New trains set to boost service to Barnstaple and beyond

Great Western Railway (GWR) has announced that it will be adding the Class 175 trains to its fleet, aiming to “improve reliability across the network.”

The train operating company will be welcoming 26 of these modern trains, designed to boost punctuality and service reliability for passengers. 

The new trains will replace older, less environmentally friendly diesel trains that are more costly to maintain.

The new Class 175 trains can be connected in four, five, and six-car formations, and will serve routes including Barnstaple, Exeter St Davids to Penzance, and Okehampton. 

The fleet will consist of 10 two-car trains and 16 three-car trains, with the first units expected to start operating in Devon and Cornwall later this year. 

The entire fleet is slated to be fully operational by the end of next year.

This move is part of GWR's ongoing strategy to improve its network. 

With the addition of these new trains, the company plans to phase out some of its oldest and most inefficient diesel units, which have become more expensive to maintain as spare parts grow harder to find on the open market.

GWR’s Managing Director, Mark Hopwood, said: “The benefits of these trains will be felt by customers 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.

“We’d like to thank our industry partners, and the Department for Transport, for helping us get to this point and we look forward to welcoming the trains into service later this year.”

Councillor Andrea Davis, Chair of the Peninsula Rail Taskforce, expressed her enthusiasm for the investment in the region’s rail services: “Rail services are a big part of our climate change and economic development offer, and we have been campaigning for extra rolling stock for some time. 

“It is also great to hear that the additional trains will mean improvements to services elsewhere across the GWR network, but I am especially delighted with the news for Devon and Cornwall.”

As the fleet prepares for its debut, GWR will carry out a comprehensive training programme for its staff. 

The Laira depot in Plymouth is also being readied to maintain the new trains.