Chiltern Railways unveils refurbished Class 168

[@benjibatch]

I love how he basically said we’re the back up for GWR and Avanti/LNWR when things go tits up!

[@TheHoveHeretic]

A better option than Sussex has when the Brighton Line does that. Add an hour for a guided tour of the Arun Valley and Nohampton.

[@sierraalphaalphabravo9705]

Travelled on 168003 last night - didn't realise it was a brand-new refurb since I live on a diet of 165s in my neck of the woods, usually. Very comfortable seats, power sockets to burn and a really fresh feel. Kudos!

[@ZaphodHarkonnen]

Nice to see they involved the cleaners on adjustments for the refurb. Seemingly little things like that make a huge difference on the long term feel of the equipment for passengers and crew.

[@PigletTube]

Nice to see a new modern life for the class 168

[@lnwrtrainspotter]

Great to hear these trains are getting a nice refurb, also glad to hear that the 165s will be getting a light refurbishment. I know they are older and won't be around as long so I can understand why they haven't been fully reburnished but some new seat covers and carpets would go a long way.

[@Andrewjg_89]

Nice to see you doing refurbishment on the Class 168 Clubman DMUs.

[@clivebroadhead4381]

It's supprising the Chilltern Line hasn't already been electrified like the other London lines.

[@markcf83]

Forty years ago Marylebone was booked to be shut. The transformation of the Chiltern line is quite astonishing.

[@nathanw9770]

Savour the moment while it lasts, because when this line does get electrified it's IEP's and Aventra's again 😭.

[@Trainguy001]

I saw this train a few weeks ago at Aylesbury depot

[@oopsallluke]

when i lived out in bucks the problem was there being any space to even get on one of those 3 carriage trains, so unless they increased capacity i’m sure some will struggle to even see the aesthetic changes

[@TransportGeekery]

Interior feels quite Scotrail

[@alfiehnotts]

Think the ex-tpe mk5 sets would make sense, given they also use 68s and are barely 5 years old

[@berillyispog]

They said they were considering it so it could happen

[@aldertravels]

That would make my travels so much more enjoyable! (also omg hello there!)

[@cam43002]

Mk5s are crap

[@antigod8385]

@@aldertravelsit wouldnt mk5s are awful, ride quality is abhorrent and seats & build quality is really not good

[@spottymaxy1628]

The reliability…. Also, the interior comfort would be a HUGE downgrade

[@AFCManUk]

Great stuff,,,AND 2 + 2 seating, always better than 3+2. Now, PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE refurbish the tired old Class 165's on the Aylesbury-Marylebone routes!

[@axethepenguin]

They are really horrible they make me not like Chiltern 😅

[@AFCManUk]

@@axethepenguin Same, but I have no other choice but to use them when I want to go to London. Need more locals to complain to the council and local MP.

[@petersmith4455]

yes, but you can't beat the old cl 117's for an exciting ride and see the road ahead

[@laycock1504]

It may help if engines was switched off at stations when waiting time.

[@AFCManUk]

It'd help even more if the whole line was 3rd Rail electrified. Would have access to a wide range of better rolling stock, and faster journey times, to allow real competition and a proper alternative to the WCML.

[@Greggs30806]

​​@@AFCManUkIf/when they start electrification of the Chiltern mainline. They will realistically use AC overhead wires. I very much doubt they'll upgrade the mainline with 3rd rail electrification.

[@AFCManUk]

@@Greggs30806 To be fair, I was only thinking about the Chiltern Line between Aylesbury and Marylebone. It makes more sense to be 3rd rail on that line as, for the majority of it, it is shared with London Underground tracks and would only need the 3rd rails extended from Amersham to Aylesbury Vale Parkway and the small stretch of track between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Marylebone itself. Granted, the Chiltern Mainline between Marylebone and Birmingham could be AC overhead, but makes more financial sense to be 3rd rail on the local line, where it only needs extending from existing LUL tracks.

[@mdhazeldine]

​@@AFCManUkNew 3rd rail is basically banned now. Hence why the North Downs and Reading to Basingstoke lines are still diesel even though they're surrounded by 3rd rail. Those lines will probably go battery eventually.

[@AFCManUk]

@@mdhazeldine Really? Banned? What on earth for?

[@Legofunboy1]

I saw this train the other day

[@DFandV]

I sat on it. Twice, although the second time I had to stand until Dorridge.

[@DigitalDiabloUK]

Nice to see them not absolutely coated in bugs on the driving cab 😂

[@TheHoveHeretic]

The decline in insect numbers is alarming.

[@markcf83]

Looks quite good to be fair. Hopefully there'll be looked after by the passengers who use them.

[@stevem-h3562]

Given that the owners have been taking more out of the franchise rather than putting anything in for a long time, its not exactly a high bar to cross to make it a "significant investment". Just glad its an investment at all.

[@CarlSmith-bs4qx]

@@stevem-h3562 This is a late 80s DMU design based on the 165 of a production run in the early 90s. Hardly modern.

[@Harrythepot]

The CR fleet needs a total upgrade. I have been using CR for about 21 years with the same rolling stock.

[@spottymaxy1628]

Besides capacity issues, they aren’t too bad, at least compared to other TOC’s rolling stock. The 165 is certainly crap though

[@Trainman10715]

@@spottymaxy1628 i wouldnt define being the most reliable train in their fleet as crap

[@spottymaxy1628]

@@Trainman10715 their interiors could certianrly do with some work

[@Mgameing123]

@@Trainman10715 Go ride a 2 car 165 at peak time on the Amersham line and enjoy the 2+3 seating layout if your lucky enough to get a seat.

[@oliverstemp9132]

165s getting a ‘light touch refurbishment’? They are the ones that need the work the most. The 168s were already OK. 😂

[@oliverstemp9132]

@@dave1985uk because the 165 replacement is so far away…

[@jck_crwthrmtb9413]

​@@oliverstemp9132do you know what the class 165s will get replaced with?

[@oliverstemp9132]

@@jck_crwthrmtb9413 nope

[@Trainman10715]

@@dave1985uk they're not getting replaced, the tender for their replacement was cancelled, hence why Chiltern are moving on to refurbishing the 165s once the 168s are done

[@Anonymoususer_8823]

Maybe Chiltern Railways should let the Class 168s go to East-West Rail and to be used on Oxford-Bedford-Cambridge route. The Class 168 does look identical to the Class 170 except some that look like Class 165 & Class 166 that are used on GWR.

[@clivebroadhead4381]

Great to see these diesel trains getting refurbished. I trust they will be cascaded to the North of Scotland when the Chiltern Line is eventually electrified.

[@trainspotterlive2133]

There are a load of mk5 coaches in store so use them to replace the mk3

[@Trainman10715]

too many issues

[@JoseWhon]

Why haven't Chiltern decarbonised AT ALL since their formation in 1996?..

[@Tsass0]

Nice Clubman

[@CarlSmith-bs4qx]

A tired 20 plus year old train is refurbished, hardly the grand affair it is made out to be.

[@Trainman10715]

theyre far from tired though

[@CarlSmith-bs4qx]

​@@Trainman10715 appreciate the MTU prime movers are swapped with refurbished ones every few years but the Voith units sound worn. Certainly feels its age in my opinion.

[@Trainman10715]

@@CarlSmith-bs4qx so the transmissions can simply be replaced, there's nothing a modern dmu can do that a class 168 can't, replacing worn parts is what maintenance is for

[@WildWildWeasel]

Continuing ro refurb ancient networker stock will surely backfire soon

[@RobertBlack-m8u]

Use the former trans Pennine Mark five stock! The refurbished 168 looks great!

[@Trainman10715]

too many problems with them

[@neilpearson157]

Is it my imagination or are the seats in line with the windows? If you want to see how NOT to do that then travel on the Greater Anglia 720's.

[@trainspotterlive2133]

Don’t touch moor street

[@petershillito]

"Our partners at Porterbrook" you mean the train landlords sucking money away like the leeches they are?

[@bfcmik]

Love how Chiltern are bigging up their £12.5 million spend given that they haven't spent a single pound on upgrading anything in the 29 years they have held the franchise. Whoops, I am mistaken, it is only 8 years since the last Chiltern investment according to this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGXFeKatYrOVacksi=JurpR0Jd6OagFEIJ

[@ColinGarner-h1t]

If only the seats were people shaped !

[@TheHoveHeretic]

As opposed to people who are sofa shaped?

[@ELiJah_PRaYed]

Please get the ex nova 3 sets from TransPennine since they don't even want them anymore

[@Trainman10715]

too many issues with them

[@oscarfeatherstone6688]

Sorry chiltern, you're getting nationalised.