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

[SuperLuke2334]

I note that 197111 is on 0620 Wrexham General to Liverpool Lime Street this morning. Is this its first day in service?

No, I have it down as having entered service week before last, I'll get the precise date later.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

104, 110, 111 and 112 are the operational /1s that work passenger services currently.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

No, I have it down as having entered service week before last, I'll get the precise date later.

111 started on 11th July.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Looks like another try for 104 to get down to Cardiff today.
One of the 197 Cardiff workings is down as a 175 which is poor considering the 04xx and 08xx have suddenly vanished from the timetable as it is this week.

 

[childwallblues]

111 started on 11th July.

Thank you. I think it was just first time in Liverpool then today. It is is back here again this morning.

 

[sd0733]

The Crewe To Shrewsbury locals have gone over to being a 197 diagram this week.

 

[JakeMurphy]

197014 entered service yesterday on Manchester Airport diagrams

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

197014 entered service yesterday on Manchester Airport diagrams

And 048 on a service wrongly shown in RTT as being a 175.

 

[sd0733]

And 048 on a service wrongly shown in RTT as being a 175.

048s been out for a bit. See post #4263 .

044 and 049 should be next. 044 is now at Chester awaiting entry to service and 049 at Crewe undergoing final checks before acceptance.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

048s been out for a bit. See post #4263 .

044 and 049 should be next. 044 is now at Chester awaiting entry to service and 049 at Crewe undergoing final checks before acceptance.

Hopefully an increase in diagrams soon

 

[Jacob Porrett]

The Crewe To Shrewsbury locals have gone over to being a 197 diagram this week.

I thought that had already happened?

 

[craigybagel]

Hopefully an increase in diagrams soon

There's an increase in the September LTP diagrams, but I suspect they won't all come in on the first day of the new timetable.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

There's an increase in the September LTP diagrams, but I suspect they won't all come in on the first day of the new timetable.

Any Manchesters in September?

 

[Jez]

Any Manchesters in September?

James Price said last week that Milford Haven to Manchester service would switch to 197s from September (maybe even August if they could manage it but sounded like September will be most likely). Unsure if that's the full service or just certain diagrams to start off with?

Still waiting for the afternoon Swansea-Chester's to switch to 197s. They keep amending the timetable each week to split the service at Cardiff. I was expecting that to have changed to 197 by now given it was meant to happen with the May timetable change.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

James Price said last week that Milford Haven to Manchester service would switch to 197s from September (maybe even August if they could manage it but sounded like September will be most likely). Unsure if that's the full service or just certain diagrams to start off with?

Still waiting for the afternoon Swansea-Chester's to switch to 197s. They keep amending the timetable each week to split the service at Cardiff. I was expecting that to have changed to 197 by now given it was meant to happen with the May timetable change.

That's good news thanks Jez.

Depends on route clearance as per usual!

 

[craigybagel]

Any Manchesters in September?

James Price said last week that Milford Haven to Manchester service would switch to 197s from September (maybe even August if they could manage it but sounded like September will be most likely). Unsure if that's the full service or just certain diagrams to start off with?

Just some diagrams.

Still waiting for the afternoon Swansea-Chester's to switch to 197s. They keep amending the timetable each week to split the service at Cardiff. I was expecting that to have changed to 197 by now given it was meant to happen with the May timetable change.

Not signed off yet to run West of Cardiff. Hopefully this will be sorted soon, especially as the Manchester diagrams mentioned above run through to West Wales

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Just some diagrams.

Not signed off yet to run West of Cardiff. Hopefully this will be sorted soon, especially as the Manchester diagrams mentioned above run through to West Wales

Well, it's good news at least! I am going to presume it will be singular units to start with until more units are available for doubling up?

 

[Jez]

Just some diagrams.

Not signed off yet to run West of Cardiff. Hopefully this will be sorted soon, especially as the Manchester diagrams mentioned above run through to West Wales

Even getting those 2 Swanline to Chester's would be something to start them off West of Cardiff and they would only need to be cleared to Llanelli for that to happen.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jul 2023 ==

Well, it's good news at least! I am going to presume it will be singular units to start with until more units are available for doubling up?

Hopefully at least 3 carriages or doubled up 2 car sets. Got to be better than a 150 or pair of 153s we have to suffer now!

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

There's an increase in the September LTP diagrams, but I suspect they won't all come in on the first day of the new timetable.

September? Rather a long wait then, especially if even then it’ll be gradual. Oh well.

 

[Jez]

September? Rather a long wait then, especially if even then it’ll be gradual. Oh well.

Gradual until December I think when all services on the Milford/Carmarthen/Manchester runs will be 197s. May 2024 for Pembroke Dock. Unsure about Fishguard.

Feels like we are waiting forever for these trains to work to Swansea/West Wales!

 

[Caaardiff]

The units may be arriving at pace, but there's still lots of train crew in the south to train up.

 

[william.martin]

The units may be arriving at pace, but there's still lots of train crew in the south to train up.

And on Brums - we haven't had any training or testing up here yet.

 

[Techniquest]

Every so often with the 197s and their seemingly never-ending delay with arriving in West Wales, I'm reminded of the old Grolsch TV ad. "Stop! It's not ready yet!"

I'm wondering if I'm getting false memories of that though, the ads I've found don't actually use that full quote yet that's how I remember their ads.

I'm absolutely looking forward to more 197s myself, and I nearly went out for 197042 earlier. That 1821 Cardiff-Chester is a weird calling pattern! When I looked the other day, bizarrely it was non-stop Hereford-Craven Arms, today it was first stop Ludlow. If it wasn't so expensive to go to Ludlow by rail, I'd have done it. Instead, I jacked up my walking mileage for the month!

 

[Anonymous10]

James Price said last week that Milford Haven to Manchester service would switch to 197s from September (maybe even August if they could manage it but sounded like September will be most likely). Unsure if that's the full service or just certain diagrams to start off with?

Still waiting for the afternoon Swansea-Chester's to switch to 197s. They keep amending the timetable each week to split the service at Cardiff. I was expecting that to have changed to 197 by now given it was meant to happen with the May timetable change.

Sounds like My next adventure will include a class 197. Hopefully they're run in multiple or 3 carriages between Swansea and Manchester or at least cardiff and Manchester.

 

[paddyb6]

And on Brums - we haven't had any training or testing up here yet.

Long time before Birmingham/Cambrian Line has 197s in service

 

[craigybagel]

Well, it's good news at least! I am going to presume it will be singular units to start with until more units are available for doubling up?

Hopefully at least 3 carriages or doubled up 2 car sets. Got to be better than a 150 or pair of 153s we have to suffer now!

No mention yet of formation, but hopefully it will indeed be 3 cars minimum.

September? Rather a long wait then, especially if even then it’ll be gradual. Oh well.

That's when they're in the LTP diagrams. It might be later than that - though this week they've appeared on Crewe - Shrewsbury local services and they're not meant to be on those in either this timetable or the next. Good use of a unit to free up a Sprinter for routes that can't use 197s yet I guess

Gradual until December I think when all services on the Milford/Carmarthen/Manchester runs will be 197s. May 2024 for Pembroke Dock. Unsure about Fishguard.

Feels like we are waiting forever for these trains to work to Swansea/West Wales!

175s still showing on the LTP diagrams till December at least.

And on Brums - we haven't had any training or testing up here yet.

You're not likely to see them on training runs down there. The crews that work to Birmingham have already learnt them on other routes, there's not many left to go. The only exception is Machynlleth guards who haven't started training yet but it seems likely they'll be done on the Cambrian.

I'm absolutely looking forward to more 197s myself, and I nearly went out for 197042 earlier. That 1821 Cardiff-Chester is a weird calling pattern! When I looked the other day, bizarrely it was non-stop Hereford-Craven Arms, today it was first stop Ludlow. If it wasn't so expensive to go to Ludlow by rail, I'd have done it. Instead, I jacked up my walking mileage for the month!

1821 is meant to be all stops to Shrewsbury except Leominster, not sure why it was showing as skipping Ludlow that day. It used to be the northbound WAG service and as such was limited stops, but it's picked up more stops over the years.

Hopefully when all the 197s are in service the Marches will be recast with a much more easy to remember timetable without these random stopping patterns.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Current list of TFW 197s at Donnington Rail Freight Terminal (27/7/23)

*12 units at the terminal*

197 108
197 113
197 116
197 117
197 118
197 023
197 025
197 026
197 028
197 0xx
197 0xx
197 0xx

 

[Techniquest]

@craigybagel I concur, the timetable is a right royal pain in the proverbial to remember right now, to the point where one has to check their journey every time. Hopefully this proposed shake-up of timetables will sort that out!

 

[childwallblues]

197014 entered service yesterday on Manchester Airport diagrams

According to RTT it is booked for 0805 Holyhead-Cardiff with 197019.

 

[60159]

Current list of TFW 197s at Donnington Rail Freight Terminal (27/7/23)

*12 units at the terminal*

197 108
197 113
197 116
197 117
197 118
197 023
197 025
197 026
197 028
197 0xx
197 0xx
197 0xx

Thanks for that.
I presume the Aberystwyth ones are 22-41 and 03. Are all the other 197/0s built if not delivered?
How many 197/1s are built?