Transport for Wales Class 231 / 756 Stadler FLIRTs

[norbitonflyer]

I'm not sure which you're referring to, as both the 231 and the 769 have the traction motors in a separate car (driving cars for 231, one of the middle cars in the 769) to the diesel engines (centre car for 231, driving cars for 769).

I meant the 769 - which I found particularly strange as I used to regularly commute on them as 319s.

Of course the same is true of the 231, but the electric motors seemed much quieter on that.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Do the 170s count as metro units? Do they have aircon

170s are air-conditioned, yes.

 

[CapitalStar378]

Is 756 001 still the only 756 to be delivered to TfW? Anyone know when more are due?

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Quoted diagram is repeated several times throughout this chat…
Just so you know, 007 has been out most of last week but it was 001 today.

Thank you

 

[Rhydgaled]

Do the 170s count as metro units? Do they have aircon

Personally I would have thought they were (since Maesteg, Cheltenham and Ebbw Vale feel like they should be Metro to me) and yet the 231s (ordered to work the same routes that the 170s have been doing) are not branded Metro and therefore give me the impression that they fall outside the official view of 'Metro' as far as rail is concerned.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Is 756 001 still the only 756 to be delivered to TfW? Anyone know when more are due?

Yes it is. I doubt more will be delivered soon as electrification is still limited.

 

[Dai Corner]

Personally I would have thought they were (since Maesteg, Cheltenham and Ebbw Vale feel like they should be Metro to me) and yet the 231s (ordered to work the same routes that the 170s have been doing) are not branded Metro and therefore give me the impression that they fall outside the official view of 'Metro' as far as rail is concerned.

I wonder what passengers at Gloucester would make of their train for Cheltenham being branded 'South Wales Metro'?

 

[Pete_uk]

I'm sure they will understand given where the trains go to and from.

 

[Anonymous10]

I'm sure they will understand given where the trains go to and from.

Or just brand them metro with no south wales

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

231010 on the usual FLIRT diagram today.

 

[MikePJ]

I wonder what passengers at Gloucester would make of their train for Cheltenham being branded 'South Wales Metro'?

I think TfW have a nuanced take on this. The Metro brand is being used very strongly within Wales, and includes rail, bus, active travel (walking/cycling) and also fare integration. The last part is important because TfW have jurisdiction to impose standardised fares within Wales, but obviously can't do that in England. The Maesteg-Cheltenham services are part of that Metro service whilst they are in Wales, but since they also travel a long way into England they have chosen not to brand the 231 trains with big Metro logos. Wheras the 756s will work exclusively within Wales and are thus getting the Metro brand.

 

[markymark2000]

Am I right in thinking that there is no Saturday diagram for the 231?

 

[MikePJ]

Am I right in thinking that there is no Saturday diagram for the 231?

There wasn't last weekend.

 

[AdamWW]

I think TfW have a nuanced take on this. The Metro brand is being used very strongly within Wales, and includes rail, bus, active travel (walking/cycling) and also fare integration. The last part is important because TfW have jurisdiction to impose standardised fares within Wales, but obviously can't do that in England. The Maesteg-Cheltenham services are part of that Metro service whilst they are in Wales, but since they also travel a long way into England they have chosen not to brand the 231 trains with big Metro logos. Wheras the 756s will work exclusively within Wales and are thus getting the Metro brand.

And - for the record, the branding seems to be ">>>Metro" in large letters, not "South Wales Metro"

 

[Energy]

And - for the record, the branding seems to be ">>>Metro" in large letters, not "South Wales Metro"

It gets referred to as the South Wales Metro as well. >>>Metro is fine on the side of the trains, I'm sure most passengers have figured out that they are in South Wales by then!

 

[AdamWW]

It gets referred to as the South Wales Metro as well. >>>Metro is fine on the side of the trains, I'm sure most passengers have figured out that they are in South Wales by then!

Oh it certainly does, but the post I quoted was replying to the suggestion that a hypothetical passenger in Gloucester might be offended by seeing "South Wales Metro" scrawled on the side of their train for Cheltenham. As pointed out, the 231's don't say Metro on the side, but if they did it would presumably be just that, and not South Wales Metro.

 

[Energy]

Oh it certainly does, but the post I quoted was replying to the suggestion that a hypothetical passenger in Gloucester might be offended by seeing "South Wales Metro" scrawled on the side of their train for Cheltenham. As pointed out, the 231's don't say Metro on the side, but if they did it would presumably be just that, and not South Wales Metro.

Ahh ok, I don't think many will care about whats on the side of the train

 

[D7672]

231001,007,010 traffic so far 26/27th jan 2023

 

[penguin8967]

231007 appears to be out again today, currently on the 07:02 Bargoed to Penarth

 

[Richard Scott]

231007 appears to be out again today, currently on the 07:02 Bargoed to Penarth

Any idea what rest of diagram should be please? I'll be in Cardiff later.

 

[47476NightMail]

Any idea what rest of diagram should be please? I'll be in Cardiff later.

231007:
2P09 07:02 Bargoed-Penarth
2R02 08:03 Penarth-Rhymney
2P31 09:27 Rhymney-Penarth
2D26 10:48 Penarth-Bargoed
2P47 12:00 Bargoed-Penarth
2R12 13:03 Penarth-Rhymney
2P67 14:27 Rhymney-Penarth
2F55 15:48 Penarth-Cardiff Central
5F55 16:04 Cardiff Central-Cardiff Canton

Details can be found on Realtimetrains.

 

[Richard Scott]

231007:
2P09 07:02 Bargoed-Penarth
2R02 08:03 Penarth-Rhymney
2P31 09:27 Rhymney-Penarth
2D26 10:48 Penarth-Bargoed
2P47 12:00 Bargoed-Penarth
2R12 13:03 Penarth-Rhymney
2P67 14:27 Rhymney-Penarth
2F55 15:48 Penarth-Cardiff Central
5F55 16:04 Cardiff Central-Cardiff Canton

Details can be found on Realtimetrains.

Thank you.

 

[Jez]

Good to see a 231 working on a Saturday. Hopefully it wont be long before I get to go on another one.

Regarding the Metro, the average customer probably wouldn't even notice the branding on the train if they did operate in places like Cheltenham. I remember the 158s I think had Connecting Wales or something similar on the side of them and they went places like Birmingham and Manchester, not just in Wales, most people probably didn't even notice.

 

[Robert Ap Ioan]

I caught a 231 for the first time today.

I am well impressed with the new train. It's so much quicker in acceleration, than what it is replacing, the disabled accessibilty features are really well thought out and the whole experience is a massive step-up from what we have been used to. Getting a pram onto the train was a doddle, so easy and stress free.
There are some hidden features in the disabled area, that impressed us. All the stickers/notices have braille printed into them. There are two buttons on the doors by the disabled area, one for able bodied people and a lower one for disabled people. My wife and I found the fold down seats surprisingly comfy. The retractable step makes life so much simpler.
It was only after we were nearly at our last stop, that we noticed that prams are discouraged from being stowed in the disabled area, so for our return trip we moved to the pram and bike area. I was impressed with the amount of space set aside for bike users. Again the fold down seats are comfy - I tried out a normal seat and personally I found that very comfortable.

 

[Envoy]

It’s a wonder that TfW don’t fall foul of the Advertising Standards Authority being as they are distributing leaflets about the new trains when only one is in service.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

It’s a wonder that TfW don’t fall foul of the Advertising Standards Authority being as they are distributing leaflets about the new trains when only one is in service.

Do you have one of the leaflets?
I'm no expert in the standards but it's not fake to say "your new trains are here" or whatever when they're only on 1 line, they're running, and more will be with time.

 

[Envoy]

Do you have one of the leaflets?
I'm no expert in the standards but it's not fake to say "your new trains are here" or whatever when they're only on 1 line, they're running, and more will be with time.

Unfortunately I don't have the leaflet as I was only shown one by someone who had it through their door. I think people will be disappointed to head down to their station thinking they will get a new train when the odds are it will be an old one.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Unfortunately I don't have the leaflet as I was only shown one by someone who had it through their door. I think people will be disappointed to head down to their station thinking they will get a new train when the odds are it will be an old one.

It might cause some bad publicity but then any publicity is good publicity. An article on the evening TV news bemoaning there only being one AT THE MOMENT might well get more attention than leaflets through the door .

 

[norbitonflyer]

It’s a wonder that TfW don’t fall foul of the Advertising Standards Authority being as they are distributing leaflets about the new trains when only one is in service.

Three have been in service (more than a quarter of the entire fleet), albeit not all at the same time!

 

[D7672]

231010 canton to Penarth to Bargoed driver training 26th January 2023