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

[tfw756rider]

197039 moved back to Chester yesterday, after being on Cambrian testing/training runs since April. Wonder whether we will we see this final 197 into passenger service soon?

Fingers crossed. I will guess within one week (based on previous releases from Crewe to Chester) for 197039 to enter service unless it has only gone to Chester with some sort of problem to sort out. I assumed 197039 would do a stint of normal passenger work sooner rather than later so as to get it over the last (and significant) bit of testing - exposure to passengers !.

197024/029/030 are the current 197 Cambrian training trio based at Machynlleth, but the trio has been swapping to different combinations of three units from the 197024/029/030/039 'quartet' (which makes sense for external maintenance).

If 197039 does enter service soon, I wonder which unit will replace it as the 'fourth' unit of the 'current' 197 Cambrian training group?

 

[wythallpaul]

According to RTT on 30th June 2026.
197035+197039 Allocated on 3H07 1827 Chester D.M.U.D.(XCH) to Holyhead Car.M.D(No 3 Letter Code).

 

[Welshguy1048]

Filmed at Prestatyn, North Wales

30/06/26 - TfW Class 197 - 197035 & 197039 - Chester D.M.U.D. to Holyhead Car M.D. - Testing run

 

[tfw756rider]

Has anyone experienced manual announcements cutting in and out on a 197? I experienced this in vehicle 133021 (front/driven from) of 197021 on Tue 30/6/26.

 

[Snow1964]

A 197 operated route (Llandudno - Blaenau Ffestiniog) has been changed to road transport because more units than normal need repairs.

With the Cambrian not yet in use, surprising can't find enough trains, and I do hate use of phrase more than normal when it happens every few days, clearly normal is mis-defined

Due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time between Llandudno (LLD) and Blaenau Ffestiniog (BFF):
Services may be cancelled in both directions between Llandudno (LLD) and Blaenau Ffestiniog (BFF).
We expect the incident to last until the end of the day and disruption to services is expected until the end of the day.

What's Happened?
Due to a shortage of trains, fewer trains are able to run between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Homepage | Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales | Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Check Train Times

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[BillStampy]

What I have noticed down south at my local station is that our trains have gone from almost all 197s to almost all 150s or 153s as a result of the shortage of stock. It's not a surprise and makes a nice change in rolling stock but still.

 

[Envoy]

What I have noticed down south at my local station is that our trains have gone from almost all 197s to almost all 150s or 153s as a result of the shortage of stock. It's not a surprise and makes a nice change in rolling stock but still.

I can’t imagine that anyone else thinks it makes “a nice change”.

 

[Snow1964]

What I have noticed down south at my local station is that our trains have gone from almost all 197s to almost all 150s or 153s as a result of the shortage of stock. It's not a surprise and makes a nice change in rolling stock but still.

So what's the plan ?

- Increase repair capacity
- Order more trains
- Keep 150s and 153s longer
- Continue with regular shortages
- No plan, and pray problem eventually vanishes
- Cut timetable to match amount of serviceable stock

Sort of feels this has been going on for a year or three, with no real forward solution.

 

[Caaardiff]

197s have been affected by gearbox issues with quite a few stopped, as well as the hot weather with some air con issues. On top of that CAF were on strike the past few days.

Come September availability will be grim.

When the 231s move over to mainline there will be fewer 197s in the South so fewer options for 150s and 153s to step in and cover.

 

[DS25]

Would be better if 158s could stay for a bit longer in the South or run long distance routes, as a short term measure until new stock arrives which could replace all Mk4s and 158s but thats getting into speculative territory so would be better to start a new thread

 

[Jez]

I can’t imagine that anyone else thinks it makes “a nice change”.

Me neither. Although its down to personal opinion you wont get many (if anyone) saying a Sprinter is better than a 197!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jul 2026 ==

I noticed that 197s are covering a few MK4 diagrams today. The 0646 and 0855 from Cardiff to name 2. This certainly isnt helping matters either.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jul 2026 ==

A 197 operated route (Llandudno - Blaenau Ffestiniog) has been changed to road transport because more units than normal need repairs.

With the Cambrian not yet in use, surprising can't find enough trains, and I do hate use of phrase more than normal when it happens every few days, clearly normal is mis-defined

Homepage | Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales | Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Check Train Times

tfw.wales

Also not a proper 197 route but Newport to Ebbw Vale too is cancelled which will in turn cascade Sprinters to cover 197s

So overall that is 3 units less needed.

 

[BillStampy]

I can’t imagine that anyone else thinks it makes “a nice change”.

Oh no absolutely not, it's just my personal preference sometimes as I like the occasional bit of change.

 

[DS25]

I can’t imagine that anyone else thinks it makes “a nice change”.

Me neither. Although its down to personal opinion you wont get many (if anyone) saying a Sprinter is better than a 197!

Im probably the one other person that does.. about 158s and maybe 153s!

 

[Jez]

Im probably the one other person that does.. about 158s and maybe 153s!

158's ive always rated very highly. But still prefer a 197!

197s had awful availability today as i just looked at RTT and all Maesteg's were Sprinters (including at least one of them being an AT!), 2 of the Pembroke Dock-Cardiff's were Sprinters (1 x 150 and a pair of 153s) as well as most of Cheltenham's being 150s. Newport-Ebbw and Conwy Valley cancelled to free up units and several short formed services on Manchester to South and North Wales.

Not sure how many 197s were in service today but it was a lot less than usual even when things have been bad before.

 

[sd0733]

Not sure how many 197s were in service today but it was a lot less than usual even when things have been bad before.

41 were in service and even one of those was swapped out at Chester by 0800 and not seen again.

 

[Jez]

41 were in service and even one of those was swapped out at Chester by 0800 and not seen again.

thanks @sd0733

to be honest with the amount of sprinters plus cancelling two routes i expected less, but two were covering for MK4's which impacted things too.

 

[BillStampy]

Oh dear. They've sent AT03 up to Manchester in place of a MK4 when it should be covered by a 197...

 

[Chorley Cake]

031 is on the move from Holyhead to Chester.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:88975/2026-07-02/detailed

 

[FrodshamJnct]

Oh dear. They've sent AT03 up to Manchester in place of a MK4 when it should be covered by a 197...

197124 is taking over from 1W59 onwards

 

[SWML9102]

I can’t imagine that anyone else thinks it makes “a nice change”.

Had a fast run on a 150 on the mainline today. I prefer the environment of a 197 over a 150, but the 150 far excels on ride quality. Their air suspension was a widely advertised innovation when they were introduced. The 197s ride pointwork like an overladen Pacer.

Sprinters also have the ability to brake smoothly to a stop, a feature 197s seem to strangely lack, often with a jerky on-off braking into platforms.

 

[Jez]

Does anyone know what the situation is with the 197s currently. Has availability improved in the last 2 days?

 

[sd0733]

Does anyone know what the situation is with the 197s currently. Has availability improved in the last 2 days?

Its improved slightly with 45 available for 49 diagrams today. 3 are uncovered, 1 on Bleanau which is Suspended and the Wrexham-Bidston 197 missing all day, one short form and one AT unit covering.
There seems to be a huge amount of engine and gearbox failures at the moment.
Theres been some industrial action with CAF at Chester this week too which has also impacted.

 

[Jez]

Its improved slightly with 45 available for 49 diagrams today. 3 are uncovered, 1 on Bleanau which is Suspended and the Wrexham-Bidston 197 missing all day, one short form and one AT unit covering.
There seems to be a huge amount of engine and gearbox failures at the moment.
Theres been some industrial action with CAF at Chester this week too which has also impacted.

Thanks.

On the LTP diagrams I got sent for the May TT there wasnt any 197s showing on the Wrexham-Bidston but I guess 1 diagram is still a 197 in the short term plan.

 

[sd0733]

Thanks.

On the LTP diagrams I got sent for the May TT there wasnt any 197s showing on the Wrexham-Bidston but I guess 1 diagram is still a 197 in the short term plan.

There werent any at one time and arent in the LTPs. Theres short term diagrams that run through at least this month with a diagram on there.

 

[Peter Sarf]

197024/029/030 are the current 197 Cambrian training trio based at Machynlleth, but the trio has been swapping to different combinations of three units from the 197024/029/030/039 'quartet' (which makes sense for external maintenance).

If 197039 does enter service soon, I wonder which unit will replace it as the 'fourth' unit of the 'current' 197 Cambrian training group?

I notice a move of 197039 from Chester to Holyhead Car MD on 30/06/2026 made it onto the system(s).
I wonder if it went to Holyhead for work or storage, or has it sneaked back to Cambrian ?.

 

[Jez]

Currently on 197112 running alone 3 car vice 5. 197013 which was booked appears to have been taken off in Swansea due to a fault on the train the Conductor informed us which resulted in a 20 minute delay when I boarded at Port Talbot

It's concerning just how many faults the 197s are getting for new trains. And not just short formed but a delay as well. I was almost wishing I'd opted for the MK4 an hour later. Fortunately it isn't overly busy (as in it's not full and standing) but almost every double seat is taken and could potentially get busy further North.

 

[tomoufc]

Apologies if this has been asked before, but do we know why the 197s are struggling so much, when the 196s and 195s seem to be doing OK? My understanding is that they are extremely similar technically. Cheers

 

[XFeed]

Apologies if this has been asked before, but do we know why the 197s are struggling so much, when the 196s and 195s seem to be doing OK? My understanding is that they are extremely similar technically. Cheers

I don`t know about 195 and 6s but 197s have Euro 6 MTU engines and the DPFs and their associated systems have caused a number of reliability issues at times among other things.

 

[Rhydgaled]

I don`t know about 195 and 6s but 197s have Euro 6 MTU engines and the DPFs and their associated systems have caused a number of reliability issues at times among other things.

Wikipedia claims that all three Cavity classes are powered by an MTU 6H 1800 R85L engine under each car. However, for some reason for the class 195 and class 196 the power output is given as 390 kW (520 hp) per engine, but for the class 197 it claims 375 kW (503 hp) per engine.

 

[tfw756rider]

I don`t know about 195 and 6s but 197s have Euro 6 MTU engines and the DPFs and their associated systems have caused a number of reliability issues at times among other things.

Wikipedia claims that all three Cavity classes are powered by an MTU 6H 1800 R85L engine under each car. However, for some reason for the class 195 and class 196 the power output is given as 390 kW (520 hp) per engine, but for the class 197 it claims 375 kW (503 hp) per engine.

The 197s do have more emissions equipment, to a newer standard than the 195s and 196s.

The 197s are EU Stage V (2019) and have Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) in addition to the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) / AdBlue systems.

The 195s and 196s are EU Stage IIIB (2012) - EU Stage IV (2014) was only for locomotives - and only have the SCR / AdBlue systems (no DPFs).

Though all 3 classes were ordered before 2019, Northern and West Midlands Trains were able to use flexibility, whereas Transport for Wales wasn't, with the 197 build going way further into the 2020s.