Great Western Railway (GWR) has implemented itinerary reductions starting Monday, September 7, 2026, affecting some weekday and Saturday services between Penzance, Plymouth, and Exeter. Six train cancellations are planned on weekdays with fewer on Saturdays along these Devon and Cornwall routes.
Class 175 Fleet Reliability Challenges
The timetable changes respond to ongoing operational difficulties linked to GWR’s fleet of second-hand Class 175 trains. A total of 26 units are due for delivery, but as of now only 15 have arrived. Of these, only one or two have operated reliably on any given day. The trains were sourced to replace ageing high-speed stock on regional stopping
services.
GWR stated that the delivered trains have “required a higher level of recommissioning work than expected following a prolonged period in storage and out of service.” Technical faults have caused frequent last-minute cancellations and delays, contributing to poor punctuality and service consistency on routes in Devon and Cornwall.
Operator Response and Technical Review
In a note to stakeholders, GWR acknowledged the unsatisfactory performance, admission reinforced by: “There have been too many cancellations and delays, and customers and colleagues are rightly frustrated.” To mitigate the disruption, the operator has removed some services from sale without prior public announcement.
A joint investigative team including GWR, Angel
Trains—which owns the train fleet—and the original manufacturer Alstom has been formed. This team will conduct a thorough forensic review of reported defects using new and existing data to understand fault causes and to improve maintenance and repair procedures.
GWR said it plans to restore the withdrawn services “as soon as possible” once reliability improves.
Impact on Passengers and Service Certainty
Passengers travelling on the cancelled services between Penzance, Plymouth, and Exeter from September 7 will neither find those trains available for booking nor be eligible for delay repay compensation if affected. The planned reductions aim to provide a more predictable timetable and to minimize the
frequent short-notice cancellations experienced recently.
By reducing six weekday services and several on Saturdays, GWR intends to protect capacity and reliability for the remainder of its Devon and Cornwall network.
Context within British Railways
The timetable adjustments come as Great Western Railway prepares for nationalisation later in 2026. Similar fleet reliability issues have recently affected other UK operators, such as East Midlands Railway following the introduction of new Hitachi trains on routes serving London St Pancras, Nottingham, and Sheffield.
