Great Western Coffee Shop

Hi all,

I heard a rumour recently that suggested GWR are planning to withdraw IET sets permanently due to rusting/corroding bolts. Does anybody have more information on this? Or is it untrue

.............rumour didn't come from a certain Port quaffing member of this esteemed forum by any chance?  :)

No it didn't thankfully

There’s loads of rumours surrounding IETs!

Most, if not all, concern their withdrawal.  We can only hope one, just one, turns out to be true.   ;D

Build some more HSTs !
Not of course an exact copy of a near 50 year old design, but something similar in design.
A BIMODE power car or locomotive at each end, no more underfloor bus gin palace engines.
Total train length similar to a 5+5 car IET.
Buffet car, padded seats, tables, luggage space etc.

I had a vague, yet somehow certain feeling that one would come along!  ;)

And what exactly is wrong with calling for proper trains to replace IETs ? With the features listed above, and also fixed formation. No flexible train length as flexible means shorter.
Before the wretched things were even introduced it was clear that they represented a backward step in comfort and facilities They have now been in service for some years and poor build quality and unreliability are major problems.

Where are the replacement 93 trainsets coming from?

(other than the Strategic Reserve in Box Tunnel, obviously)

Hopefully not every unit will need immediate withdrawal, some might be be allowed to run for months yet.
Some spare stock s available, the ex-TPE stock has already been suggested, and there are still some surviving HSTs stored. mainline passed stock from heritage lines is another possibility. Not adequate but a lot better than nothing.
Building loco hauled coaches  is well understood and relatively quick.
The special bi-mode locomotives/power cars would take longer, but in the short term existing diesel locos would be better than nothing.

Sounds like a great idea to me.  Perhaps it will allow GWR to operate that service to Fantasy Island at long last so we can come visit you.

I think I have now realised why Network Rail have not remedied the persistent issues with flooding in various parts of the network. I contend that they are covert water troughs designed to support the Strategic Reserve.

Surely Hitachi are on the hook for these trains and a failure to provide sufficient sets a day costs them a few quid. I know they’re not responsible for the ‘lovely’ carriage interiors but you would think they’d make sure the exteriors were fine and mechanically sound.

Then again this is just a rumour isn’t it.

They are never going to get rid of the 800s. With all the variants there are 262 sets from the 395 Javelin to Aurora 810s

Indeed.  Perhaps GWR 158 can tell us from where he heard the rumour?

I've had a look at RTT for my local station (Tiverton Parkway) and only four of the GWR trains stopping or passing through today are not 80x types. 3 are 158s doing positional stuff I suppose. The other outlier is the only loco hauled service of the day, the sleeper, which was part-cancelled and began at Reading instead of Paddington. That would be a lot to replace. Given that they are largely running to time, I very much doubt that will happen.

I certainly can, I heard it from a friend. I highly doubted this would be true anyway, I just wanted further information to see whether anyone has heard anything similar. 

All i wanted was further information, there is no need to be rude.

I was replying to Broadgage who had made the previous post, and, unfortunately, had rather hijacked your original question with his own unique brand of propaganda.  ;)

Thank you for the explanation  :) Yes I agree with you on Broadgauge's piece of false propaganda. 

Oh now, now folks  ;D

I do know of some rolling stock plans - but in them the IETs are very much here to stay.  And there's an update briefing later this week that I'll be attending and I will report back if there's different news.

Thanks for the information, it will be interesting to hear of any plans  ;D

I simply suggested possible sources of alternative rolling stock IF significant numbers of IETs are withdrawn. I see no propaganda in such a post.

At least you refrained from suggesting steam engine haulage on this particular occasion I suppose.