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TfW withdrawals (Now just 150/158s to go)

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Jez

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The 1529 Milford Haven to Manchester is down for a pair of 150s on RTT. I assume this will be swapped at Cardiff? Or if it does go through to Manchester this will be the first 150s since I think June when on a Sunday afternoon a pair of 150s ran through to Manchester.
 

craigybagel

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The 1529 Milford Haven to Manchester is down for a pair of 150s on RTT. I assume this will be swapped at Cardiff? Or if it does go through to Manchester this will be the first 150s since I think June when on a Sunday afternoon a pair of 150s ran through to Manchester.
There's nothing showing on the system yet, but I'd be very surprised if it doesn't get a set swap at some point. That diagram ends at Crewe, which isn't meant to have any 75mph Sprinters overnight any more, never mind 2 of them.
 

Jez

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There's nothing showing on the system yet, but I'd be very surprised if it doesn't get a set swap at some point. That diagram ends at Crewe, which isn't meant to have any 75mph Sprinters overnight any more, never mind 2 of them.
I'd be surprised if it doesn't get swapped too. Even though on paper it could go to Manchester as the train crew involved on all depots on the Marches still sign them, it wouldnt be great for overnight as you say. I will be interested in seeing what happens!
 

Anonymous10

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I'd be surprised if it doesn't get swapped too. Even though on paper it could go to Manchester as the train crew involved on all depots on the Marches still sign them, it wouldnt be great for overnight as you say. I will be interested in seeing what happens!
Could it turn and form the cardiff to haverfordwest service? Thats currently unallocated.
 

Wyrleybart

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I see 150/2sa have been working up the Central Wales line to Shrewsbury - which interworks with the Crewe locals, but are 150s a rare sight west of Crewe these days ?
 

Lewisham2221

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I see 150/2sa have been working up the Central Wales line to Shrewsbury - which interworks with the Crewe locals, but are 150s a rare sight west of Crewe these days ?
Yes - Chester, Llandudno Junction and Holyhead crews no longer sign them; even using them on Crewe - Shrewsbury locals is a minor headache for resources.
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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The 1529 Milford Haven to Manchester is down for a pair of 150s on RTT. I assume this will be swapped at Cardiff? Or if it does go through to Manchester this will be the first 150s since I think June when on a Sunday afternoon a pair of 150s ran through to Manchester.
It's swapping to 5-197 at Cardiff.

Mind you, still over three hours end to end journey for the 150. In this freezing weather, too. Horrible.
 

Jez

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I wonder if a 150 or 153 will ever run to Manchester with TfW again.
Unlikely now I think, unless in an emergency when there is no other option but to use a Sprinter. I think June was the last time a 150 went to Manchester and that was a Sunday, it was much earlier than that one went on a weekday. A pair of 153 more likely but even they havent made it to Manchester since the early part of the year.

I was looking at RTT todays and it looks like 10 x 150s were in service - 4 on Valleys, 2 on Maesteg, 2 on Ebbw Vale, 2 on the Heart of Wales and those 2 covering Cardiff-Milford. Of course on a Sunday there are generally less required anyway.
 

craigybagel

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Thanks. I was expecting it to be fairly near, but didn't realise it had already happened.
Even Crewe aren't at 100% competency on 150s any more, though those who do sign it are expected to remain competent for now. Chester and the North Wales depots lost them a few timetable changes ago.
I wonder if a 150 or 153 will ever run to Manchester with TfW again.
Never say never. But it's getting less and less likely every day.
 

158822

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The last 150s to run to Manchester Piccadilly were 150251+150283 on 8/6/2025. However does anyone know the final time a 150 or 153 ran to Manchester Airport?
 

sad1e

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Does anyone here have any ideas where the best place to catch the TFW 150's would be as I should be in Cardiff on the 20th and would like to get photos of as many as I can.
 

Daniel Boone

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Does anyone here have any ideas where the best place to catch the TFW 150's would be as I should be in Cardiff on the 20th and would like to get photos of as many as I can.
I'd say Cardiff Bay. They run up to Pontypridd and Rhymni, so if you want some variety, you might want to move around a bit between those stations.
 
Last edited:

Bikeman78

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It seems the info was wrong anyway as the units mentioned are back in service today.
150241, 150251 and 150278 are all off to Landore today. 150241 went out in style, working 1V64 from Shrewsbury to Cardiff last night.
 

Tony2

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I'd say Cardiff Bay. They run up to Pontypridd and Rhymni, so if you want some variety, you might want to move around a bit between those stations.
Cardiff Queen Street will also catch any on the main line. Also had 150s to Ebbw Vale, Bridgend, Pontypridd, Maesteg and found one on Barry depot last week.
 

Snow1964

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Have they all reached their c6 or being retired early?
Possibly out of budget for more overhauls to 150s

Although not yet clear if it is full withdrawal, or temporary storage and could be put back into service if other units fail or run out of hours.

I think the maintenance contracts all end 31st March 2026 anyway (which is why there are published tenders for extra 3 years maintenance to March 2029 for the 153 and 158, 230 and mk4 fleets). So on face of it all remaining 150s will be stood down during March (which is consistent with talk elsewhere of 398s entering service in Feb-March)
 

Caaardiff

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Possibly out of budget for more overhauls to 150s

Although not yet clear if it is full withdrawal, or temporary storage and could be put back into service if other units fail or run out of hours.

I think the maintenance contracts all end 31st March 2026 anyway (which is why there are published tenders for extra 3 years maintenance to March 2029 for the 153 and 158, 230 and mk4 fleets). So on face of it all remaining 150s will be stood down during March (which is consistent with talk elsewhere of 398s entering service in Feb-March)
Given how much the 150s are propping up TFW at the moment, and no sign of 398s entering service, March could be an interesting time
 

158822

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If all 150s were to go by around March, which would be strange as they are on lease for another year after that, could they introduce the first 398s into service on Cardiff Bay and put 153s on the VOG if valleys depots are still competent on them.
 

Caaardiff

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If all 150s were to go by around March, which would be strange as they are on lease for another year after that, could they introduce the first 398s into service on Cardiff Bay and put 153s on the VOG if valleys depots are still competent on them.
Mainline train crew work VOG services.
153s are needed for Heart of Wales and Newport - Ebbw Vale services.
 

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