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

[Dai Corner]

Just got this photo off the TfW enthusiasts FB page taken at Llandeilo JCN. So 197s are using SDL whilst Landore Bridge is closed. I had thought TfW were just putting buses on! Hadn’t realised 197s were cleared for SDL and driver training etc had taken place. Be great to know which services use it usually, everytime I’ve tried recently the service just goes round the back of Landore depot!

According to https://www.branchline.uk/rail_chronology/PSUL/2026.htm

Briton Ferry, Court Sart Junction (Down)/Briton Ferry West Junction (Up) - Morlais Junction (Swansea District line) (126) PB09



Mondays to Saturdays:

1B99 2227/2228 SX Cardiff Central – Carmarthen

1W14 0601/0603 Carmarthen – Manchester Piccadilly (except 17 to 20 March 2026)

¶ Diversionary use when works block route via Landore:

Mondays to Fridays 26 January to 5 (but not 6) February 2026:

1B30 0535 Cardiff Central – Milford Haven

1B58 0658 Cardiff Central – Pembroke Dock

1V58 1730 Manchester Piccadilly – Carmarthen/Milford Haven

1B40 0535 Carmarthen – Cardiff Central

1B60 2000 Carmarthen – Cardiff Central (not 2 to 5 February)

2B14 2100 Carmarthen – Cardiff Central

2B88 2146 Fishguard Harbour – Cardiff Central (also 23 to 26 February 2026)

Mondays to Thursdays 16 to 26 February and 23 to 25 March 2026 (this may repeat in subsequent months):

2B93 2320 Cardiff Central - Carmarthen

 

[Anonymous10]

Just got this photo off the TfW enthusiasts FB page taken at Llandeilo JCN. So 197s are using SDL whilst Landore Bridge is closed. I had thought TfW were just putting buses on! Hadn’t realised 197s were cleared for SDL and driver training etc had taken place. Be great to know which services use it usually, everytime I’ve tried recently the service just goes round the back of Landore depot!

Its being used to rotate the units being used between milford haven, pembroke dock, fishguard and llanelli

 

[Caaardiff]

Just got this photo off the TfW enthusiasts FB page taken at Llandeilo JCN. So 197s are using SDL whilst Landore Bridge is closed. I had thought TfW were just putting buses on! Hadn’t realised 197s were cleared for SDL and driver training etc had taken place. Be great to know which services use it usually, everytime I’ve tried recently the service just goes round the back of Landore depot!

They've been cleared for the SDL since the start. 4 services a day are booked via the District line on normal days. I think it's two early eastbound and two late evening westbound.

 

[Jez]

I noticed yesterday the road replacement transport was from Bridgend to Swansea rather than just from Port Talbot. Something i hadnt realised until I checked for my return trip from Cardiff yesterday morning. But it was all very well organised to be fair.

I heard the Conductor talking to another member of staff on the 197 (which was 5 carriages) saying at Pencoed the front 2 cars had to be off the platform due to the level crossing in that direction of travel and the stop markers for a 5 car. In the other direction it was just the back carriage on a 5 car formation which was not platformed (the same for Llanharan and Pontyclun in both directions.) It makes me wonder why they bothered having these stops on this service given the Maesteg train was only just ahead. Normally its served by Swanline every 2 hours plus the hourly Maesteg so there wasnt really a need for them to call at these stops especially every hour with the hassle of having 5 cars and it being 4 car maximum for the platforms.

 

[BillStampy]

I heard the Conductor talking to another member of staff on the 197 (which was 5 carriages) saying at Pencoed the front 2 cars had to be off the platform due to the level crossing in that direction of travel and the stop markers for a 5 car. In the other direction it was just the back carriage on a 5 car formation which was not platformed (the same for Llanharan and Pontyclun in both directions.) It makes me wonder why they bothered having these stops on this service given the Maesteg train was only just ahead. Normally its served by Swanline every 2 hours plus the hourly Maesteg so there wasnt really a need for them to call at these stops especially every hour with the hassle of having 5 cars and it being 4 car maximum for the platforms.

It's clear that it doesn't happen very often considering that my train back to Llanharan from Pontyclun on Monday took a good 2 minutes to have the doors opened, I don't mind considering there's plenty of extra space on a 5-car 197 than a 2-car that turns up on the Maestegs, but I still don't understand why they're stopping at the three local stops between Cardiff and Bridgend...!

 

[Jez]

It's clear that it doesn't happen very often considering that my train back to Llanharan from Pontyclun on Monday took a good 2 minutes to have the doors opened, I don't mind considering there's plenty of extra space on a 5-car 197 than a 2-car that turns up on the Maestegs, but I still don't understand why they're stopping at the three local stops between Cardiff and Bridgend...!

Yes both my train on Friday and yesterday were very quiet as a 5 car which pleased me. I noticed GWR werent even bothering going to Bridgend and had a replacement bus from Cardiff-Swansea direct. I noticed at one of the stops we passed the Maesteg train heading to Cardiff which at 3 car was full and standing (not surprising on a Saturday afternoon!)

Ive noticed there are some strange calling patterns during engineering works like Swanline getting an hourly service all day between Christmas and New Year (not Sunday of course) when there was a block the other side of Swansea. During a normal working day its 2 hourly during the day and only hourly at peak time.

 

[Caaardiff]

There is no Swanline service during the engineering block due to capacity at Port Talbot. So TFW's Manchester services are calling all stops between Port talbot and Cardiff to maintain service levels. All those stops East of Port Talbot are cleared for 6 cars.

Yes both my train on Friday and yesterday were very quiet as a 5 car which pleased me. I noticed GWR werent even bothering going to Bridgend and had a replacement bus from Cardiff-Swansea direct. I noticed at one of the stops we passed the Maesteg train heading to Cardiff which at 3 car was full and standing (not surprising on a Saturday afternoon!)

GWR are running trains to Port Talbot.

 

[Jez]

There is no Swanline service during the engineering block due to capacity at Port Talbot. So TFW's Manchester services are calling all stops between Port talbot and Cardiff to maintain service levels. All those stops East of Port Talbot are cleared for 6 cars.


GWR are running trains to Port Talbot.

I'm referring to yesterday. There were no trains to Port Talbot at all and GWR appeared to be running no trains West of Cardiff.

Looks like the same today with no trains to Port Talbot

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Feb 2026 ==

Every now and again i do a search on RTT to see the status of the 197s. Well today i found 27 of the 2 cars and 17 of the 3 cars in service, so a total of 44. 2 of those 2 cars have been covering Bidston (I think only 1 is booked however) and a 3 car was covering (at least part of the day) for a MK4. Quite a few Manchester-Cardiff/Port Talbot were short formed. Cheltenham Spa had a pair of 153s and a 150 covering a diagram each with a 197 on just the remaining diagram.

There is the Port Talbot to Swansea engineering work so not a usual working day, and I may be a few diagrams out as there was an ECS this afternoon using the district line to move units from West Wales to Cardiff. But generally over 20 units not in service (not counting the 7 that havent yet been in service).

 

[sd0733]

I'm referring to yesterday. There were no trains to Port Talbot at all and GWR appeared to be running no trains West of Cardiff.

Looks like the same today with no trains to Port Talbot

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Feb 2026 ==

Every now and again i do a search on RTT to see the status of the 197s. Well today i found 27 of the 2 cars and 17 of the 3 cars in service, so a total of 44. 2 of those 2 cars have been covering Bidston (I think only 1 is booked however) and a 3 car was covering (at least part of the day) for a MK4. Quite a few Manchester-Cardiff/Port Talbot were short formed. Cheltenham Spa had a pair of 153s and a 150 covering a diagram each with a 197 on just the remaining diagram.

The diagrams are completely different this week with the engineering works. The 08:53 and 10:53 Cardiff to Manchesters are booked formed of 197s straight off a Port Talbot terminator. Seems there's also a 150 booked on Cheltenham and some Manchesters are booked 3 car too.

 

[tfw756rider]

Realtime Trains | 3C02 1532 Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Pwllheli | 22/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C02 1532 departure from Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Pwllheli on 22/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C03 1835 Pwllheli to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs | 22/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C03 1835 departure from Pwllheli to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs on 22/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C04 1557 Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Aberystwyth | 23/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C04 1557 departure from Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Aberystwyth on 23/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C05 1635 Aberystwyth to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs | 23/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C05 1635 departure from Aberystwyth to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs on 23/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C00 1040 Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Shrewsbury | 24/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C00 1040 departure from Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Shrewsbury on 24/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C01 1226 Shrewsbury to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs | 24/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C01 1226 departure from Shrewsbury to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs on 24/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C02 1557 Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Pwllheli | 27/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C02 1557 departure from Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Pwllheli on 27/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C03 1833 Pwllheli to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs | 27/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C03 1833 departure from Pwllheli to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs on 27/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C00 1040 Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Shrewsbury | 28/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C00 1040 departure from Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Shrewsbury on 28/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C01 1226 Shrewsbury to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs | 28/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C01 1226 departure from Shrewsbury to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs on 28/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C02 1545 Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Pwllheli | 29/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C02 1545 departure from Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Pwllheli on 29/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C03 1833 Pwllheli to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs | 29/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C03 1833 departure from Pwllheli to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs on 29/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3C04 1547 Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Aberystwyth | 30/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C04 1547 departure from Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Aberystwyth on 30/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C05 1635 Aberystwyth to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs | 30/01/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C05 1635 departure from Aberystwyth to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs on 30/01/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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The above 14 runs (4+10 from previous posts) all ran with the 197029+197030 duo.

Additionally, they worked the following two workings:

Realtime Trains | 3C04 1557 Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Aberystwyth | 02/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C04 1557 departure from Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs to Aberystwyth on 02/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Realtime Trains | 3C05 1631 Aberystwyth to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs | 02/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 3C05 1631 departure from Aberystwyth to Machynlleth Carr. Sdgs on 02/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

I don't (yet) see any more schedules on the system, though.

 

[Anonymous10]

The diagrams are completely different this week with the engineering works. The 08:53 and 10:53 Cardiff to Manchesters are booked formed of 197s straight off a Port Talbot terminator. Seems there's also a 150 booked on Manchesters and some Manchesters are booked 3 car too.

Whats the booked 150?

 

[sd0733]

Whats the booked 150?

The first Manchester was supposed to say Cheltenham!
The 150 des the 06:10 from Cardiff to Cheltenham and repeat every 3rd hour.

 

[Jez]

The diagrams are completely different this week with the engineering works. The 08:53 and 10:53 Cardiff to Manchesters are booked formed of 197s straight off a Port Talbot terminator. Seems there's also a 150 booked on Cheltenham and some Manchesters are booked 3 car too.

Ah I see. I just assumed they were booked for MK4s as it said on RTT it should have First Class and a Restaurant!

 

[sd0733]

Ah I see. I just assumed they were booked for MK4s as it said on RTT it should have First Class and a Restaurant!

Both on 2 car diagrams as well to make matters worse. Although are Priority for strengthening to a 3 wherever possible. The swaps did come in almost unnoticed before they happened.

 

[Joel_1902]

Any ideas on the 197s in Crewe South Yard please? Looks like 3 still in there, I notice a 5Z97 Crewe South Yard-Crewe C.S ran this morning so possibly one or two have moved and that now leaves 3 still in the yard.
Many thanks

 

[40029 Saxonia]

Any ideas on the 197s in Crewe South Yard please? Looks like 3 still in there, I notice a 5Z97 Crewe South Yard-Crewe C.S ran this morning so possibly one or two have moved and that now leaves 3 still in the yard.
Many thanks

On Jan 15th, 197040 was in Crewe C.S. (TfW/Ariva) depot and it looked like there were five in south yard. I can't remember the numbers off-hand without going back through the earlier posts but 38 & 39 were two of them.
I wonder when 197041 will leave the factory? It must be at least 6 weeks since 040 was delivered to Crewe

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Feb 2026 ==

On Jan 15th, 197040 was in Crewe C.S. (TfW/Ariva) depot and it looked like there were five in south yard. I can't remember the numbers off-hand without going back through the earlier posts but 38 & 39 were two of them.
I wonder when 197041 will leave the factory? It must be at least 6 weeks since 040 was delivered to Crewe

And the situation was the same on January 26th

 

[tfw756rider]

I wonder when 197041 will leave the factory?

Same, I wonder why it's taking so long to come out? It will be a bit of an odd-one-out, being the only "2026" 197 and the only "2026" pure diesel multiple unit.

It must be at least 6 weeks since 040 was delivered to Crewe

More than 2 months...

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Same, I wonder why it's taking so long to come out? It will be a bit of an odd-one-out, being the only "2026" 197 and the only "2026" pure diesel multiple unit.

More than 2 months...

197040 was delivered when I was working at Arriva TrainCare Crewe...

...different stories now.

 

[40029 Saxonia]

Accoriding to the internet the first 197 was delivered to Crewe on 14/4/21, so it could take 5 years to delivery the complete fleet. But maybe deliveries have been slowed at the request of the customer?

 

[Gordonman]

There has been a concerted effort recently to get the 3 car sets back in traffic.
197116 has worked a 5T16 Chester - Chester test run today which just leaves 197110 and 197126 as the only two 3 car sets not to have worked this week.Both these remain at Chester.
Similar situation at Northern so both companies must have had a significant delivery of spare parts.

 

[ThePeakNed]

There has been a concerted effort recently to get the 3 car sets back in traffic.
197116 has worked a 5T16 Chester - Chester test run today which just leaves 197110 and 197126 as the only two 3 car sets not to have worked this week.Both these remain at Chester.
Similar situation at Northern so both companies must have had a significant delivery of spare parts.

Ah good. Be good to finally have 110 ticked off for driving, along with 108 which seems to have vanished off the face of the earth

We might even see 003 come back to traffic one day!

 

[tfw756rider]

Once 197003 has come back to traffic, I wonder if its ETCS equipment will be moved to 197021?

I know that 197003 was used for the earliest ETCS testing on the Cambrian, but that was nearly 4 years ago.

Surely it would make more sense, rather than the current "out-of-sequence" numbering of:

Non-ETCS - 197001-197002, 197004-197021, 197042-197051
ETCS-fitted - 197003, 197022-197041

...to have the 2-car units configured as:

Non-ETCS - 197001-197020, 197042-197051
ETCS-fitted - 197021-197041

(Yes, the 21 ETCS-fitted units would still be numbered "in the middle", but I believe that was so that they aligned as closely as possible with the 24 (as was) 158s - 158818-158841)

 

[XFeed]

I know that 197003 was used for the earliest ETCS testing on the Cambrian, but that was nearly 4 years ago.

003 was the first unit to arrive at Chester depot with ETCS but I cant remember when.

 

[tfw756rider]

003 was the first unit to arrive at Chester depot with ETCS but I cant remember when.

Sometime before May 2022.

 

[rich.davies]

I was on this service last night from Wrexham to Chester. 4 coaches one toilet i assumed locked out and the other toilet with it's door stuck open half way. Im suprised they didn't pull it from service at Chester because of this, is it normal practice to just carry on, until it returns back to depot later in the evening?

Realtime Trains | 1D16 1708 Birmingham International to Llandudno | 05/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 1D16 1708 departure from Birmingham International to Llandudno on 05/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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[Joel_1902]

3 197/0s on Crewe CS this morning, assume the 3 that aren’t in Crewe South Yard from the 6 test units still. Any confirmation please?
Cheers

 

[800001]

I was on this service last night from Wrexham to Chester. 4 coaches one toilet i assumed locked out and the other toilet with it's door stuck open half way. Im suprised they didn't pull it from service at Chester because of this, is it normal practice to just carry on, until it returns back to depot later in the evening?

Realtime Trains | 1D16 1708 Birmingham International to Llandudno | 05/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 1D16 1708 departure from Birmingham International to Llandudno on 05/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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Trains can and do stay in service all day with all Toilets out of use.
Although if possible they would look to swap unit for a good working one at some point. Not always possible though.

 

[3RDGEN]

I was on this service last night from Wrexham to Chester. 4 coaches one toilet i assumed locked out and the other toilet with it's door stuck open half way. Im suprised they didn't pull it from service at Chester because of this, is it normal practice to just carry on, until it returns back to depot later in the evening?

Realtime Trains | 1D16 1708 Birmingham International to Llandudno | 05/02/2026

Real-time train running information for 1D16 1708 departure from Birmingham International to Llandudno on 05/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

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According to RTT the units swapped out of service at Chester on the return run back to Crewe with a 158 replacing;

"https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L66044/2026-02-05/detailed#allox_id=0"

The return journey has a 14 minute wait at Chester so the swap was made without a delay which may have been why it was done like that or maybe there just wasn't a spare unit earlier in the evening on the outbound run. It's not ideal but do you run the services without toilets or cancel both trains, there's no perfect solution.

 

[D365]

Once 197003 has come back to traffic, I wonder if its ETCS equipment will be moved to 197021?

I know that 197003 was used for the earliest ETCS testing on the Cambrian, but that was nearly 4 years ago.

Surely it would make more sense, rather than the current "out-of-sequence" numbering of:

Non-ETCS - 197001-197002, 197004-197021, 197042-197051
ETCS-fitted - 197003, 197022-197041

...to have the 2-car units configured as:

Non-ETCS - 197001-197020, 197042-197051
ETCS-fitted - 197021-197041

(Yes, the 21 ETCS-fitted units would still be numbered "in the middle", but I believe that was so that they aligned as closely as possible with the 24 (as was) 158s - 158818-158841)

Why is it so prudent that TOPS numbers must be sequential?

 

[XFeed]

Sometime before May 2022.

I don`t recall seeing it that early but having said that I don`t keep note of any unit that first arrives at the depot or any other unit really.

My first recollection of 003 was when the warranty team from Crewe arrived to replace an engine raft at Chester depot, can`t remember which car.