trials fast-charging battery technology

Ex-Great Western Railway HST power cars move to preserved railway pending export

FirstGroup's half-year results reveal plans for 'operational delivery' for rail

Battery-electric trains the preferred option to replace Class 165s and 166s on GWR cross-country route

Solution to GWR's Sunday service problems 'not going to happen any time soon'

First Class 175s move to GWR's Laira depot - but no deal signed yet to take them on

GWR gifts HST power car to preserved railway for cosmetic restoration

Wales and Western’s route to reliability

New open access operator given go-ahead to launch service between Swindon and Taunton

Most read

No takers so first DB Cargo UK Class 67 goes for scrap

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

GB Railfreight planning to repurpose at least 12 more Class 66s for heavy trainloads

Great Western Railway

GWR battery train trial "shows technology can replace diesel units"

GWR begins Class 175 driver training runs in Devon

Network Rail explains work done to fix almost daily Great Western Main Line failures

New turns for GWR Castle HST sets as part of May timetable changes

Proposal to increase Old Oak Common line speed submitted by Network Rail

Calls for hourly Oxford-Bristol services as GWR confirms end date for successful Saturday trial

GWR confirms Class 175s will enter service this year

Case for Oxford electrification set to be made again as infrastructure remains 'totally unused'

South West politicians call for service improvements to offset Old Oak Common disruption

Third stage of Newquay line improvements under way but start date for increased services is pushed back

GWR-organised train travels along East West Rail to show HS2 mitigation plans

Behind the scenes: GWR trials fast-charging battery technology

Ex-Great Western Railway HST power cars move to preserved railway pending export

FirstGroup's half-year results reveal plans for 'operational delivery' for rail

Battery-electric trains the preferred option to replace Class 165s and 166s on GWR cross-country route

Solution to GWR's Sunday service problems 'not going to happen any time soon'

First Class 175s move to GWR's Laira depot - but no deal signed yet to take them on

GWR gifts HST power car to preserved railway for cosmetic restoration

Wales and Western’s route to reliability

New open access operator given go-ahead to launch service between Swindon and Taunton

Most read

No takers so first DB Cargo UK Class 67 goes for scrap

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

GB Railfreight planning to repurpose at least 12 more Class 66s for heavy trainloads

DB Cargo UK discussing transferring drivers to rival as it deals with Network Rail contract loss

UK "fails to provide trains people want or like"

FirstGroup confirms Class 222s for Euston-Stirling Lumo route

Further MML electrification and York capacity projects paused

DB Cargo sells three more Class 90s for reuse

All three West Coast Main Line open access bid rejected