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

[nigelsporne]

Slight cross purposes here as my posts didn't specifically state the use of Cambrian units to International. I was wondering if this was their first visit in passenger service.

 

[sd0733]

Slight cross purposes here as my posts didn't specifically state the use of Cambrian units to International. I was wondering if this was their first visit in passenger service.

Ah. Apologies after all that Im not even able to answer that one! I've a feeling other than the proving that it could well be but can't be certain im afraid.

 

[berneyarms]

Yes I am aware that since the new timetable this has been a regular 197 turn as I have been monitoring it. There were a few examples prior to the change as well. However I cannot recall any Cambrian units on passenger duties. I may have missed some though.

Plenty of reports of Cambrian sets in service over the last few months if you scroll back through this thread.

 

[tfw756rider]

Slight cross purposes here as my posts didn't specifically state the use of Cambrian units to International. I was wondering if this was their first visit in passenger service.

No, it was February 2025. On the 17/2/25, 197124 did 1I10 0722 Holyhead to Birmingham International and 1J15 1208 Birmingham International to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli (change to 158s at Shrewsbury).

In the first week of 197s in passenger service between Shrewsbury and Birmingham (from Monday the 17/2/25 to Sunday the 23/2/25):

Monday the 17/2/25 - 197124 worked 2 services and 197109 worked 4 services

Thursday the 20/2/25 - 197051+197017 worked 4 services

Friday the 21/2/25 - 197049+197006 worked 6 services and 197050 worked 2 services

Saturday the 22/2/25 - 197010+197001 worked 6 services and 197050 worked 4 services

Sunday the 23/2/25 - 197050+197015 worked 4 services, 197108 worked 4 services, 197016 worked 2 services and 197124 worked 2 services

 

[nigelsporne]

The question was ,Is this the first Cambrian units to visit International in passenger service?
197124 is not a Cambrian unit ??? unless it's a typo.

 

[wythallpaul]

Cl197/1 Availability on 11-06-25. After a ride around yesterday on TfW the last 3-car Cl197 I was on was 197117 on 1W81 just from Church Stretton to Shrewsbury. 7 Mins late leaving & as we accelerated away there was a noticeable series of small jerking movements all the way up to around 50-60MPH when things started to smooth out (quite an unpleasant feeling) I was going to mention it to the guard when he came along for his selective ticket check but he didn't appear. The driver went into the office at Shrewsbury but it did work through to Chester. Has anyone else experienced this? 197117 is not working this morning (RTT at 0900), along with 101,103,110,111,112,113,120 & 122. So that makes 9/26 currently inactive.
I like the Cl197's & think that they are a good unit for the services that TfW operate.

 

[tfw756rider]

The question was ,Is this the first Cambrian units to visit International in passenger service?
197124 is not a Cambrian unit ??? unless it's a typo.

Correct, 197124 "is not a Cambrian unit" (is not an ETCS-fitted 197).

Your posts seemed to go back-and-forth between "was that the first time that 197s were in service to Birmingham?" and "was that the first time that ETCS-fitted 197s were in service to Birmingham?".

Unfortunately I only know the answer to the former, not the latter.

 

[childwallblues]

Two Cambrian units 022 and 035 have been working Chester to Liverpools today.

 

[tfw756rider]

I've been informed that there are more Cambrian 197 night tests coming up shortly.

Crewe South Yard-Machynlleth-Welshpool-Newtown-Crewe South Yard on 12/6/25-13/6/25:

Realtime Trains | 3Q81 2130 Crewe South Yard to Machynlleth | 12/06/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q81 2130 departure from Crewe South Yard to Machynlleth on 12/06/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q82 2358 Machynlleth to Welshpool | 12/06/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q82 2358 departure from Machynlleth to Welshpool on 12/06/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q83 0145 Welshpool to Newtown (Powys) | 13/06/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q83 0145 departure from Welshpool to Newtown (Powys) on 13/06/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q84 0227 Newtown (Powys) to Crewe South Yard | 13/06/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q84 0227 departure from Newtown (Powys) to Crewe South Yard on 13/06/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Crewe South Yard-Machynlleth-Welshpool-Newtown-Crewe South Yard on 13/6/25-14/6/25:

Realtime Trains | 3Q80 2130 Crewe South Yard to Machynlleth | 13/06/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q80 2130 departure from Crewe South Yard to Machynlleth on 13/06/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q82 2358 Machynlleth to Welshpool | 13/06/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q82 2358 departure from Machynlleth to Welshpool on 13/06/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q83 0145 Welshpool to Newtown (Powys) | 14/06/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q83 0145 departure from Welshpool to Newtown (Powys) on 14/06/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q84 0227 Newtown (Powys) to Crewe South Yard | 14/06/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q84 0227 departure from Newtown (Powys) to Crewe South Yard on 14/06/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Next Tuesday: New unit at Crewe. 197038.

 

[tfw756rider]

Nice one Jacob, thanks for letting us know

Did you manage to see any manufacture dates on 197032 around working? I understand if not. And what's the current situation with that one?

 

[Jacob Porrett]

I don't know. Sorry. 197037 on depot at the moment.

Nice one Jacob, thanks for letting us know

Did you manage to see any manufacture dates on 197032 around working? I understand if not. And what's the current situation with that one?

 

[SeaKing]

Anyone know what’s allocated tonight for 3Q81.

 

[The_Train]

Two Cambrian units 022 and 035 have been working Chester to Liverpools today.

Is that a debut for 022?

 

[sd0733]

Is that a debut for 022?

No, it's mentioned in a few posts from post 8971 onwards.

 

[markglos]

Part of 197038 reported on M5 North Today also 197035 worked to Cheltenham Today

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Part of 197038 reported on M5 North Today also 197035 worked to Cheltenham Today

Could be going to Donnington RFT.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jun 2025 ==

A youtube video showing 197s (ETCS) on test.

 

[Jez]

197 availability seemed to have improved when i checked yesterday. It was sensible decision to reduce the diagrams slightly to ensure all/most are covered.

150279 seems to be covering a 197 diagram today however. Even though its on what should be the Manchester-West Wales-Cardiff-West Wales Manchester circuit it wont actually visit Manchester as the 1700 Milford Haven terminates in Cardiff rather than goes through to Manchester on what should be the usual pattern. At least it is also covering a 2 car 197 like for like in terms of total number of carriages.

 

[Topological]

The 3-car covering the 18:30 from Manchester yesterday was very busy arriving from Cardiff, but left with a couple of seats available.

Someone really needs to switch off the [(1)] departure board symbol below the carriage that contains the waste of space 2+1 seats on the 197s so fitted. They need to take down the "upgrade" window stickers from the 2+2 too.

 

[Jez]

The 3-car covering the 18:30 from Manchester yesterday was very busy arriving from Cardiff, but left with a couple of seats available.

Im not surprised. I used that one quite a few times pre covid and it was always very busy even when it was a 3 car (I believe it was actually booked 2 cars)

 

[Bikeman78]

197 availability seemed to have improved when i checked yesterday. It was sensible decision to reduce the diagrams slightly to ensure all/most are covered.

150279 seems to be covering a 197 diagram today however. Even though its on what should be the Manchester-West Wales-Cardiff-West Wales Manchester circuit it wont actually visit Manchester as the 1700 Milford Haven terminates in Cardiff rather than goes through to Manchester on what should be the usual pattern. At least it is also covering a 2 car 197 like for like in terms of total number of carriages.

The Canton to Canton Mark 4 diagram has reverted temporarily to a three car class 197, so a class 150 will most likely be covering a Maesteg or Cheltenham diagram. The diagrams were rather different this past week owing to the two track railway between Cardiff and Newport.

 

[BenBracken]

5 car 197 on Fishguard - Cardiff today. I wasn’t aware that 5 car sets are seen west of Swansea. Guessing summer Sunday boat train? Still wouldn’t have thought there is that much demand for foot passengers though.

 

[Caaardiff]

6 cars have been cleared to Carmarthen for quite some time. Further West, Fishguard and Milford Haven are now cleared for 5 cars.

 

[Anonymous10]

5 car 197 on Fishguard - Cardiff today. I wasn’t aware that 5 car sets are seen west of Swansea. Guessing summer Sunday boat train? Still wouldn’t have thought there is that much demand for foot passengers though.

Might be a cab or toilet issue with one?

 

[sd0733]

Might be a cab or toilet issue with one?

Booked as a 5 car today. They were then booked onto Canton, one then should have gone to Cheltenham and the other on an evening Crewe. Instead of that they're turning into a Holyhead service at Cardiff.

 

[tfw756rider]

The date of first entry to service of Class 197 (and subclass 197/0) was the 14/11/22, but does anyone in here happen to know the date of first entry to service of subclass 197/1?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2025 ==

Geoff & Jen have reviewed the 197s (mostly very positively).

I wonder why this video is now unavailable.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2025 ==

The date of first entry to service of Class 197 (and subclass 197/0) was the 14/11/22, but does anyone in here happen to know the date of first entry to service of subclass 197/1?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2025 ==

After some digging around in this thread, it seems that subclass 197/1 first entered service on the 2/7/23 (page 137, post #4,090).

 

[Jez]

It was sometime during the Summer of 2023. It was before August as I first rode a 3 car 197 from Newport to Cardiff around August and it certainly wasnt the first day they had been in service.

I can tell you the first time they ran in passenger service to Swansea was Sunday 24th September 2023 and 22 days later they went to Carmarthen.

 

[tfw756rider]

It was sometime during the Summer of 2023. It was before August as I first rode a 3 car 197 from Newport to Cardiff around August and it certainly wasnt the first day they had been in service.

I can tell you the first time they ran in passenger service to Swansea was Sunday 24th September 2023 and 22 days later they went to Carmarthen.

Thanks I think I've found the exact date though - the 2/7/23!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2025 ==

Looking at old posts in this thread earlier reminded me that way back around late 2022, there was a mention of possible 196-197 emergency coupling testing. Does anyone know what happened to that?

 

[Jez]

The Canton to Canton Mark 4 diagram has reverted temporarily to a three car class 197, so a class 150 will most likely be covering a Maesteg or Cheltenham diagram. The diagrams were rather different this past week owing to the two track railway between Cardiff and Newport.

Looks like today most of the Cheltenham services are 150s. Also we have a 158 covering a Pembroke Dock diagram and a few of the West Wales to Manchester are short formed to 2 car 197s.

 

[158822]

Do 158s still have a diagram to get them to and from South Wales? Also surely by now Carmarthen depot must really be struggling to keep everyone signing 158s?