TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
They would, it’s fifteen minutes to Cardiff from either side…
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Transport for Wales Class 231 / 756 Stadler FLIRTs
- Thread starter DaveHarries
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I was being serious, the journeys are very short. The only people who use the toilets now are fare dodgers!
I know this has been said many times, but can you imagine the problems on a Friday/Saturday night up to Rhymney on the 398's.
It all very well TfW saying toilets are on stations on 15 minutes apart. Firstly they won't be open at 11pm and even if they are, not a lot of use if you are on the last train of the night.
I know this has been said many times, but can you imagine the problems on a Friday/Saturday night up to Rhymney on the 398's.
It all very well TfW saying toilets are on stations on 15 minutes apart. Firstly they won't be open at 11pm and even if they are, not a lot of use if you are on the last train of the night.
Dai Corner
Established Member
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Maybe they'll make the last trains of the night Flirts with toilets?
chargesmith
Member
How do you know the station toilets won't be open at 11pm?
As far as I know most will be pod toilets - I see no reason for these to not be open 24/7.
Ok I don't know, but can you imagine the press coverage if someone ODs in one at 2am on an unmanned railway station and are found the next morning? It wouldn't be the direct fault of TfW, but I would say they already have run though various scenarios on opening times and risk mitigation.
trainspotter4
Member
The final Class 756 entered service this morning (756003): https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G56824/2025-07-24/detailed
The one thing I find odd is why the 231s aren't being used (especially during the Rhymney closures) on mainline services (obviously training but it's the perfect time to do this), only 4 231s were used today (1/7/9/11).
The one thing I find odd is why the 231s aren't being used (especially during the Rhymney closures) on mainline services (obviously training but it's the perfect time to do this), only 4 231s were used today (1/7/9/11).
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There's no confirmed timescale for 231's entering service on the Mainline until the 398's come into service, so starting training would be counter productive if they end up not being used for some time.
It looks like Barry Island - Caerphilly 150 diagrams then work Caerphilly - Bridgend services.
Agreed, went via Canton Depot today and the amount of new rolling Sat there is, well, very puzzling. I doubt Easyjet or Ryanair would spend millions on aircraft and not use them for years. But then again they need to make money or they go bust, where TfW can be bailed out by the the WG if they don't plan correctly.
5 mph TSR means the drive of shame into Coryton
nigelsporne
Member
I have spent the last few days in Cardiff travelling around on the 756s and 231s and I must say they are impressive machines. I have seen all bar one 756/0 and the same for the 756/1s in service. Of the 231s I have seen 7 in service and one more on Canton amongst the plethora of new stock as mentioned above. I hadn't realised the Rhymney line would be closed when I booked. Pity.
Cardiff123
Established Member
If mainline drivers were trained on 231s, they could enter service on Cardiff - Barry - Bridgend and see off the 150s on this route as soon as enough drivers are trained on 231s for the hourly VoG services.
craigybagel
Established Member
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- 5,829
It's a terrible time to do training. The trains might be available but the crew to be trained aren't. Traincrew availability is always at its lowest in summer holidays, and the amount of people able to be released at one time for training is normally cut back as a result.
It wouldn't make any difference. When the Rhymney line is open, the class 231 are diagrammed to the max. The overall number of class 150 diagrams would not reduce and won't really change until the class 398 start running.
The launch of 756s on Coryton has probably come at a bad time. Had it been managed a bit earlier then that branch could be all 756s and 231s work TAM services but I believe TFW are soft launching them to ensure no issues before increasing their usage.
BillStampy
Established Member
231008 was on Canton's wheel lathe today by the looks of it, passed it in the morning and afternoon. A few others seem to be hiding around Canton's sidings and inside the maintenance shed.
chargesmith
Member
I'm reasonably certain you get a time limit on them and then the door automatically opens as a failsafe.
Envoy
Established Member
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- 3,147
Perhaps they are growing all the buddleia bushes around the Canton depot to try and hide all the idle new trains whilst we still go around in sprinters!
nigelsporne
Member
I am surprised that the buddleia hasn't become the national flower of Wales. The Valley lines are covered with it. I think the drivers of 756s should be issued with a machete! The Weedkiller train is badly required in some areas. The video of the 756 arriving at Coryton shows that .
tfw756rider
On Moderation
Thanks for letting us know
That now means that all 24x 756s (all 7x 3-coach 756/0s and all 17x 4-coach 756/1s) have been in service!
It also means that all 35 Transport for Wales (TfW) Stadler FLIRTs (all 11x 4-coach 231s and the aforementioned 24x 756s) have been in service!
======================================
Overall TfW 148 new trains:
In terms of whole classes, all members of classes 231 and 756 have been in service.
In terms of subclasses, all members of subclasses 197/1, (231), 756/0 and 756/1 have been in service (26+11+7+17 = 61 trains).
In subclass 197/0, 41 (of 51) trains have been in service.
61+41 = 102 (of 148) trains have been in service.
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148-102 = 46 trains are still to enter service:
10x 197/0s and 36x 398s
chargesmith
Member
756005 is back out on the Coryton - Penarth route today. When the 756/1s first started on the TAM lines it took a while for them to appear on weekends whereas for Coryton it's been immediate. Hopefully this means it won't be long before all the Coryton / Caerphilly to Penarth diagrams are 756/0s as the 3 car units have been in service for a while now and therefore possibly don't need Stadler support any more.
Yes I was wondering if it would be out today. As you say presumably they don't need any support they initially had.
I'm surprised how few test runs were needed before passenger service started.
Aside from the 4 car unit that came up just after the wires were actually energised, I think there's only been 3 test runs that actually ran. Maybe 4.
BillStampy
Established Member
Didn't last, cancelled earlier on due to fault, apparently!
Edit: Ignore me, something wrong with a few things, could be unrelated to the unit itself.
Looks like it might have been a problem with the unit as 756002 is now on the Coryton/Penarth/Caerphilly diagram this evening - presumably instead of 756005.
Has my first ride on a 3 car 756 today (also my first ever journey on the Coryton line). I find it hard to tell the 231's and 756's apart when on board!
There were a couple of other enthusiasts on board as they did the same as me, walked up the steps to take a picture of the 756 from the bridge at Coryton station and then got back on the same train. It felt like the train only got to speed between Heath and Cardiff Queen Street with the frequent stops. Still a much improved experience then a Sprinter or Pacer. I really like the 231's and 756's.
There were a couple of other enthusiasts on board as they did the same as me, walked up the steps to take a picture of the 756 from the bridge at Coryton station and then got back on the same train. It felt like the train only got to speed between Heath and Cardiff Queen Street with the frequent stops. Still a much improved experience then a Sprinter or Pacer. I really like the 231's and 756's.
tfw756rider
On Moderation
It depends how close you are to the Power Pack vehicle. If you're near it on a 231 (like I always am on a 231, 755/4 or 755/3), you'll always hear the four, four or two V8s, but on a 756, I don't make an effort to be near the Power Pack vehicle (as the singular V8 is rarely used) so I focus on the electric traction sounds.
BillStampy
Established Member
Did the full run up and down on the first day, it accelerates quite fast when doing non-stop between Queen Street and Caerphilly. The Coryton and Penarth sections, as you've mentioned, are quite slow as to be expected.
tfw756rider
On Moderation
Have you or anyone got any photos looking down onto the roof of the Power Pack vehicle of a 231 or 756? I still haven't got round to doing so myself - I've only done so with a 755/4, and I really liked how the 4 exhaust pipes looked. I can tell from the ground that 231s and 756s have different exhaust pipes to 755s, so I'd like to see what they look like from above (a 756 only has a singular pipe, but it will still be the same different design).
I went on one today and was a bit surprised that between the Ty Glas crossing and Coryton it stopped accelerating as soon as it reached 30 mph between stations.
I think the line limit is 40 mph. I've certainly seen 150s go faster than 30 mph between stations on that line, and I had assumed with the better acceleration that the 756s would get up to a higher speed between stations than that before slamming on the brakes.