Revolution Trains announce Class 175 'Coradia' and Class 180 'Adelante' DMUs in N & OO Gauge.

[Clive Mortimore]

Not being a "modern image" diesel and electric modeller I have no idea what a class 175 or a class 180 are but I am sure i will find out by visiting the RevolutioN stand at DEMU Showcase  15th and 16th June at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall.

[Scottish-Exile]

Work on the 1:1 scale prototypes continues at Landore. 175 003 being produced by Revolution Trains in TfW livery left Landore for storage at Ely this morning. The unit has been 'de-branded' as part of its handback works.

 

 

2 other units being modelled, 103 & 107 are currently undergoing dilapidation works and will be heading off to Ely in the coming weeks.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 4 by Scottish-Exile

[Sir TophamHatt]

And here I was thinking there was an update for the models... 🤐

[nickb4141]

Hi Ben, Mike,

 

With the 175’s moving to GWR, are there any plans to add the GWR Green livery to the list of models produced? I would imagine that if offered, this would be the most popular livery, seeing as it will be the only current livery for these units. I appreciate that this hasn’t been officially confirmed by GWR (they’re waiting approval from the government to take over the lease of the 175’s,) but commercially, this would almost certainly be a ‘shot in the arm’ for the project. For the modeller, it opens up a lot of possibilities, as these are planned to work on the following routes;

 

Exeter - Penzance

Exeter - Barnstaple 

Exeter - Okehampton

Truro - Falmouth

 

Diversionary routes of Taunton to Castle Cary and Castle Cary to Exeter are also planned, whilst the Newquay and Exmouth branches are ‘to be confirmed’

 

All in all, definitely good news for the 175 project!

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hello all,

 

Let's just say we are 'monitoring developments' with the 175s and GWR.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[Revolution Ben]

 

HI all,

 

For those attending the N Gauge International Show in Warwickshire this weekend Revolution will have first decorated samples of the N Class 175 and 180 on display. 

 

There are a couple of sneak preview images on our website, but we will upload more comprehensive images after the show.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[nickb4141]

Hi Ben,

 

I can’t see any of these new Class 175 images you mentioned, on the website? I’ve checked Home, News,Products and Shop sections and can’t find anything? Can you let me know where these are hidden? 
 

Cheers, Nick.

[The Pilotman]

There’s a small one here: https://revolutiontrains.com/revolution-at-tings/ of the Class180. 

Edited Thursday at 06:39 by The Pilotman

[Dunsignalling]

On 09/09/2024 at 08:58, nickb4141 said:

Hi Ben, Mike,

 

With the 175’s moving to GWR, are there any plans to add the GWR Green livery to the list of models produced? I would imagine that if offered, this would be the most popular livery, seeing as it will be the only current livery for these units. I appreciate that this hasn’t been officially confirmed by GWR (they’re waiting approval from the government to take over the lease of the 175’s,) but commercially, this would almost certainly be a ‘shot in the arm’ for the project. For the modeller, it opens up a lot of possibilities, as these are planned to work on the following routes;

 

Exeter - Penzance

Exeter - Barnstaple 

Exeter - Okehampton

Truro - Falmouth

 

Diversionary routes of Taunton to Castle Cary and Castle Cary to Exeter are also planned, whilst the Newquay and Exmouth branches are ‘to be confirmed’

 

All in all, definitely good news for the 175 project!

 

The 100mph service speed of the class would suggest that the 3-car 175s, in particular, would be more useful as replacements for the 'Castle' HST sets as formerly used between the West Country and South Wales.

 

West of Exeter, there's no requirement for anything in excess of 80mph, and not even that on the various branches. I'd think the logical outcome would see GW's existing 158/165/166 units cascaded to finally oust the elderly and noisy 150s from the "Devon Metro", with the 175s mainly used east of Exeter on the main line, (eg. Bristol-Taunton services) where their speed would better fit in with the faster through trains.  

 

I reckon they will look smart in GW green, either way.

 

Edited Thursday at 07:51 by Dunsignalling

[NXEA!]

On 12/09/2024 at 08:48, Dunsignalling said:

 

The 100mph service speed of the class would suggest that the 3-car 175s, in particular, would be more useful as replacements for the 'Castle' HST sets as formerly used between the West Country and South Wales.

 

West of Exeter, there's no requirement for anything in excess of 80mph, and not even that on the various branches. I'd think the logical outcome would see GW's existing 158/165/166 units cascaded to finally oust the elderly and noisy 150s from the "Devon Metro", with the 175s mainly used east of Exeter on the main line, (eg. Bristol-Taunton services) where their speed would better fit in with the faster through trains.  

 

I reckon they will look smart in GW green, either way.

 

The 175’s will replace the HST’s, cascade the 80x units used on regional services back to routes out of London and provide some extra capacity. The 150’s are going nowhere as it stands and will remain working off Exeter and on the Cornish branches. 

[woodenhead]

2 hours ago, NXEA! said:

The 175’s will replace the HST’s, cascade the 80x units used on regional services back to routes out of London and provide some extra capacity. The 150’s are going nowhere as it stands and will remain working off Exeter and on the Cornish branches. 

Makes sense, you don't want to waste a good cross country unit on a slow branch.

 

The Northern 150/156 replacement procurement is designed to benefit other TOCS so GWR will be able to obtain new generation diesel units from that deal.

[Ian Hargrave]

A YouTube video recently showed a TFW 175 being transferred from Crewe to Landore by a pair of 37 &barrier wagons . Still in TFW red. I have also seen one during the summer at Central Rivers Alstom. The whole fleet seems to have been in limbo for at least a year. So what is the outlook for their future ? 

[Ian Hargrave]

On 12/09/2024 at 08:48, Dunsignalling said:

 

The 100mph service speed of the class would suggest that the 3-car 175s, in particular, would be more useful as replacements for the 'Castle' HST sets as formerly used between the West Country and South Wales.

 

West of Exeter, there's no requirement for anything in excess of 80mph, and not even that on the various branches. I'd think the logical outcome would see GW's existing 158/165/166 units cascaded to finally oust the elderly and noisy 150s from the "Devon Metro", with the 175s mainly used east of Exeter on the main line, (eg. Bristol-Taunton services) where their speed would better fit in with the faster through trains.  

 

I reckon they will look smart in GW green, either way.

 

 

ATM,5 car IET are employed on Cardiff-Penzance trains …which really amounts to a stopping service. These are nominally 125 mph. units. But to replace one with a 2/ 3 car 175…..how will that stack up with regard to capacity ?

[Dunsignalling]

8 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

 

ATM,5 car IET are employed on Cardiff-Penzance trains …which really amounts to a stopping service. These are nominally 125 mph. units. But to replace one with a 2/ 3 car 175…..how will that stack up with regard to capacity ?

I haven't been on one of those services since the 4-car Castle HSTs came off them, but from the loadings I remember, a 3-car 175 should handle the demand comfortably, with maybe 2x2-cars at the busiest times 

 

I think the IETs primarily displaced the Castles because of the fuel savings they offered.

[Ian Hargrave]

28 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

I haven't been on one of those services since the 4-car Castle HSTs came off them, but from the loadings I remember, a 3-car 175 should handle the demand comfortably, with maybe 2x2-cars at the busiest times 

 

I think the IETs primarily displaced the Castles because of the fuel savings they offered.

I wonder about the use of 2+2 car trains and their impact upon staffing.I know from a recent experience with XC 221/220 Plymouth-Edinburgh from Temple Meads and the rear unit having to travel empty northbound from New Street due to “staff shortage “. The consequent overcrowding wasn’t much fun.Don’t know if GWR are similarly afflicted. 

[JackB95]

I'm not saying that I'm dying to see the decorated samples of the 175s, but... pictures as soon as possible please 😂 

[JackB95]

Apologies for the crude screenshots, but these are taken off the Revolution teaser video this morning! 

 

 

[nickb4141]

On 09/09/2024 at 08:58, nickb4141 said:

Hi Ben, Mike,

 

With the 175’s moving to GWR, are there any plans to add the GWR Green livery to the list of models produced? I would imagine that if offered, this would be the most popular livery, seeing as it will be the only current livery for these units. I appreciate that this hasn’t been officially confirmed by GWR (they’re waiting approval from the government to take over the lease of the 175’s,) but commercially, this would almost certainly be a ‘shot in the arm’ for the project. For the modeller, it opens up a lot of possibilities, as these are planned to work on the following routes;

 

Exeter - Penzance

Exeter - Barnstaple 

Exeter - Okehampton

Truro - Falmouth

 

Diversionary routes of Taunton to Castle Cary and Castle Cary to Exeter are also planned, whilst the Newquay and Exmouth branches are ‘to be confirmed’

 

All in all, definitely good news for the 175 project!

The routes listed above are from an official GWR document detailing their plans for the 175’s (should they get approval from the government to take over the lease of the trains). This was reported in the current issues of both Railway Magazine and Railways Illustrated, so I’d imagine these are pretty reliable sources.

[Melangoose]

2 hours ago, JackB95 said:

Apologies for the crude screenshots, but these are taken off the Revolution teaser video this morning! 

 

 

They do look very nice.  Thanks to JackB95 for sharing with us.

[TomE]

Very impressed with both the 175 and the 180 livery samples on show at TINGS. I think these are going to be something special!

 

Tom

[robf]

6 hours ago, TomE said:

Very impressed with both the 175 and the 180 livery samples on show at TINGS. I think these are going to be something special!

 

Tom

Looking forward to my TfW 3 car to arrive, but waiting patiently!  They do look very very good indeed!

[Dunsignalling]

On 14/09/2024 at 14:44, nickb4141 said:

The routes listed above are from an official GWR document detailing their plans for the 175’s (should they get approval from the government to take over the lease of the trains). This was reported in the current issues of both Railway Magazine and Railways Illustrated, so I’d imagine these are pretty reliable sources.

 

It would seem rather a waste to just throw them into the 75mph Devon/Cornwall Metro pool....

 

[bmthtrains - David]

Neither of these units are geographically correct for my modelling but the 3 car 175 does looks stunning in that livery. I suppose one could have wandered south onto the WCML at Crewe…

 

I do hope the couplings are better than the horrific ones on the 321 though.

 

David 

[Revolution Ben]

6 hours ago, bmthtrains - David said:

I do hope the couplings are better...

 

David 

 

Hi there,

 

If you look at the image above you can see they have been redesigned.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

 

 

[Revolution Mike]

8 hours ago, bmthtrains - David said:

Neither of these units are geographically correct for my modelling but the 3 car 175 does looks stunning in that livery. I suppose one could have wandered south onto the WCML at Crewe…

 

David 

Hi David

 

The 175s regularly went from Warrington down the WCML to Crewe. Also used around Birmingham from International to NS then Shrewsbury and into mid-Wales. 
 

cheers Mike