TfW class 398 Stadler Citylink tram trains

[AdamWW]

Thanks for this update.
Yesterday, TfW social media shared a video asking passengers on the Pontypridd- Treherbert line what they thought of their new trains.

Did it mention that the "new trains" are only temporary?

There are three diagrams in the system from May, all coming off Taffs Well to work Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay services only. With some starting at Cardiff Central in the morning to Pontypridd. All will be formed of 3 car sets only.

So does this mean that for all of April the Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay services are cut back to just run between Queen Street and the Bay with nothing running in the paths this frees up?

 

[VR494]

Thanks for this update.
Yesterday, TfW social media shared a video asking passengers on the Pontypridd- Treherbert line what they thought of their new trains.

How far along is mainline crew training on 231s and Rhymney crew training on 756s? Will 150s be back on the TAM lines for the May TT change to allow the internal cascade of 756s, 231s, 153s & 197s?

Customer’s on the CVL are very fond of the 756 fleet and I think it’s going to have a very noticeable impact when they are taken out of the service soon. Due to coupling issues the 398’s will now also be running around as single sets mostly too.

I don’t think tfw should have made that video personally.

The 150’s will be coming back soon, some have already been back this week. Be prepared for a challenging summer period of short formed trains and cancellations due to availability too. The 398 fleet is still not fully operational.

Mainline instructors are currently learning the 231 fleet for rollout to drivers.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2026 ==

Did it mention that the "new trains" are only temporary?



So does this mean that for all of April the Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay services are cut back to just run between Queen Street and the Bay with nothing running in the paths this frees up?

Services are being cut I believe to fix issues with the wires, the switch on has thrown up some last minute issues that need addressing.

The video is totally inappropriate in my opinion, they are not the trains customers on the Treherbert line will be getting, and the 398’s ride quality and interior facilities are no comparison.

 

[Cardiff123]

I may be extremely cynical, but I can't help but think the video was put out now, before restrictions come in on what TfW can put on social media during the election period.

 

[craigybagel]

Looking into the future, the plan is that current train drivers will be learning this, with a potential role change to tram-train operators in the future for TAM+Bay entry roles. They will only learn a portion of the rule book to operate over the infrastructure provided, and would not obtain a full mainline ETDL. This would leave current colleagues potentially ring fenced if it goes ahead. But would bring the metro up to the same standards with other light-rapid transit systems in the UK.

Have you actually seen this written down?

 

[VR494]

Have you actually seen this written down?

Yes, I have seen information to support this statement. There will be new tram-train operators recruited under different conditions in the future to operate this network. A heavy rail qualification is only needed for rostered work over specific routes and traction, being the 398 only and TAM this is not needed. If they are limited in their capacity, they can do it. The only additional requirement will be all new applicants will need to possess a cat b car license.

Taffs well depot could also loose some additional conditions, such as night allowance. This due to the fact there will be no nights or prepping in work.

It will be though up to the trade unions to decide on the future agreements for those on the CVL, and whether a conversion course will be offered to tram-train operators to become train drivers internally, only time will tell.

There will be a new depot built at Cardiff bay, so the TAM will have three crew hubs, Treherbert, Taffs Well and the Bay.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2026 ==

In support of documents I have read and seen on competency, this article is from Modern railways:

Drivers will be trained in three stages on the fleet of Class 398 Stadler CityLink tram-trains, Transport for Wales has told Modern Railways.

Initially the units will operate similarly to their heavy rail predecessors, including on the Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay branch. Subsequently, the branch will close for a period for introduction of line-of-sight operation by ‘398s’, introducing light rail principles to the Core Valley Lines (CVL). The final stage will commence when Phase 1 of Cardiff Crossrail opens in 2029. This will introduce on-street running with Class 398s.

The tram-trains are based at a new depot in Taff’s Well and began test running on the CVL in April. On 22 May, Dan Tipper, TfW Chief Infrastructure Officer, said the initial phase had been completed, which entailed making sure the vehicles worked with the infrastructure. “Right now we’ve got proving runs going on, and have for the last six weeks or so,” he said.

Two units have achieved well over 3,500 miles of fault-free running and the other units would need to achieve 1,500 miles each, he said. “What then follows is finalising the driver training package and agreeing that with our trade union partners and then we implement the training programme.”

Approximately eight senior drivers would be trained initially to test the training programme and then to roll out training to the remainder of the Valleys’ approximately 350 drivers. Train Manager training will also follow later.

The proving runs have enabled specialist trainers to become expert in how the units work, and initial reports are very positive, said Mr Tipper.

Roughly half of the CVL drivers will need to be trained on the ‘398s’ before the first units go into passenger service. TfW is aiming for approximately five to enter service initially, enabling swapping out of Class 756 tri-mode units which are operating temporarily on the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil lines until electrification is completed on the Rhymney line.

Timescales for entry into service are not finalised. Mr Tipper said ‘398s’ are more complex than the other new fleets because they are tram-trains, but having successfully introduced the Class 231s and ‘756s’ in Cardiff in recent years there is a tried and tested model for service introduction which avoids some of the traction knowledge issues other operators have experienced. Detailed union consultation throughout has been a hallmark of the approach.

Some elements of driver conversion are simplified by Stadler having also supplied the Class 756s. Mr Tipper says the dashboards and some of the alarms are replicated in the Class 398s. “The safety critical stuff is aligned with both vehicles, and then it’s far easier because Stadler is doing it.” This has a safety benefit too – the ‘human factors’ interaction elements in the cab will be consistent for drivers.

The initial Class 398 training includes some preparation for line-of-sight driving, but this aspect will be finalised when light rail signalling is commissioned on the Cardiff Bay line, where Butetown station is under construction.

When the new line from Butetown to Cardiff Central is commissioned, Class 398s will operate on-street for the first time, with further training required. Mr Tipper said: “The environment is a bit different, with traffic lights and other things, but the [line-of-sight] principles of operation stay the same.”

RFID Tracklink III beacons and readers, supplied by Sella Controls, instruct Classes 756 and 398 when to change between overhead and battery power sources on the CVL. There were problems in the winter with flooding affecting some of the beacons, which are in the ‘four-foot’. In March, the TfW board was informed of an interim fix for beacons.

Asked about the fix, Mr Tipper said: “It’s teething problems really. It’s not surprising, for a system as complex as we’ve got, that it needs refinement. We have a very high percentage of reliability now – we’re really pleased with the reliability we’re getting from them – and we are evolving the edges of the system.

“Essentially, you’ve got a beam that comes down from the reader on the train and that receives a signal from the beacon which tells the train what to do.” Interference can be caused by local issues or a peculiarity in a train’s loading. The system features failsafe backups, for example to ensure that the pantograph drops if the train misses the lowering instruction from a beacon.

“The process we’re going through now is all about refining the system,” said Mr Tipper. “We’re comfortable it works as we expected it to, it’s designed correctly, interacts correctly and so on, but we are refining that operation to further improve our reliability.”

 

[craigybagel]

Yes, I have seen information to support this statement. There will be new tram-train operators recruited under different conditions in the future to operate this network. A heavy rail qualification is only needed for rostered work over specific routes and traction, being the 398 only and TAM this is not needed. If they are limited in their capacity, they can do it. The only additional requirement will be all new applicants will need to possess a cat b car license.

Taffs well depot could also loose some additional conditions, such as night allowance. This due to the fact there will be no nights or prepping in work.

It will be though up to the trade unions to decide on the future agreements for those on the CVL, and whether a conversion course will be offered to tram-train operators to become train drivers internally, only time will tell.

There will be a new depot built at Cardiff bay, so the TAM will have three crew hubs, Treherbert, Taffs Well and the Bay.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2026 ==

In support of documents I have read and seen on competency, this article is from Modern railways:

Drivers will be trained in three stages on the fleet of Class 398 Stadler CityLink tram-trains, Transport for Wales has told Modern Railways.

Initially the units will operate similarly to their heavy rail predecessors, including on the Cardiff Queen Street to Cardiff Bay branch. Subsequently, the branch will close for a period for introduction of line-of-sight operation by ‘398s’, introducing light rail principles to the Core Valley Lines (CVL). The final stage will commence when Phase 1 of Cardiff Crossrail opens in 2029. This will introduce on-street running with Class 398s.

The tram-trains are based at a new depot in Taff’s Well and began test running on the CVL in April. On 22 May, Dan Tipper, TfW Chief Infrastructure Officer, said the initial phase had been completed, which entailed making sure the vehicles worked with the infrastructure. “Right now we’ve got proving runs going on, and have for the last six weeks or so,” he said.

Two units have achieved well over 3,500 miles of fault-free running and the other units would need to achieve 1,500 miles each, he said. “What then follows is finalising the driver training package and agreeing that with our trade union partners and then we implement the training programme.”

Approximately eight senior drivers would be trained initially to test the training programme and then to roll out training to the remainder of the Valleys’ approximately 350 drivers. Train Manager training will also follow later.

The proving runs have enabled specialist trainers to become expert in how the units work, and initial reports are very positive, said Mr Tipper.

Roughly half of the CVL drivers will need to be trained on the ‘398s’ before the first units go into passenger service. TfW is aiming for approximately five to enter service initially, enabling swapping out of Class 756 tri-mode units which are operating temporarily on the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil lines until electrification is completed on the Rhymney line.

Timescales for entry into service are not finalised. Mr Tipper said ‘398s’ are more complex than the other new fleets because they are tram-trains, but having successfully introduced the Class 231s and ‘756s’ in Cardiff in recent years there is a tried and tested model for service introduction which avoids some of the traction knowledge issues other operators have experienced. Detailed union consultation throughout has been a hallmark of the approach.

Some elements of driver conversion are simplified by Stadler having also supplied the Class 756s. Mr Tipper says the dashboards and some of the alarms are replicated in the Class 398s. “The safety critical stuff is aligned with both vehicles, and then it’s far easier because Stadler is doing it.” This has a safety benefit too – the ‘human factors’ interaction elements in the cab will be consistent for drivers.

The initial Class 398 training includes some preparation for line-of-sight driving, but this aspect will be finalised when light rail signalling is commissioned on the Cardiff Bay line, where Butetown station is under construction.

When the new line from Butetown to Cardiff Central is commissioned, Class 398s will operate on-street for the first time, with further training required. Mr Tipper said: “The environment is a bit different, with traffic lights and other things, but the [line-of-sight] principles of operation stay the same.”

RFID Tracklink III beacons and readers, supplied by Sella Controls, instruct Classes 756 and 398 when to change between overhead and battery power sources on the CVL. There were problems in the winter with flooding affecting some of the beacons, which are in the ‘four-foot’. In March, the TfW board was informed of an interim fix for beacons.

Asked about the fix, Mr Tipper said: “It’s teething problems really. It’s not surprising, for a system as complex as we’ve got, that it needs refinement. We have a very high percentage of reliability now – we’re really pleased with the reliability we’re getting from them – and we are evolving the edges of the system.

“Essentially, you’ve got a beam that comes down from the reader on the train and that receives a signal from the beacon which tells the train what to do.” Interference can be caused by local issues or a peculiarity in a train’s loading. The system features failsafe backups, for example to ensure that the pantograph drops if the train misses the lowering instruction from a beacon.

“The process we’re going through now is all about refining the system,” said Mr Tipper. “We’re comfortable it works as we expected it to, it’s designed correctly, interacts correctly and so on, but we are refining that operation to further improve our reliability.”

Thanks for that.

I see nothing however suggesting that drivers will be divided and different T&C's brought in. It was already agreed with ASLEF that all drivers on the Valleys network would maintain competence on both 398s and 756s, and the routes on both the Rhymney Valley and TAM side of the network. The fact that TfW are saying in this article the plan is to train all drivers backs this up.

 

[VR494]

Thanks for that.

I see nothing however suggesting that drivers will be divided and different T&C's brought in. It was already agreed with ASLEF that all drivers on the Valleys network would maintain competence on both 398s and 756s, and the routes on both the Rhymney Valley and TAM side of the network. The fact that TfW are saying in this article the plan is to train all drivers backs this up.

I've got the following information on training, it will be divided due to the amount of crew, so half the 350 is out of the window:

• Tier 2 instructors
• All Taffs Well - Link 1 drivers
• Treherbert + new depot and staff uplift
• Taffs Well Link 2
• Majority of above will have TAM and Bay work only from 2027, due to increase in service 4ph.
• All above already sign 756, will or could retain for cross cover.

Barry, Rhymney and Cardiff will be operating 756 only in their diagrams. There are no immediate plans at the moment for them to learn the 398's, and they will have CAR work, and potential VOG.

A new depot, currently not disclosed is in the pipline for Cardiff Bay, tram-train operators are planned to be recruited for this.

 

[AdamWW]

Services are being cut I believe to fix issues with the wires, the switch on has thrown up some last minute issues that need addressing.

If the problem is the wires on the branch to the Bay, how does keeping trains running on that bit but cutting services between Queen Street ant Pontypridd help?

 

[WelshBluebird]

If the problem is the wires on the branch to the Bay, how does keeping trains running on that bit but cutting services between Queen Street ant Pontypridd help?

Is there the space to terminate those services at Queen Street? Thats the first thing that pops in my head anyway. Then on top of that you already have 6tph from PPD to CDQ without the Bay service, so if removing that helps sort out other issues it isnt like your left without a service!

 

[Markdvdman]

So TAM lines will go back to 150s? They struggle for space with 756s! It is a disgrace!!

 

[AdamWW]

Is there the space to terminate those services at Queen Street?

No, but instead they are still running the section between Queen Street and the Bay as a shuttle so I don't think that's the reason.

Then on top of that you already have 6tph from PPD to CDQ without the Bay service, so if removing that helps sort out other issues it isnt like your left without a service!

Nobody is left without a service.

But without these trains a lot of people are left with a rather poor service.

Saying there are 6 trains per hour is a bit misleading. Two of them take the long way round via the City line.
So if, say, you're going from Radyr to Queen Street that's 30 minutes rather than 13 so it only makes sense to catch one of the other 4 trains per hour.
If you're going from Llandaf they aren't even an option.

The remaining 4 trains per hour run in pairs about 5 minutes apart.

So you have 25 minute gaps twice an hour - effectively not much better than 2 trains per hour.

Now you also have people who come down from the Aberdare line whose trains now go round the City Line.
This was sold as being acceptable because you can change onto a direct train to Queen Street giving journey times only a little bit longer than before the change in service patterns.
But that only works when the trains that have been removed run.
When they don't it extends journey times significantly.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2026 ==

So TAM lines will go back to 150s? They struggle for space with 756s! It is a disgrace!!

Unless they have enough trains to run them in pairs? Perhaps not...

 

[VR494]

So TAM lines will go back to 150s? They struggle for space with 756s! It is a disgrace!!

Yes, you will be seeing a lot more 150's after May. They will be replaced as and when more 398's come into service.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2026 ==

If the problem is the wires on the branch to the Bay, how does keeping trains running on that bit but cutting services between Queen Street ant Pontypridd help?

The Bay branch is fed from the feeder station at Queen Street North Jct, the same one which powers lines to Llandaff, Coryton and Caerphilly - some addtional work is needed. Also 150's have been off having exams at Canton.

 

[Adlee Turner]

Thanks for this update.
Yesterday, TfW social media shared a video asking passengers on the Pontypridd- Treherbert line what they thought of their new trains. Maybe it was the wrong question.

How far along is mainline crew training on 231s and Rhymney crew training on 756s? Will 150s be back on the TAM lines for the May TT change to allow the internal cascade of 756s, 231s, 153s & 197s?

All valley crews (Cardiff, Treherbert, Barry, Taffs Well & Rhymney) are all trained on 756s so it’s just waiting for testing of the 756s on the Rhymney line to be complete and authorisation of them into passenger use on Rhymney & Bargoed services.

 

[nigelsporne]

Although I haven't been following this thread in detail my Engineering Magazine has an article on the electrification of the Valley lines in which it says the work is completed and that the 398s will start on the Pontypridd to Bay line this Spring. There are 5 feeder stations apparently.
This just reinforces comments previously mentioned in this thread. Whether one believes this is another matter!

 

[AdamWW]

The Bay branch is fed from the feeder station at Queen Street North Jct, the same one which powers lines to Llandaff, Coryton and Caerphilly - some addtional work is needed. Also 150's have been off having exams at Canton.

Sorry - maybe I'm being thick but I still don't see how this helps.

Are you suggesting that the cut in services between Pontypridd and and Queen Street - announced before they found the problems with the Bay Line electrification - is somehow enabling work to be carried out at the feeder station?

 

[VR494]

Sorry - maybe I'm being thick but I still don't see how this helps.

Are you suggesting that the cut in services between Pontypridd and and Queen Street - announced before they found the problems with the Bay Line electrification - is somehow enabling work to be carried out at the feeder station?

Works planned for the previous possession didn’t go ahead as planned, although the wires have been commissioned, there is still work to do on them before trains are able to use them.

 

[D365]

The 398 fleet is certainly not identical either, the wiring is all different in each case, and what works for one doesn’t for another.

A recurring theme for passenger rail vehicles of Spanish heritage...

 

[tigermonstera]

Looks like a 398 did some test runs in Cardiff Bay last night.

 

[VR494]

Looks like a 398 did some test runs in Cardiff Bay last night.

Battery capacity tests were conducted on the above runs last night. The 398's were loaded with numerous bags of gravel to simulate a payload of passengers, this was loaded evenly around the 3 carriages.

Measurements also to be taken for route proving, the 398 fleet is RA1 and it will happen again this evening.

This was a first for the team, and a lot of work is going on to try and atleast get one into service for the begining of June.

 

[AdamWW]

Looks like a 398 did some test runs in Cardiff Bay last night.

That link wants me to log in even though realtimetrains is normally usable without an account.

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

Battery capacity tests were conducted on the above runs last night. The 398's were loaded with numerous bags of gravel to simulate a payload of passengers, this was loaded evenly around the 3 carriages.

Sounds like progress.

I'm sure it would make TfW's job much easier if they just had to carry bags of gravel around.
Though at least passengers usually get themselves on and off trains.

 

[Peter Sarf]

On my visit to Taffs Well on Tuesday 31/03/2026 I identified twenty-three 398s plus a further two I could not id. Assuming a further six inside on roads 11 & 12 that means there were thirty-one 398s there. The highest numbered one I identified was 398033.

I wonder if the whole fleet of thirty-six is here ?
It must be getting close to completion of deliveries.

 

[tigermonstera]

That link wants me to log in even though realtimetrains is normally usable without an account.

That’s odd. The service was the 3Q40 0037 Taffs Well Depot to Cardiff Bay on 02/04/26.

 

[StripeyNick]

On my visit to Taffs Well on Tuesday 31/03/2026 I identified twenty-three 398s plus a further two I could not id. Assuming a further six inside on roads 11 & 12 that means there were thirty-one 398s there. The highest numbered one I identified was 398033.

I wonder if the whole fleet of thirty-six is here ?
It must be getting close to completion of deliveries.

I believe that 033 is the highest numbered one in the country so just the 3 left to come

 

[tfw756rider]

That link wants me to log in even though realtimetrains is normally usable without an account.

I just checked it logged out and it works fine.

 

[800001]

On my visit to Taffs Well on Tuesday 31/03/2026 I identified twenty-three 398s plus a further two I could not id. Assuming a further six inside on roads 11 & 12 that means there were thirty-one 398s there. The highest numbered one I identified was 398033.

I wonder if the whole fleet of thirty-six is here ?
It must be getting close to completion of deliveries.

Isn't the depot too small to handle all 36 units? Requiring some to be out stabled at another location?

 

[positron]

Isn't the depot too small to handle all 36 units? Requiring some to be out stabled at another location?

There was an interview with James Price at one point and he suggested it actually had room for even more, he did say the stabling capacity was lower than it's total capability of handling them for work etc. I believe some will be stables at Treherbert for operational reasons anyway (there's already the sidings there).

 

[AdamWW]

I just checked it logged out and it works fine.

Sorry - must be some strange cookie thing on my browser.

Works for me too if I try a different browser.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Sorry - must be some strange cookie thing on my browser.

Works for me too if I try a different browser.

I have had it happen to me a while back. Not sure what I did apart from start again to get it working.

 

[crosscity]

398032 observed this afternoon at Asfordby (Old Dalby test track).

A couple of unsuccessful attempts were made to transfer 398032 to Cardiff by rail. Is this unit still at Old Dalby? If not when and how did it make the journey?

 

[StripeyNick]

A couple of unsuccessful attempts were made to transfer 398032 to Cardiff by rail. Is this unit still at Old Dalby? If not when and how did it make the journey?

According to Trainlogger it's still there