procurement of the new fleet, purpose-built facilities were established to service it at Chester TMD. This new depot was capable of refuelling, cleaning, washing, and performing general maintenance works for the whole Class 175 fleet. The trains underwent low speed testing at the Severn Valley Railway prior to additional testing and driver training being conducted at the Old Dalby Test Track from November 1999. The first Class 175 entered revenue service on 20 June 2000. Description The Class 175 is a long distance diesel multiple-unit (DMU) that was built in either two-carriage or three-carriage configurations. The two-carriage units are numbered 175001–175011, while the three-carriage units 175101–175116. The individual carriages are labelled as coaches A–B–C, with the two-car units lacking a coach B. The interiors were built to a bespoke design specified by the initial operator, North Western Trains. Various amenities are incorporated into the train. A relatively novel feature at the time was the presence of airline-style at-seat entertainment systems at some seats that enabled passengers with headphones to listen to radio and recorded audio tracks. Various noise-dampening measures were incorporated, such as a floating floor, acoustic ceiling panels, and high levels of insulation, to produce a relatively quiet interior; a low-noise air conditioning system was also fitted. The Class 175 is furnished with a passenger information system, consisting of onboard LED display and audio announcements that communicate both the destinations and arrivals. Each Class 175 has provisions to accommodate two disabled passengers in coach A, as well as for the storage for two bicycles in coach C. The exterior of the Class 175 has been designed for improved aerodynamics over preceding rolling stock; it is equipped with a skirted underside and has been shaped to minimise exterior noise. Its launch operator stated that the train possessed both reduced drag and improved fuel efficiency over its existing rolling stock. The suspension system involved a dual air-and-spring arrangement that has been claimed to provide a smoother ride than the British Rail Class 465. Operations The Class 175 fleet was initially operated by First North Western (FNW), which placed them on routes serving Birmingham New Street, Crewe and Manchester to Llandudno, Holyhead, Barrow and Windermere. The type quickly displaced the elderly rolling stock that had been used on these routes, such as locomotive-hauled rakes of British Railways Mark 1 carriages. Early operations of the Class 175 were troubled by low unit availability