CAF class 197 Civity for TfW: News and updates on introduction.

[Western 52]

The one I saw was 197008 so that must be a different working.

Yes, separate training runs either side of Swansea.

 

[anthony263]

197013 passed me this morning at llangewydd just after 10am heading westbound

 

[el_lnrd]

197008 in Swansea station around 15:45, peacefully rumbling...

 

[Jez]

197008 in Swansea station around 15:45, peacefully rumbling...

Looks like its been running between Port Talbot and Swansea a few times today.

 

[56xx]

Just missed a shot of 197 008 at Platform 4 heading west with 231 006 at Platform 6 heading north from Cardiff Central at 1438 today. One of the platform staff got one.

 

[The_Train]

197019 debuted this evening with 1H92 from Chester, as 004 failed

Anyone know when this one first appeared as a complete unit please?

 

[animationmilo]

197009 seems to be on 0725 Manchester Airport to Llandudno

 

[6Gtraincrew]

Anyone know when this one first appeared as a complete unit please?

Well it was delivered from Donny to Crewe on 1st December 2022 if that's what you're asking

 

[SuperLuke2334]

197009 seems to be on 0725 Manchester Airport to Llandudno

Yes it is. Not the first day for this unit if that's what you're wondering.

 

[Techniquest]

Anyone able to inform me what worked the 1255 from Manchester Piccadilly to the airport yesterday (01/02/23) please? I was going to do it in one version of an impulsive plan yesterday, but I never did.

I couldn't get RTT to show me a graphic (I was in quite a rush to make my decision) when I looked, so rather than risk it being a 175 I did other things.

I'm also assuming the same train would have done the 1855, which I was tempted by for a quick leap from Oxford Road, but that wasn't really worth the hassle!

 

[Sheridan]

Anyone able to inform me what worked the 1255 from Manchester Piccadilly to the airport yesterday (01/02/23) please? I was going to do it in one version of an impulsive plan yesterday, but I never did.

I couldn't get RTT to show me a graphic (I was in quite a rush to make my decision) when I looked, so rather than risk it being a 175 I did other things.

I'm also assuming the same train would have done the 1855, which I was tempted by for a quick leap from Oxford Road, but that wasn't really worth the hassle!

There are no graphics for 197s yet, but if you go to detailed view and show all info it will say ‘operated by 197xxx’. That one was 197004.

 

[Techniquest]

There are no graphics for 197s yet, but if you go to detailed view and show all info it will say ‘operated by 197xxx’. That one was 197004.

Oh fair enough, I didn't realise that. I just assumed it might be something that hasn't been allocated. Like I say, I was rushing this decision on the final few minutes into Piccadilly so with it being unclear, I wasn't willing to throw a fiver or so at a spin to the airport to get bowled out!

Thanks for the swift reply, most appreciated

 

[The_Train]

Well it was delivered from Donny to Crewe on 1st December 2022 if that's what you're asking

Thanks

 

[Express380]

Anyone know if there will be any 197 workings on South/West wales routes from May timetable change?

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Anyone know if there will be any 197 workings on South/West wales routes from May timetable change?

If anything, I'd expect Cardiff to Holyhead to move over. I doubt West Wales will get them yet.

 

[Western 52]

If anything, I'd expect Cardiff to Holyhead to move over. I doubt West Wales will get them yet.

Crew training is underway west of Swansea though.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Crew training is underway west of Swansea though.

Yes, but i think for maintenance reasons it's more likely that the likes of Cardiff Holyhead and services out of Chester and Cardiff will change over first.

 

[Anonymous10]

I suppose they could do the once daily Holyhead-Llanelli-Chester and Holyhead-Maesteg-Holyhead diagrams as they originate and terminate around Chester and Holyhead making maintenance less of a concern

 

[craigybagel]

Crew training is underway west of Swansea though.

From what I've heard, it's still trainer training at this stage, rather than regular crew training. And it may well be that both Carmarthen and Cardiff trainers are being trained up on those runs.

I'd be very surprised if enough crews have been trained up to see booked services in West Wales by May. Cardiff - Holyhead remains the most likely route to first see 197s on in the Southern end of the network. But who knows?

Training at Crewe and Shrewsbury depots is about to ramp up, so hopefully we'll see some more routes with 197s soon.

 

[Philip]

There is a Manchester-South Wales diagram which starts at Cardiff and finishes at Chester, inbetween it works a late morning service from Milford Haven and then the evening Cardiff service from Manchester. Don't know whether any Carmarthen crews are involved with this diagram but if not then perhaps this might be possible for 197s at the same time as Holyhead-Cardiff, would also be useful for getting a unit back to the home depot for maintenance.

 

[craigybagel]

There is a Manchester-South Wales diagram which starts at Cardiff and finishes at Chester, inbetween it works a late morning service from Milford Haven and then the evening Cardiff service from Manchester. Don't know whether any Carmarthen crews are involved with this diagram but if not then perhaps this might be possible for 197s at the same time as Holyhead-Cardiff, would also be useful for getting a unit back to the home depot for maintenance.

There's going to need to be some changes to the unit diagrams in May anyway to allow for various service improvements (return of Swanline, an extra MKIV diagram, half hourly Bidston), it wouldn't surprise me if changes were made to make it easier to incorporate 197s over the course of that timetable as well.

 

[Philip]

When are 197s expected to start working Crewe-Chester shuttles and Crewe-Holyhead on Sundays?

 

[craigybagel]

When are 197s expected to start working Crewe-Chester shuttles and Crewe-Holyhead on Sundays?

Not for a little while. There's a lot of Crewe and Shrewsbury driver and guard working on those services, plus Cardiff guards on the former. It wouldn't surprise me if it's one of the next services to go over - but it's not as straight forward a swap as you'd expect.

 

[Philip]

Not for a little while. There's a lot of Crewe and Shrewsbury driver and guard working on those services, plus Cardiff guards on the former. It wouldn't surprise me if it's one of the next services to go over - but it's not as straight forward a swap as you'd expect.

Thanks for the information.

I went on one the other day for the first time, pleasant and airy ambience and they'll be good for easing overcrowding. The auto announcer is a bit annoying and excessive and the seats a bit hard but overall a positive experience. Haven't heard the auto announcements on 175s for a while now.

 

[craigybagel]

I went on one the other day for the first time, pleasant and airy ambience and they'll be good for easing overcrowding. The auto announcer is a bit annoying and excessive and the seats a bit hard but overall a positive experience. Haven't heard the auto announcements on 175s for a while now.

Owing to the various changes in calling patterns to services over the last few years, a lot of the old PIS codes that told the system where the train was calling at and it's destination are no longer of any use. New codes have been created with the new stopping patterns and they've been uploaded to the Sprinters, but for some reason they don't work on the 175s - so the only time you'll see it working on them is if the service used a calling pattern identical to one used years ago.

I suspect the issue is the PIS system on the 175s is much older than the retrofitted system on the Sprinters, and it probably can't handle any more codes.

On the plus side, the 197 PIS system works off headcodes that get updated every day, so it should be much more reliable - teething problems with new technology aside.

 

[Jez]

I'm surprised to hear Cardiff guards work Crewe to Chester considering they don't work Crewe to Manchester.

I've noticed it's only manual announcements on the 175s recently which I prefer. The guards have been very good at making announcements including listing all stations when leaving a major station like Cardiff or Swansea. The majority of journeys now have different calling patterns.

I'm.hoping to finally travel on a 197 at the end of this month or early March.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2023 ==

Is there any news yet on when all Manchester Airport-Llandudno's will be booked as 197s? I assume this will be the next step in their introduction followed by them being used on Conwy Valley again then Crewe-Chester and Cardiff-Holyhead.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Is there any news yet on when all Manchester Airport-Llandudno's will be booked as 197s? I assume this will be the next step in their introduction followed by them being used on Conwy Valley again then Crewe-Chester and Cardiff-Holyhead.

Aren't they supposed to show up on Borderlands taking the 230's place?
I don't really know where that'd fit but it's at least in the North

 

[Jez]

Aren't they supposed to show up on Borderlands taking the 230's place?
I don't really know where that'd fit but it's at least in the North

Yes they are I think. Maybe when it goes to two trains per hour as there won't be enough 150s for that.

 

[Bob Price]

In another thread it has mentioned the 230's are due back on driver training this weekend. Don't write them off just yet.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Realtime Trains | 6Q97 0944 Wolverton Centre Sidings to Crewe C.S. (L&Nwr Site) | 06/02/2023

Real-time train running information for 6Q97 0944 departure from Wolverton Centre Sidings to Crewe C.S. (L&Nwr Site) on 06/02/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 4G97 0525 Crewe Bas Hall S.S.M. to Wolverton Centre Sidings | 06/02/2023

Real-time train running information for 4G97 0525 departure from Crewe Bas Hall S.S.M. to Wolverton Centre Sidings on 06/02/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Path in tomorrow for a 197 move.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Feb 2023 ==

**Mr Donnington Update (7/2/23)
TFW Class 197042 is the recent arrival at Donnington RFT bringing a total of 19 units stored at the site. A mixture of 2 and 3 cars.