It came into effect about a year ago for drivers and in May for guards. It was negotiated between the relevant unions and the company, and voted on and accepted by the employees. Sundays are now treated the same as any other day of the week.
For drivers it was agreed mid-2023, not sure when it came into action.
Presumably not - or the ever-unreliable TfW press office have screwed this up, which is quite possible. Quite a while back I remember asking some of the traincrew on here about what level of training would be required for drivers who already can drive a 756 and who already signed the route on a diesel unit, and the consensus seemed to be that in principle no specific training was required but managers/instructors would be available to ride in the cab and offer support. So with one diagram being introduced initially, I presume it's likely that the drivers will be accompanied by an instructor on their first day(s) in service.
Not quite... It's just the Method of Working regarding door operation in the new Valley's stock that doesn't apply to cross-border
Thank you!
What's most concerning is the 150s are going off lease to be scrapped whether the 756s or 398s are ready or not. Granted the 150s are confined to very few lines now but as we know TfW's deadlines for introduction of new trains are extremely flexible.
The Caerphilly to Rhymney line closes on 19 July (the first day of the school summer holidays) for another 6 week closure right across the school summer holidays until September
I know of people who have struggled with the rail replacement buses but have no other choice. So many people don't have cars these days and when the trains are back so are they. Once they are back, new trains on, faster journey times and more of them, people will come back. Parking in Cardiff is expensive and it's different to get to. It will be short term pain for longer term gain.
The 756s already have really loud horns.
A friend of mine who lives on a hill outside Dinas Powys, complains the 231's horns are so loud, that almost 2 miles away it makes him jump in the garden. They have a discordant sound that grates on your ears. Even in Penarth I can hear them, many miles away. I feel sorry for people who live next to the track where this 'W' sign is.
They sound like they are grossly over driven, i.e. non tonal and lots of harmonics, yes you can over drive air horns just like anything else.
Makes sense, with sound in general being vibrating air.
I often wonder this, shouldn't they be trying to close these level crossings. New trains being too quiet sounds like the perfect excuse.
TfW haven't made their horns though. I'm pretty sure they're just the standard fitment on (UK) FLIRTs.
Thanks for letting us know
Living near the Clacton branch on GA you can always tell the 755s running on the branch (ECS daily to Clacton depot for maintenance) compared to the 720s, the STADLERS horns sound like a donkey being strangled!
756001 went from Barry to Canton yesterday, so could well be next. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V22909/2025-06-24/detailed#allox_id=0
Taken out of service at Pontypridd due a problem. Possibly attached to 756 007 and taken to Treherbert.
