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

[BillStampy]

Sunday all being well!

That's good to hear.
Anyway, I would discuss that topic further but this is the wrong thread for MK4 discussion.


Back onto the 197s..
Seeing how 8Z45 from Carmarthen went to Landore, I assume that was the 197 in the siding. Did that run 5Z61 Landore to Canton this morning?

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Yes,197045.I suppose the headcode gives it away.Unsure if it was towed by another unit though

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Aug 2025 ==

One for Jacob if you are at work.

What 197's are currently at LNWR Crewe please?

Thanks

Unfortunately I'm not at work at the moment. Won't go into details here.

 

[Gordonman]

197036 in service today

 

[tfw756rider]

197036 in service today

Many thanks for letting us know @Gordonman I can see that 197019+197036 are allocated to 1J72 2040 Chester to Shrewsbury.

The entry into service of 197036 today (30/8/25) now means that 68 (of 77) 197s have been in service @Peter Sarf and everyone.

42 (of 51) 2-car 197s have been in service:
All 30 non-ETCS 2-cars (197001-002, 197004-021, 197042-051)
12 (of 21) ETCS-fitted 2-cars (197003, 197022, 197024, 197027-031, 197033-036)

All 26 3-car 197s have been in service:
All 12 188-seat 3-cars (197101-112)
All 14 174-seat 3-cars (197113-126)

==============================

The number of 197s still to enter service is down to 9, all ETCS-fitted 2-cars:
197023, 197025-026, 197032, 197037-041

Of these, 6 are understood to have been delivered:
197023, 197025-026, 197032, 197037-038

And 3 are understood to have not yet been delivered:
197039-041

==============================

The overall number of new Transport for Wales (TfW) trains that have been in service is now up to 103 (of 148):

42 (of 51) 197/0s
All 26 197/1s
All 11 231s
All 7 756/0s
All 17 756/1s

This leaves 45 new TfW trains still to enter service:

9 197/0s
36 398s

 

[sd0733]

197036 in service today

The number of ERTMS units in use at any one time is certainly growing with 7 now out in service.

 

[tfw756rider]

The number of ERTMS units in use at any one time is certainly growing with 7 now out in service.

Thanks for letting us know @sd0733. Those 7 are 197022/024/027/033/034/035/036.

According to Realtime Trains, at least 50 overall 197s have been in service today (Sat 30/8/25):

197001/002/006/007/008/011/013/014/015/016/017/018/019/020/021/022/024/027/033/034/035/036/042/043/044/046/047/048/050/051/102/103/104/105/106/108/111/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/121/122/123/124/125.

As for the other 18 of the 68 197s that have been in service so far, could you @sd0733 or anyone else confirm the status of them? Would be appreciated very much of course

1. 197003 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
2. 197004 - ???
3. 197005 - ???
4. 197009 - ???
5. 197010 - Holyhead sidings? (but why?)
6. 197012 - Holyhead sidings? (but why?)
7. 197028 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
8. 197029 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
9. 197030 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
10. 197031 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
11. 197045 - ???
12. 197049 - ???
13. 197101 - ??? (had returned from being long-term out-of-use)
14. 197107 - ???
15. 197109 - ???
16. 197110 - ???
17. 197120 - ??? (broken head/tail light being repaired?)
18. 197126 - ???

As for the 9 197s that haven't yet entered service, but will be the 69th-77th to enter service when they do so:

197023/025/026/032/037/038 - these 6 are understood to have been delivered

197039/040/041 - these 3 are understood to have not yet been delivered (does anyone know why - have they just not been built yet, or is there another reason?)

 

[Krokodil]

If memory serves 197004 has been dumped in Chester Middle Yard whenever I've passed this week.

 

[MP393]

1. 197003 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
2. 197004 - ???
3. 197005 - ???
4. 197009 - ???
5. 197010 - Holyhead sidings? (but why?)
6. 197012 - Holyhead sidings? (but why?)
7. 197028 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
8. 197029 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
9. 197030 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
10. 197031 - Holyhead sidings? (usual reason?)
11. 197045 - ???
12. 197049 - ???
13. 197101 - ??? (had returned from being long-term out-of-use)
14. 197107 - ???
15. 197109 - ???
16. 197110 - ???
17. 197120 - ??? (broken head/tail light being repaired?)
18. 197126 - ???

197005 & 197126 are at Chester, 005 has been in service recently but 126 has been off for a week.
197009 & 197120 are at Crewe ETD on Tyre Turning
197045 is at Landore
197049 is at Crewe ATC

197101 197107 & 197109 all in service today.

 

[tfw756rider]

Many thanks both.

 

[Jez]

According to RTT there are 50 x 197s in service today - 28 x 2 car and 22 x 3 cars. A few of the 3 cars included in that total of 22 were showing as ECS movements at the time of checking so not entirely sure if been in passenger service.

The 2 cars not in service are 004/005/009/010/012/045/049 and the 3 cars 102/110/120/126 plus of course 16 different 'Cambrian' 197s whether they have entered service or not.

50 seems quite good considering its a Sunday.

 

[craigybagel]

049 is allocated to route learning trips all next week.

 

[childwallblues]

If memory serves 197004 has been dumped in Chester Middle Yard whenever I've passed this week.

It was there on Thursday with 126 for company.

 

[sd0733]

The 2 cars not in service are 004/005/009/010/012/045/049 and the 3 cars 102/110/120/126 plus of course 16 different 'Cambrian' 197s whether they have entered service or not.

004- long term out of use at Chester
005- Been at Chester since 29/08
009- Crewe ETD tyre turning
010- Parked up at Holyhead
012- Parked up at Holyhead
045- Landore- Major faults
049- Central Rivers Crew trainer

102- Chester since last night
110- Long term out of use
120- Crewe ETD tyre turning
126- Chester since 24/08

 

[Anonymous10]

049 is allocated to route learning trips all next week.

Is it possible to say where?

 

[WirralLine]

Is it possible to say where?

@sd0733 in the post before yours says Central Rivers.

 

[Jez]

004- long term out of use at Chester
005- Been at Chester since 29/08
009- Crewe ETD tyre turning
010- Parked up at Holyhead
012- Parked up at Holyhead
045- Landore- Major faults
049- Central Rivers Crew trainer

102- Chester since last night
110- Long term out of use
120- Crewe ETD tyre turning
126- Chester since 24/08

Many thanks for posting this list. Is 110 also at Chester the same as 004?

I guess some are simply just rotating their maintenance requirements such as 005, 102 and 126 have been in service recently but happened not to be today.

 

[Krokodil]

126 was still attached to 004 in Middle Yard today. Presumably another one out waiting parts/repairs.

 

[tfw756rider]

Many thanks all.

By the way, I'm not sure why I had put "???" for 197045 - I must've forgotten it was stuck in Carmarthen for some reason, so just acknowledging that.

 

[800001]

@sd0733 in the post before yours says Central Rivers.

I think they are asking where the route learning is to?

 

[MP393]

I think they are asking where the route learning is to?

That is where it’s route learning too, drivers are learning Crewe - Central Rivers Depot to take the 197s to the wheel lathe

 

[craigybagel]

That is where it’s route learning too, drivers are learning Crewe - Central Rivers Depot to take the 197s to the wheel lathe

Correct. Units were previously driven to Central Rivers by ROG drivers but the work moving the units is being taken in-house.

 

[800001]

That is where it’s route learning too, drivers are learning Crewe - Central Rivers Depot to take the 197s to the wheel lathe

Thank you, it wasn't clear by the post as it just states 'Central Rivers route learning'.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Tyre turning used to be done at Tyseley but not anymore.

 

[Gordonman]

That is where it’s route learning too, drivers are learning Crewe - Central Rivers Depot to take the 197s to the wheel lathe

What is the latest on the new wheel lathe 'supposedly' being built at Holyhead?

Platform end gossip?

Thanks

 

[Krokodil]

What is the latest on the new wheel lathe 'supposedly' being built at Holyhead?

Platform end gossip?

Thanks

No "supposedly" about it, the building is built and a unit (which I think was 197003) was moved in there presumably to double check gauging. Just remains for the fitting out to be completed.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

No "supposedly" about it, the building is built and a unit (which I think was 197003) was moved in there presumably to double check gauging. Just remains for the fitting out to be completed.

197003 hasn't caught on fire recently has it?

 

[craigybagel]

What is the latest on the new wheel lathe 'supposedly' being built at Holyhead?

Platform end gossip?

Thanks

No "supposedly" about it, the building is built and a unit (which I think was 197003) was moved in there presumably to double check gauging. Just remains for the fitting out to be completed.

Once Holyhead is complete most 197 tyre turning will take place there, but Central Rivers will be used as well.

 

[Krokodil]

Are they still using Crewe ETD too?

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Are they still using Crewe ETD too?

For the mk4 rakes yes.

 

[Krokodil]

For the mk4 rakes yes.

I saw a black set going through the through lines at Crewe, presumably having done so. I'm sure they were using it to turn 197s before they started using Tyseley.