It's a shame that TransPennine Express did not get rid of the class 68/mark 5 sooner as these would have been perfect for TfW instead of the older class 67/mark 4 as well as not requiring a non passenger carrying driving trailer. This would also allow for more services to be operated by loco hauled sets meaning class 197 operated services could also be doubled up on more services.
Once all the new trains are in service TfW will have one of the most improved train fleets of any operator with all the new trains offering improvements over the older trains especially the 150 and 153. The use of more Mark 4 of the Manchester to Cardiff route is great as this is a long distance route that now gets an improvement in capacity and comfort and first class offering. I do think a few more 197 should have been ordered to allow all the 153 to be withdrawn as it does not makes sense that only a few 153 are to be kept just for the Heart of Wales when a few more 197 could be ordered, this is even more frustrating as the Heart of Wales is a nice route but the 153 have fairly poor views due to the height of the windows.
Problem is with both the 197s and the 158s on the HOW line is clearance so I understand. You do fear for the future of that line as they have tried various options and only 40 yr old sprinters seem to be suitable
I hope they fit some 3 carriage class 197 with equipment for Aberystwyth/Pwllheli as otherwise there will be a drop in seating and toilet capacity for what are very popular fairly long routes in the summer as this would allow 6 carriages to Machynlleth where 3 each could go to each destination at busy times.
They won’t, a 2 car 158 only just fits in some platforms on the Cambrian line, they use the middle doors only so idk how there going to do that when the 197s arrive And a lot of the platforms have land rises up for the middle doors too
Apparnetly TfW are getting ex-Northern 153s to be converted into Bicyle spaces like ScotRail have done with the West Higland Line, these will be used on the Heart of Wales line. Unknown how many TfW will get I assume its the remaining ones.
With the Class 153 and Class 158 they should go to Northern or GWR. And the Class 175 cascaded to ScotRail or Northern. And the remaining Class 170 cascaded to EMR.
It's a shame that TransPennine Express did not get rid of the class 68/mark 5 sooner as these would have been perfect for TfW instead of the older class 67/mark 4 as well as not requiring a non passenger carrying driving trailer. This would also allow for more services to be operated by loco hauled sets meaning class 197 operated services could also be doubled up on more services.
Once all the new trains are in service TfW will have one of the most improved train fleets of any operator with all the new trains offering improvements over the older trains especially the 150 and 153.
The use of more Mark 4 of the Manchester to Cardiff route is great as this is a long distance route that now gets an improvement in capacity and comfort and first class offering.
I do think a few more 197 should have been ordered to allow all the 153 to be withdrawn as it does not makes sense that only a few 153 are to be kept just for the Heart of Wales when a few more 197 could be ordered, this is even more frustrating as the Heart of Wales is a nice route but the 153 have fairly poor views due to the height of the windows.
Idk why they just used the 158s to run that line
There so much better then 153s
Problem is with both the 197s and the 158s on the HOW line is clearance so I understand. You do fear for the future of that line as they have tried various options and only 40 yr old sprinters seem to be suitable
well recently the 153s are being modified to become 153/5s
I hope they fit some 3 carriage class 197 with equipment for Aberystwyth/Pwllheli as otherwise there will be a drop in seating and toilet capacity for what are very popular fairly long routes in the summer as this would allow 6 carriages to Machynlleth where 3 each could go to each destination at busy times.
They won’t, a 2 car 158 only just fits in some platforms on the Cambrian line, they use the middle doors only so idk how there going to do that when the 197s arrive
And a lot of the platforms have land rises up for the middle doors too
Apparnetly TfW are getting ex-Northern 153s to be converted into Bicyle spaces like ScotRail have done with the West Higland Line, these will be used on the Heart of Wales line. Unknown how many TfW will get I assume its the remaining ones.
With the Class 153 and Class 158 they should go to Northern or GWR. And the Class 175 cascaded to ScotRail or Northern. And the remaining Class 170 cascaded to EMR.
What about the Cambrian coast class 37's?
Network rail own them they are nothing to do with TfW
What was 37 used for
In 2019/2020 Transport for Wales used class 37 hauling Mark 2 carriages on a limited number of Rhymney services.