Great Western Coffee Shop

When are the Class 165 and 166's coming to the south-west. It was mentioned in Department of transport July 2009. I was wondering were they would be deployed to and are they replacing any units?

Class 165s/166s are not cleared west of Bristol/Castle Cary and in any case none are likely to be displaced until London to Bristol electrification is complete.  The 165s/166s may then be cascaded onto the Cardiff to Portsmouth route.

Interesting - have Turbo's ever run west of Bedwyn in service?

However the cascading works I hope pacers are banished from the southwest sooner rather than later. The Turbo's would need a significant refurb before being used on Cardiff - Portsmouth services as they aren't very comfortable for journeys over an hour (see the Cotswold line threads!).

Are there likely to be any problems getting them cleared for other routes? I heard they are a bit wider than sprinters to make the most of the more generous GW loading guage.

I understand that the platforms at Trowbridge are too close to the rails for them, and that there may be issues at Avoncliff and Dundas.   I also wonder about the Southampton tunnel that 153s are not allowed to pass through. 

The 165/6's will not be cascaded until at least Crossrail is completed and then it will only be a few sets, even after the electrification to Oxford and Newbury quite a number of 165/6 will be retained in the TV for the branches, Guildford / Gatwick, Bedwins etc.   You are looking at 2017 at the earliest

Gauge clearance for Class 165/166 units at various locations to enable deployment of this rolling stock on Cardiff to Portsmouth and Westbury to Weymouth services is listed as a Network Rail Discretionary Fund CP4 candidate scheme in the current Wessex Route Plan, with a projected implementation date of 2009-2014.

It should be noted though, that the current Route Plan is dated 31 March 09, which is pre-Electrification announcement and also pre-RUS publication.

Years ago pre-privatisation there was one a day from Westbury to Paddington.  Up in the morning and returning in the evening.

I believe they are cleared to go via Trowbridge