Transport for Wales Class 175! The Welsh Workhorse!
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- Опубліковано 26 гру 2021
- Today, we take a look at one of Wales' railway workhorses, in the form of this Transport for Wales Class 175 Alstom Coradia!
Date of Travel: May 2021
Class of Travel: Standard Class (2nd Class)
Rolling Stock: Class 175 Alstom Coradia 1000
Type of Service: Express Passenger
Operator: Transport for Wales Rail Limited
Train Number: 1V39
Origin: Manchester Piccadilly, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom (England)
Destination: Cardiff Central, United Kingdom (Wales)
Cost of Ticket: £16.50 ($21.90, €19.35; including railcard discount of ⅓)
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The 175 and 180 are probably the best of the post-BR trains. They were designed by ex-BR engineers. They got window spacing right (1.90) metres. The seating layout then just falls into place.
The Class 180 Adelante DMU's are loved by passengers as much as they are loathed by staff. With a First Class carriage and a Buffet they would be ideal units for the long rural branch line which meanders between the villages of Cardiff, Newport, Bristol, Bath, Salisbury, Southampton and Portsmouth. But GWR knows its market and dedicates slow, noisy and underpowered Thames Turbo units to this route, realising that it has no potential for business travel.
@@DaveSuperThomas There have been many attempts to resolve the 180 problems. They suffer from many niggles rather than one major flaw, and the faults are hard to pin down. The 30 class 458 units had similar troubles and that lost Alstom the SWR fleet replacement contract. I understand that Alstom engineers were put on the challenging task of commissioning the Pendolino fleet and the other new trains did not get their teething troubles fixed.
I had expected that the the ROSCOs would have gone in for locomotives and stock in push pull mode so as to maximise flexibility and create a sort of spot market. I also expected much higher use of refurbishment to get the most out of the BR legacy fleet. A lot of the mark one fleet went 15 years early and a lot of expensive serviceable components could have been recovered and reused.
Here in Sweden there is still a lot of stock running on B4-style bogies, and older stock is still giving good service in places like Bulgaria.
I guess that the newer generation of railway managers have got the idea that you change your trains like you change your mobile phones. The spread of female managers might be a factor. but the result is overcrowded trains with the seats crammed in. Also they are full of complex sub systems.
If there are not problems with corrosion or fatigue then trains should last about 50 years. I don't particularly like them but trains like the 365s are too new to be going for scrap if they do not have metal fatigue. I would have thought that they would be good for battery or hydrogen propulsion or as dual modes with generator cars.
The finances are distorted by artificially low interest rates and modern stock needs to be kept in warm storage, which means that it cannot be held in reserve for long.
Some HST power cars have gone to Europe and are working as pairs for freight haulage but the mainstream railways want new trains. The engineering on the newer trains here in Sweden is awful, same goes for trams. Too complicated and they give a rough ride, which also means that they bash up the track. The situation is better with freight though they are running freight trains too fast. At least they don't try to design freight trains for forecourt appeal.
@@ironmantrains As I understand it the 175 and 180 design was done by some of the former BREL team. The bay dimension was reduced from 2.1 to 1.90 metres which is why the seat bays align correctly. This change was brought in with the BREL International.
I am not sure if the very efficient Mark 3 construction system with joggled top hat section pillars was adopted. Do you have any information on this?
No surprise that they are well designed if BREL engineers helped with the design
Class 170 and 185 are great too
Certainly I've seen trains on this route be very full (and been on such a train) to the point of trying to avoid it.
Dylan, speaking of the toilet flush button being next to the door button, my dad was once on a train in England in the early 1990s where the toilet flush button was next to the button that stops the train in its tracks. Naturally after using the loo he pressed the wrong one and wouldn’t you know the train ground to a halt there and then. He sheepishly went back to his seat only to be confronted a few minutes later by the conductor who very politely leaned over him and said “sir, that was you wasn’t it that stopped this train.“ My dad looked up, smiled, and said “yes it was.“ The conductor, still leaning over him, smiled and said “don’t worry, happens all the time,” and walked off as the train picked up speed again. I guess some train manufacturers have not learned their lesson about button placement in the loos.
Hopefully one day someone will cover the rest of the journey from Cardiff, It would be nice to see life at the further reaches of the rail network & not just the main to medium routes👍
I've gotten on at Haverfordwest a couple times. Amazing sights to see. One of the many great things of travelling by train.
Yes would love to see route to Milford Haven 🤞
Been to Pembroke Dock year's ago on HST
I regularly get this train to and from Swansea, I quite enjoy the 4 hour journey.
Llanelli to carmarthen is amazing views
Love the little jingle before announcements - very of its age. They're such comfortable trains - just wish they were longer.
On the approach to Shrewsbury, you mentioned the building being the prison, unfortunately that isn’t HMP Shrewsbury but it is an incredibly important building, The Shrewsbury flax matting’s where the first building in the world to be built using iron girders and is technically a skyscraper! The likes of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building were built using the same methods as the Shrewsbury flax mill.
This. HMP Shrewsbury is basically next door to the railway station - if you're on Platform 7 you'll see the remains of the old prison platform.
Between Swansea and Cardiff these trains are exceptionally busy. I would always just wait for the GWR service.
5:37 love that chime!
Like many passengers on this route you mis- identified the flax mill as HMP Shrewsbury, which is actually at the top of a hill overlooking the station. The flax mill, or maltings as it's also called is indeed a restoration project , museum & art space, & was the worlds first iron-framed building, the fore-runner of all sky-scrapers
I remember the 175s being introduced in 2000 on my (then) local route through Bolton on First North Western's Manchester-Blackpool/Barrow/Windermere services - always thought they were decent, comfortable units.
As you arrive into Stockport from Manchester Piccadilly, you cross over Stockport Viaduct which used around 11 million bricks to construct it.
Doesn't it span the River Mersey, so beloved of Gerry Marsden and the Pacemakers?
@@DaveSuperThomas Yes, though it isn’t a ferry!😀. Stockport County is the nearest football ground to the Mersey.
One of your very best reports. The train looks comfortable enough but, more importantly, the journey crossed trough some absolutely beautiful landscapes. Spending three days in Manchester and then one each at Shrewsbury and Ludlow plus three further days down in Cardiff looks like a perfect plan to me. This is a superb line. Thank you
I always get anxious when I have to travel somewhere I haven't been before, so seeing your videos helps a lot. This way, I know what I can expect. Thank you!
Fideo da iawn! Llongyfarchiadau i ti, Dylan.
The Marches Line is my local line. I'm fond of it - great scenery and the 175s are as you describe: clean, quiet, smooth and comfortable.
My beefs with it are, again as you describe, the periods of overcrowding plus the irregular departure times, with sometimes an hour or more between trains.
If the new trains ease capacity and Trafnidiaeth Cymru could create a half-hour clockface timetable, it would be perfect.
I think you were lucky to be travelling on a quiet train in Covid-affected times. I've rarely seen one of these as empty, and I've caught them to Crewe en route to Liverpool and through to Manchester from Swansea a number of times. In fact one Crewe - Swansea trip was so dangerously overcrowded on a two coach they swapped all the passengers round with a northbound three coach at Shrewsbury. Nothing wrong with the trains, they just need longer ones!
See, now this route would be perfect for the Stadler FLIRT bi-modal trains, with the power generator car and pantograph. Running them on the OHLE lines up to Crewe, and diesel generators beyond.
That would make good sense, but I think the CAF units are destined for this route.
@@MervynPartin Correct, seems a weird choice IMO.
@@iman2341 Weird? I'd say it was the wrong choice, or a terrible choice, but not weird since 'suburbanisation' of long-distance routes has been going on for a while with the Turbostar family etc. I'm not too keen on the FLIRTs for, but bi-modal trains would make sense if buying new. In my view, procurement of new trains without at least passive provision for a pantograph should have been banned shortly before Northern ordered the class 195s.
Did this journey (only to Newport) the other day on a 153 and it was absolutely jam-packed. Train was delayed by an hour as well!
Wow! One of your very best video! The scenery is rather splendid, and the towns and cities architecture along the way is exquisite. Many thanks!
Ohh ! Lol. As soon as I wrote my previous post ,I saw 🌧 hitting the windows !! Lol. Then ,cleared ,again !! 😅👍
Like many passengers on this route you mis- identified the flax mill as HMP Shrewsbury, which is actually at the top of a hill overlooking the station (you can just see its chimney pots at 12:04). The flax mill, or maltings as it's also known is indeed a restoration project , museum & art space, & was the worlds first iron-framed building, the fore-runner of all sky-scrapers.
Nice video! Crewe’s my local station - the 175’s a nice train but I always sigh when I see it’s a 2-car unit as it’s always a toss-up whether you get a seat or not, 3-car’s better but 4 should be standard for this journey. The view outside Cardiff Central made me realise how long it’s been since I was there last - the BBC Wales headquarters wasn’t there the last time I was in Cardiff, and I think I was on a train of mark 1 coaches hauled by a class 33 loco that just ran between Crewe and Cardiff!
Good report. I have travelled on one of these trains in ATW days from Manchester to Conwy and it was fairly clean and comfortable, unlike a recent journey on an East Midlands 175
I have travelled on a 175 only once. It was from Bangor to Chester. It was a few years ago and my wife and I thought it a good train. It had obviously improved even more. Good video, Dylan.
Another enjoyable video Dylan, thank you. Do you think there is any possibility that you might review the Trans Siberian Express?
I was pleasantly surprised by the comfortable interior and layout of these Class 175 units. I managed to photograph one at Crewe in the earlier livery back on the big trip in September 2018, but wasn't able to peer inside as I was in transit with luggage at the time. Looks like you were lucky with good weather at each end of the journey, despite the downpour enroute. You were also lucky in that there was only a short period in which the service was crowded, but being a late morning/early afternoon run, I fear the limited capacity might be overrun at peak times. Thanks again for an interesting trip. Looking forward to what you have to offer for the final posting of 2021. Let's hope 2022 turns out much better than the last two years. Cheers from downunder in Melbourne.
Yes, you must definitely visit Ludlow - it is a lovely little town.
Isn't the poet E. A. Housman - author of "A Shropshire lad" - buried in Ludlow Churchyard, beneath a flowering Cherry tree? "Lovliest of trees, the Cherry now ....."
Fantastic video and Chanel that I’ve just found. Great content and options.
A cute ,clean train !! A very cool video !! Very real !! I felt like if I was on the train with you guys !! Loved it !!! I think you changed the camera approach ,or something ? Very nice video !! I'm looking forward to visit Cardiff in the very near future !! It seemed like you had a pretty day there ,too !! Very beautiful blue sky !!! 💙 👍👍💜🥁🐉🎤🎶🎄🚉🚈🍾🥂💞
What a trip down memory lane, I used to take this train as far as Newport weekly for a couple of years in 1998 - 2000. The trains sure look a lot smarter than they did back then :)
Awesome vlog yet again Dylan looking forward to seeing the next one
That statue outside of Manchester Station speaks volumes. That was a nice little journey. The price was a steal for sure. The train seemed nice enough. I would take it. The aisles did seem closer than usual. Also the wifi was slow & the doors between carriages moved like a turtle. Other than that it was a decent trip. Looking forward to your next video. Happy new year!!
well presented. thank you
The only time I get chance to use these trains is the brief hop from Manchester Airport to Picadilly.......and I absolutely love the seats - especially after three hours on a low cost airline! For me at least, they are the only truly 'comfortable' seats on any current train in the UK (well, haven't tried Lumo yet) They are well upholstered and well padded - but best of all, the backrest rake is at an angle that enables sleep without the head falling forward......have to make a conscious effort to stay awake on the 15 minute journey from the airport though! I also find the livery and interior colourings well designed - and far removed from the garish and meaningless swoops and fades of most British public transport!
That was one of the shorter trains you've been on, though it looked clean and comfortable. Nice the was the sky cleared up after being dark for a while. Happy New Year!
Great review Dylan, hope you had a lovely christmas
That was a lovely, low-key trip.
Very green, lots of good-sized hills, and crossed a lot of rivers, very pleasant indeed.
Brilliant video. Thanks for sharing 🏴👍
Some beautiful scenery along there!
I have a soft spot for these units from riding them in the Lake District back in 2004. Crowding was an issue even then, at least when the football was on in Manchester. Remember how purple the interior used to be?
Thanks for the video! It was a bit nostalgic for this Southern California girl who has spent a fair bit of time in Ludlow, Abergavenny, Cardiff, among other smaller places in England and Wales! Some of the views of the Shropshire Hills from the train were quite lovely! I am sorry the Castle in Ludlow wasn't really visible. You should visit. It is a lovely little town. Cheers!
I like class 175. Roomiest DMU. Rides well and plenty of toilets. Did have loads of problems when introduced particularly the doors.
Sometimes the toilets on 175s are faulty
TfW purchased ex Grand Central mark 4 sets to run between Manchester and S Wales, pulled by Class 67s like their Cardiff to Holyhead service. Not sure if there will be first class and a buffet car but probably a better choice than using 197s for such a long journey. I believe the estimated date for the replacement is Dec 2022.
they appear to have a buffet from what i’ve seen
Unfortunately there are not nearly enough mark 4 sets incoming to cover all the long-distance routes (and the mark 4s can't even work on the Cambrian lines at all) so TfW are going to have to either keep the class 158s and 175s or introduce the awful 197s on long journeys.
Having recently travelled to Cardiff from Cheshire, including a change at Birmingham, I have to say I'd far prefer your experience of the 175s than what I endured. Overcrowding, thy name is Cross Country Trains.
Another good report & GVFM for the price of the fare paid! 😊👍
Great Video . Loved it all . thanks
As Alstom manufactured the Class 175 Coradia DMU. And Transport for Wales are replacing the current rolling stocks including the Class 175 with the Class 197 Civity and Stadler Class 398 Citylink and Class 231 and Class 756 Flirts which are to begin entering service in couple years time.
Maybe TfW should keep some of the Class 175s and the rest to go elsewhere or to be stored. And also GLovesTrains likes the Class 175 in former Arriva Trains Wales livery.
I too have done the Manchester - Cardiff route and in terms of scenery enroute found it so diverse, from industrial and cosmopolitan Manchester to Stockport and then the Cheshire plains to Crewe and the onward sylvanian Cheshire/Shropshire countryside. It all goes a bit down hill entering Newport because of the silt banks of the River Usk. Your video captured it all! Maybe try the Chester/Wrexham/Shrewsbury/Cardiff route sometime? Great scenery and viaducts!
good review Dylan ,disgrace any train on this route should be a three car unit
I love this journey and always look forward to it if I get the chance as the scenery is amazing. 2nd only to the Shrewsbury -> Aberystwyth line.
It was interesting to see Cardiff Central. I lived in Cardiff for a few of years in the late 80s. The platforms were very familiar. The area around (what I think of as the bus station) not so much.
Convenient time for me
Nice video, Dylan. I've been to Britain twice in my 74 years, and I've always thought that Canterbury and Bath were absolutely charming.
Time spent in Oxford is never wasted.
Did this journey myself back in May so I could have one last ride on a Pacer, 175s are perfect for long distance routes and very nice to travel on no matter what route they are on even if the 2 car units can get packed easily.
Absolut interessantes Video, danke dafür.
You are my role model! As a 10 year old boy who loves trains, you are someone I look up to!
Brilliant video Dylan mate
Thanks!
Very good video Dylan. You need to do the full journey. These trains also run as far as Carmarthen if you didn’t want to do the full 6 hour journey. There are new class 197s coming into service at the end of the year so maybe you could do a review on them and come to Llanelli! We also have the South Wales Metro currently being constructed and is due to be completed by 2024. The at seat catering has returned and is also now contactless. I have connected to the WI-FI on multiple occasions while travelling on these trains and it’s always of good standard. I have to say that you got really lucky in this particular day as these trains can get VERY! busy.
As always a very good video indeed and I’m happy that you caught Llanelli in the on board announcements made by Ruth (yes she has a name😂)
Yes definitely go to Ludlow, it's a lovely place. Surprised that you didn't show Ludlow Racecourse which is right beside the railway line about 2 miles outside Ludlow on the approach from Church Stretton. Also if you are interested in closed stations then there are a few on the route between Shrewsbury and Hereford where former station buildings still stand beside the line.
Great video I think overcrowding on TFW Is a common theme the service from Birmingham New Street operated by 158s has exsactly the same issue and its only a 2/3 car service
TFW 158s are 2 carriages tho not 3 like some companies of 158s are so on Birmingham to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli they are 4 carriages unless sometimes there 2 then you need to change in Machynlleth and for Birmingham to holyhead they are Birmingham 4 carriages to Shrewsbury with the back 158 goes back to Birmingham with the train from North Wales but sometimes they do keep the 4 carriage 158 to holyhead or Llandudno Junction but saying that they do put a 153 with 158 from Chester to holyhead. I hope I made sense
@@SionsTrainVideos that is what I meant it starts as 4 and spilts en route but during the hight of the summer peak you are very lucky to get a seat by the time it leaves new street
@@shaneD7378 must be a very busy service then ,it dosnet make sense coz you also get west Midlands railway to Shrewsbury even tho it stops in lots of stations and TfW don't
Transport for Wales announcement chime is such a treat to hear, better than the Pacific Surfliner chime here in the States!
Choo choo! I'm a train and I approve this video!!!!
Nice video . Thanks
Great video,
These are my local trains and they are Beautiful!!
4 carriage minimum seems necessary on this run.
Passing through ancestral lands.
Hiya Dylan great as per 👏 But I think you forgot to mention the Crewe Heritage Centre 🤔
Another great video Dylan (and not just because im a Shrewsbury lad). Unfortunately you mistook what you thought was the old prison but was in fact the old Ditherinton flaxmill maltings, which if you dont mind the boast, was one of histories first buildings to be built using an iron frame and first to be classed as a skyscrapper. You woulnt know it but you would be right next door to the prison if youre on platform 7. You dont see it cos of a massive brick wall
Normally an extremely busy service from Crewe to Cardiff. I heard they were putting on longer trains including first class from December 2022. I may be wrong.
Transport For Wales 🏴 Class 175
The 175s are possibly the best trains in the UK, however they are often overcrowded. I wish there were 4 or 5 carriage 175s instead.
197s should be 4s and maybe 5s because there is more of them to do combos
Five-car Coradia DMU's do exist. They are called Class 180 Adelantes and have First Class accommodation plus a Buffet.
@@SionsTrainVideos yeah, hopefully more double sets
@@DaveSuperThomas yeah, they're more suited towards intercity instead of regional, I am a fan of the 180s aswell
@@AwesomeAd64 yeah should be because like I said more units. They only have 27 175s
The Welsh cattle truck try travelling on the route often rammed full from Cardiff to Newport was waiting at Newport for the train e cross keys last week the Manchester service left before the cross keys service 2car 175 was full standing t r w are awful with so many cancellation of services a test of endurance when a 150 appears on the Manchester service
It's cool you have done my railway I live in Ludlow. I think our routes have the entire fleet of class 175.
They run between Chester and Manchester Airport as well!
The six times I have been from Cardiff Central to Piccadilly my train was always overcrowded always delayed I was standing for ages and when I wanted to go to the other side of train I couldn’t make it as it was that full. But I like the trains
I’ve had the “pleasure “ of being a paying customer regularly from Cardiff to Manchester. It’s a truly awful service. Frequently overcrowded due to only 2 or 3 coach’s being used , when it needs at least 4. I absolutely hate it .
Damned right 121zoso! Travelled on a horrible 2 coach TfW at the height of Covid restrictions, for a funeral! Manchester to Cardiff. Train rammed. Nice "virtue signalling" by company, with signs saying "keep apart", and back seats blocked! What a farce. Arrived at Crewe, train already full, but PA says "Please move down the carriage, customers waiting to board" FFS, this was the height of the pandemic! What a bunch of Charlatans. If you can avoid this company, do so. Love to all train lovers. But not TfW.
This train company is awful the service on my local line to ebbw vale is often late or cancelled very frequently the trains are clapped out ex Anglia class 170 units that need a good refurbishment
Not sure if it is still there, as it’s been a while since I travelled up there, but just south of Stockport station was a house decked out with signs and semaphore signals in the garden. Think it may be after you diverted off towards Crewe, but always raised s smile from me, when on the main line. Interested if it is still there.
Fun fact: Hereford is the only railway station outside of Wales with signs in Welsh.
Didn't know that!
Great trip. Big out of topics, I'm curious between Etihad and Old Trafford, who is closer to Manchester Piccadilly?
Excellent 👍👍👍 bro
At 5'3", I find that if I'm cramped when it comes to leg room, that's a real bad sign, usually on an airline 🙂
Excited for this I am
I guess you're Welsh !!? Lol.Or just an emphasis. 👍💜🥁🐉🎤🎶🎄🚉🍾🥂💞
@@spark_6710 nah just excited for new vid
@@ryanmk2317 Lol. K. Either way,good !! 😆💜🥁🐉🎤🎶🎄🚉🚈🍾🥂💞
Great trip report, thank you.
Mmm, replace perfectly good two car 175 units with two car units!
Muito lindo 🚆 trem Dylans feliz ano novo ai
Dylan, was there any food service on this train? By the another great video...:):):)
As I live in ludlow very familiar to me
good video lol 1V39 is always a 2 car sometimes they put a sprinter on it sometimes, i much like them more the 3 cars although the 2 cars do look cute on 175s,170s, im looking forward on the 197s they made more themthen 175s so they should be able to put 4 car or maybe 5 carriages. i know 175s are good units made i prefer sprinters but 158s the most
No way! These are my local trains and I was just thinking someone should review them.
personally love the 175's although like anything thats getting replaced seems little things are getting overlooked as much as possible to save the £££ as for 2 car trains for such a long journey its beyond a joke if im honest
That must be why Transport for Wales is planning to introduce Mark 4 carriages with First Class seating (and a Restaurant Car serving breakfast, lunch and dinner) on the "North and West" travel corridor between Swansea and Manchester. Just as soon as the locomotive and the driving van trailer can be persuaded to talk to one another!
This train is so good! I've took it 5 years ago from Swansea to Bettws...I think? It was crazy 😋
Also love your commentary here
I live in between Crewe and Shrewsbury They have very intresting patterns of trains Normally the Milford Haven stop at my local station of Whitchurch but some just bypass it. Like Most express services stop but a rare few bypass it. Its a great video for my mainline. Class 175 for us are Express services but ur very lucky to not get a slow class 150 which runs on that route. for all stoppers on the Crewe to Shrewsbury Line Its a 1 car 153 which gets rammed most of the time. I prefer the class 175 for long distances express to manchester or south cause its a lot quicker and a lot more comforable and about overcrowding on those trains another overcrowded place would be Between Crewe and Shrewsbury calling at Nanwitch and Whitchurch then express to Shrewsbury would be very busy.
Class 158 run on this line aswell they are great trains to travel on.
Hi Dylan. Seems all good to me apart from that dreadful vibration noise of the motor.
Cheers, Bob
Dear Dylan, It would be great if you bought a laser rangefinder. It will be very convenient for you to measure something during your reports. These can be seat sizes, aisle widths, etc. Nobody does that. You will be the first! You will be special!
ive been to Manchester Piccadilly
I,m a big fan of the 175,s having traveled on them a lot over the last twelve month,s recently to Chirk and before that to Ludlow which is a very nice town well worth a visit and I reckon one of the best Markets in the country apparently the locals do proclaim to be posh that,s what they write on there T shirts Jokingly if they live there
I found these to have one of the most comfortable seats on the network today. They have also fitted the same seats to some refurbished class 150's. If the Welsh can have comfortable seats, why can't the rest of us? But over-crowding on two coach trains is a real problem.
All of the seats in First Class on South Western Railway's Class 444 EMU's and Class 159 DMU's used to be very comfortable and, what's more, were laid out in 2+1 format across the aisle. Now, in an effort to persuade more passengers to buy Weekend First supplements on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, SWR is replacing the comfortable 2+1 seats with uncomfortable 2+2 seats. I'm sure that it will work wonders for their revenue stream over the remaining lifetime of these units.
I so agree with you! Seats with proper rake and padding to enable sleep without the head falling forward. From being someone who always enjoyed rail, travel I now dread it due to the uncomfortable seats found on most operators coaches.
@@robertp.wainman4094, this particular rail company needs to invest in double-deck passenger cars if it's going to do this.
I've never seen a 150 with the same seats as a 175; only the 180s have the same seats as far as I know.
Sadly it seems the Welsh aren't allowed comfortable seats either. When KeolisAmey won the franchise back in 2018 they promised that the 175s (and the 24 TfW class 158s, which also have nice seats) would be sent off-lease and replaced by brand new class 197s with ironing board seats. When the government-owned body TfW found out about this, they paid KeolisAmey extra to 'upgrade' the seats on the new trains but instead of choosing nice seats the 'upgrade' is just replacing the 'ironing boards' originally planned with the similarly unpopular 'interogation centre seats' found on the Hitachi class 800/801/802 trains. That's far from the only problem with the new 197s, compared to 175s the new trains also have less tables, less legroom, less toilets, no interior vestible doors and smaller luggage stacks. The only things you gain on a 197 are unit-end gangways appear to be (these being about the only good thing I have to say about the 197s) standing room and draughts from outside whenever anyone opens the exterior doors.
By buying new diesel trains, TfW have also pushed back the date of efficient rail decarbonisation (ie. removal of diesel trains when they are due for retirement rather than with many years life left in them) by many years.
I find the Class 175's to be the most comfortable DMU's on the network. Some of the newer additions to the DMU rolling stock are so dreadfully uncomfortable. Good on Transport for Wales who have cancelled the specification of Fainsa Comrail ironing board seats for their new class 197's, and replacing them with the slightly more comfortable Fainsa Sophia seats.
I use this route a lot. You were lucky to get a 175. TfW are using 2-coach 150s on these 6 hour journeys! They obviously care nothing for the comfort of their passengers. Also, at busy times even in a 175, 2 coaches is just ridiculous for that route. Often it's standing room only. Some of the 175s are getting very tired. Roof leaks in the rain, and fogged-up double glazing in the windows is not unusual.
Please can you do the Aire Valley line Northern Leeds to Skipton or Bradford Foster Square to Skipton
I have been on these trains
The Welsh Workhorse is a great way to phrase that! 🤣 It is true though, i was curious as to why the 175s are being replaced, and someone told me on a different video that because of the class 175s very high mileage they are worn out quickly and almost have as high a mileage of the class 150s which are much older. So thanks to whoever told me that, and it is a shame they are being replaced, especially after having a refurb! Just hope the 197s are up to the job, and provide increased capacity for those busy lines... Great video :) just finished watching
TFWr are also introducing Class 67 + Mk.3 coaching sets for services between Manchester and Swansea as a more intercity style service starting in December 2022, should help take the strain of the 197's when they arrive!
@@jamesmorten6571 thats good, I didn't know about that. They should still retain the 175s as spares to use during busy times as the 197s will probably provide little or no increased capacity, but hopefully the new service will. Shame to see those 175s leave though :(