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

[Jez]

I was on 042 today between Crewe and Chester.
I think it had square wheels.
Easily the worst rider of CAF DMUs I have ridden, along with continuous knocks and bangs from underneath.
043 onwards from Chester was much better.
But neither of them was up to 158/175 standards of ride.
And can we get an "s" added to the English announcement "Thank you for travelling with Transport for Wale" (it's the same on the Mk4s too)?

I had 042 on Saturday between Manchester Piccadilly and the Airport and back. I didn't notice any problems with it.

197s are becoming my favourite traction and I cant wait for more to appear in the South!

I do agree about the announcements however, they need to sort that out. On Saturday they didn't have the announcements switched on. I wonder how often that happens.

 

[L401CJF]

I do agree about the announcements however, they need to sort that out. On Saturday they didn't have the announcements switched on. I wonder how often that happens.

The PIS on these works by the driver inputting the headcode, sometimes it's not synced up properly and doesn't find a corresponding route/calling pattern. Not sure on the ins and outs of how it works but it does happen occasionally.

 

[MCR247]

I sampled these this morning doing short hops from Piccadilly to the Airport. On my first one the PIS system was blank (with the ones on the front of the train doing some sort of test thing displaying software version or something) but it was working on my second one. Interesting that for East Didsbury there wasn’t an English announcement, only Welsh (at least I’m pretty sure). They could really do with more luggage space, and the positioning of the stacks does seem a bit odd. Seats were fairly comfortable. The biggest disappointment for me is that CAF have continued with the “This door not in use” nonsense when the doors just haven’t been released yet. It confused a few people on both trains

 

[Kite159]

I was on 042 today between Crewe and Chester.
I think it had square wheels.
Easily the worst rider of CAF DMUs I have ridden, along with continuous knocks and bangs from underneath.
043 onwards from Chester was much better.
But neither of them was up to 158/175 standards of ride.
And can we get an "s" added to the English announcement "Thank you for travelling with Transport for Wale" (it's the same on the Mk4s too)?

I'm glad I'm not the only person to notice that it missing an S. Although that's not just a 197 issue as I've noticed it on other Welsh trains.

One issue I had on Monday when taking a 197 from Shrewsbury to Cardiff was the fixed windowside armrest, next to useless to rest an arm on due to being far too low.
(no auto announcements, but I suspect they might have been switched off as due to late running all the stops to Hereford had been ripped out).

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Those who may, by chance, wish to travel on 019 or 042 today should be mindful that the two have been swapped and are working the opposite services to those shown on RTT.

They came down together as booked, but 019 is on the 1322 Cardiff Holyhead (shown as 042) and 042 is on the 1622 Cardiff Chester (shown as 019)

 

[Bob Price]

Interesting to see two 197's on the Chester Crewe shuttle this morning. 012 and 042 on 1D53. Must be feeling more confident with stock if they are running pairs on the shuttle

 

[sd0733]

Interesting to see two 197's on the Chester Crewe shuttle this morning. 012 and 042 on 1D53. Must be feeling more confident with stock if they are running pairs on the shuttle

As i understand it, it was done to bury faulty cabs if not they'd both be out of service.
The first 3 trips for them were all cancelled due to a fault too.

 

[Jez]

How many units have been accepted into passenger service now?

 

[Techniquest]

While I can't help you Jez, I can confirm that the announcement telling people to move forward to alight is still an issue on the 197/0s. It played on the approach to Hereford on 197017+197001, all doors opened of course but it was confusing for those not in the know.

 

[Jez]

While I can't help you Jez, I can confirm that the announcement telling people to move forward to alight is still an issue on the 197/0s. It played on the approach to Hereford on 197017+197001, all doors opened of course but it was confusing for those not in the know.

No problem. I have lost count with how many new ones have gone into service in the last few weeks.

 

[Techniquest]

No problem. I have lost count with how many new ones have gone into service in the last few weeks.

Understandable, I'm well out of touch myself, but then I've had a lot to get done recently. I'd have not been out chasing those 197s today, but WMR seem to be having issues this week. Good news for me though, red-penning 197s on Leominster leaps is cheaper than scoring 196s to Ledbury!

 

[Jez]

Understandable, I'm well out of touch myself, but then I've had a lot to get done recently. I'd have not been out chasing those 197s today, but WMR seem to be having issues this week. Good news for me though, red-penning 197s on Leominster leaps is cheaper than scoring 196s to Ledbury!

Me neither! I need to get up to Cardiff really and ride a couple of 197s. When they start working Swansea-Cardiff it will be a lot easier for me.

There seemed to be lots introduced within a few days/weeks about a month ago but not heard of any new ones more recently.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I can confirm that the announcement telling people to move forward to alight is still an issue on the 197/0s. It played on the approach to Hereford on 197017+197001, all doors opened of course but it was confusing for those not in the know.

Disappointing, hope this can one day be fixed, it's been known for ages on 195/331s.

 

[Techniquest]

Me neither! I need to get up to Cardiff really and ride a couple of 197s. When they start working Swansea-Cardiff it will be a lot easier for me.

There seemed to be lots introduced within a few days/weeks about a month ago but not heard of any new ones more recently.

I see you're located in Neath, so yes indeed it's a little awkward where you are right now. It surely can't be much longer until 197s begin operating west of Cardiff. Things seem to have slowed down quite a bit recently, I guess as it's summer holiday season it's going to be even slower soon. Mind you, perhaps not, perhaps things will speed up, it could be that those remaining to be trained up have been on holiday before the schools break up. Who knows?

Disappointing, hope this can one day be fixed, it's been known for ages on 195/331s.

It is mighty disappointing, this issue was noticed when I had my first 197 to Cardiff and that was some weeks ago.

 

[Krokodil]

It is mighty disappointing, this issue was noticed when I had my first 197 to Cardiff and that was some weeks ago.

Staff have been complaining about it since they entered service back in November.

 

[Techniquest]

Staff have been complaining about it since they entered service back in November.

Yikes

It sounds like a simple enough thing to fix as well, how it's taken this long to find a fix and still waiting baffles me. I didn't have it yesterday on another pair of 197s, and that was calling at the shorter platform of the two at Abergavenny!

 

[sd0733]

Nor sure of the actual unit numbers now but there's currently 26 sets accepted by TfW.
It is going slower than planned, hopefully it'll speed up again soon but until some more routes are cleared there's not that many more diagrams which can go over.

There's some more "time trials" talking place on Thursday with 3 round trips Wrexham-Bidston starting with: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V34703/2023-07-20/detailed

 

[pokemonsuper9]

There's some more "time trials" talking place on Thursday with 3 round trips Wrexham-Bidston starting with: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V34703/2023-07-20/detailed

For some reason they're pathed as D-Train (Class 230) at 60mph max but it going to Chester at the end is not a very 230 thing to do.

 

[sd0733]

For some reason they're pathed as D-Train (Class 230) at 60mph max but it going to Chester at the end is not a very 230 thing to do.

Definitely planned for a 197, pencilled in for 197008. Probably just no timing loads for a 197 down there.
It.comes from Chester to start off too.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

For some reason they're pathed as D-Train (Class 230) at 60mph max but it going to Chester at the end is not a very 230 thing to do.

Surely you know by now that pathing and timing load guidance on RTT should be taken with a very large pinch of salt?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Surely you know by now that pathing and timing load guidance on RTT should be taken with a very large pinch of salt?

Yes but I typically see that ones put in on short notice are typically more accurate.
A whole thread popped up recently because someone found an RTT schedule of a Pacer (it's on the move rn)

 

[childwallblues]

Interesting to see two 197's on the Chester Crewe shuttle this morning. 012 and 042 on 1D53. Must be feeling more confident with stock if they are running pairs on the shuttle

There was two on Chester-Liverpool 008 and 004 as well. I took 008 to Chester and noted that the 0952 to the Airport was 150228.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Still only two pairs running down to Cardiff each weekday, returning as four separate two cars which get very busy indeed. When can we expect an increase in service down here? Only those that begin and end the day north of Shrewsbury are 197. Anything starting and ending in Cardiff is usually a Sprinter.

 

[Jez]

I see you're located in Neath, so yes indeed it's a little awkward where you are right now. It surely can't be much longer until 197s begin operating west of Cardiff. Things seem to have slowed down quite a bit recently, I guess as it's summer holiday season it's going to be even slower soon. Mind you, perhaps not, perhaps things will speed up, it could be that those remaining to be trained up have been on holiday before the schools break up. Who knows?



It is mighty disappointing, this issue was noticed when I had my first 197 to Cardiff and that was some weeks ago.

Yes Neath. My 197 journeys so far have been Chester-Manchester Pic and Manchester Pic to the Airport. I do travel to Manchester by train several times a year anyway so its been handy to ride the 197s. But yet to ride one from Cardiff Central. At the moment id be happy if the 2 Swanline Chester's were 197s as they would call at my local Swanline station too and both operating after work time for me is handy. Hopefully not to much longer given the sets for both of these are at Canton during the day anyway, assume its just waiting to be signed off for passenger services to Swansea. Although I understand the sets are put to good use for training whilst at Canton and not just sat in sidings all day.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jul 2023 ==

Nor sure of the actual unit numbers now but there's currently 26 sets accepted by TfW.
It is going slower than planned, hopefully it'll speed up again soon but until some more routes are cleared there's not that many more diagrams which can go over.

There's some more "time trials" talking place on Thursday with 3 round trips Wrexham-Bidston starting with: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V34703/2023-07-20/detailed

Thanks for the update. I counted it roughly as 23 so obviously id missed a few sets!

 

[sd0733]

There was two on Chester-Liverpool 008 and 004 as well. I took 008 to Chester and noted that the 0952 to the Airport was 150228.

Chester Liverpool is booked for a pair but seems to regularly get a 3 car instead.

 

[L401CJF]

012/043 swapped onto 1552 CTR-MIA in place of 112, 112 worked the 1554 CTR-CRE

 

[Phil from Mon]

Still only two pairs running down to Cardiff each weekday, returning as four separate two cars which get very busy indeed. When can we expect an increase in service down here? Only those that begin and end the day north of Shrewsbury are 197. Anything starting and ending in Cardiff is usually a Sprinter.

Not necessarily. The 1523 up to the coast was two sets on at least Wednesday last week.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Not necessarily. The 1523 up to the coast was two sets on at least Wednesday last week.

Which starts in Holyhead as the 0805…

 

[Techniquest]

Anyone know what happened to 197021 today? I'd positioned myself in Leominster for it earlier (with 197017 being its companion) but was dismayed when the service eventually arrived from North Wales with just 197017. I'd had that one a few days ago, and originally my plan for the day had featured different things. Given I had more than enough time though, I got to the station and I was a bit disappointed to find no winning 197.

It is what it is, of course, hopefully next time I will have better luck!

 

[Dood75]

021 was sat on Chester DMUD at 1150 this morning along with 048 visible from the station

Dood