TfW class 398 Stadler Citylink tram trains

[positron]

Yeah the 150s on the line are a relatively recent change. I can't quite remember when it happened May 2025 perhaps.

Will be nice to see them go though.

 

[StripeyNick]

3 units. Today 2 of the diagrams are 398s and one is a 150. If a 3rd 398 is sent out that'll mark the end of 150s on the Cardiff Bay branch, assuming none need to be called in to help.

They seem to be sticking with a 150 on a Sunday

 

[BillStampy]

They seem to be sticking with a 150 on a Sunday

Oops! Forgot Sunday existed, it's clearly a relevant day of the week on my calendar
My mistake!
Still; it won't be long until Sprinters fade from the responsibilities of the Cardiff Bay operations...!

 

[Caaardiff]

Mind you, when I left Cardiff (lived there 2021-2024), they weren’t regular on the line anyway. Used to be a 153/9 Mon-Sat and a 150 on Sundays.

Wasn't that the coryton line? I dont think 153s ever did the bay line.

 

[Sterre]

Wasn't that the coryton line? I dont think 153s ever did the bay line.

153s used to run the Cardiff Bay to Queen Street shuttle back when it was every 12 minutes. It swapped over to 150s when they reduced the frequency and extended half hourly up to Pontypridd.

 

[Coleridge]

Weird that the moment they start rolling out in larger numbers with few failures that said contributor who said so many different things about the units and how awful they would be has vanished...

Wonder if we'll see one be used on the TAM lines before the December timetable!

Let's not forget that the most recent PR video from TfW said that the 398s would be rolled out to the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr lines "later this summer". The contributor you refer to said that this was unlikely, and that it was more likely to be 2027. He has not yet been proved wrong.

 

[MikePJ]

A taste of the future at Cathays this afternoon. (The destination blinds were working - they just don't come out in photos because of the shutter speed)

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Wasn't that the coryton line? I dont think 153s ever did the bay line.

I used to commute on it mate I can promise you it was 153s

 

[John R]

Let's not forget that the most recent PR video from TfW said that the 398s would be rolled out to the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr lines "later this summer". The contributor you refer to said that this was unlikely, and that it was more likely to be 2027. He has not yet been proved wrong.

Well if the full complement needed for the Pontypridd to Bay service will be in operation on Wednesday then I’d say it’s not at all unlikely that one or two will venture further north by the autumn solstice.

And that particular poster was even suggesting that the whole fleet should be scrapped, along with may other very negative comments (eg air conditioning) which now appear somewhat over the top and without substance.

 

[WAB]

153s used to run the Cardiff Bay to Queen Street shuttle back when it was every 12 minutes. It swapped over to 150s when they reduced the frequency and extended half hourly up to Pontypridd.

Of course 153s are not cleared north of Radyr

 

[Caaardiff]

I used to commute on it mate I can promise you it was 153s

I stand corrected

 

[RuddA]

I used to commute on it mate I can promise you it was 153s

9th April 2022 at Cardiff Bay

 

[chargesmith]

021 and 031 out this morning - is 021 one that's been out in service before?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2026 ==

Have had word to say there should be 3x 398s out from Wednesday

RTT supports this. Three non-test movements out of the depot from what I can see, one at 0540, one at 0552 and one at 0617.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Aug 2026 ==

They seem to be sticking with a 150 on a Sunday

Looks like one is due out this Sunday, but I said that last week and it didn't happen. Obviously plans changed.

 

[StripeyNick]

021 is indeed a newbie in service

 

[5021]

Weird that the moment they start rolling out in larger numbers with few failures that said contributor who said so many different things about the units and how awful they would be has vanished. Good to see them rolling out in bigger numbers and hopefully that means a positive outlook for December when a significantly larger workload is required. It just means all the fleets can move to their retrospective lines (i.e. 231s Mainline, 756s on the Rhymney line, 197s off Maesteg/Ebbw/Cheltenham to elsewhere...)

Wonder if we'll see one be used on the TAM lines before the December timetable!

If all goes well I'm sure we will and a few more as time goes on, it's clearly intended to continue as a gradual process rather than a "big bang", lessons have been learned! TfW's Operations Manager likes to call the resulting moves of other units "The Grand Cascade", make what you will of that....

 

[Cardiff123]

Has there been any official acknowledgement at all from TfW yet that the 398s are finally in passenger service? After years of telling us that the 398s are coming, when they finally enter service, there's been official silence.
It's a very strange approach.

Even Geoff Marshall admitted in his members YT video that he only found out about the 398s entering service from a friend. There's been no official comms about it at all.

 

[positron]

I think they're probably playing it very safe because it's taken so long. And they know if they post about it online they just get droves of "what about the toilets?!?". I suspect they'll wait until they're running the Aberdare to Merthyr loops or possibly even just wait till December to make a big song and dance about it.

 

[MikePJ]

August is not a good time for press launches either - they may choose to wait until September anyway.

 

[Caaardiff]

They probably learned from all the fuss that was put out about the Pacers leaving, to which it took some time after that press launch for them to actually leave.

 

[tfw756rider]

021 is indeed a newbie in service

Thanks for letting us know

The entry-to-service of 398021 'today' (Tue 18/8/26) now means that 9 (of 36) 398s have been in service:

398017-018, 398021-022, 398024, 398028-031

The number of 398s still to enter service is down to 27:

398001-016, 398019-020, 398023, 398025-027, 398032-036

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

The overall number of new Transport for Wales (TfW) trains that have been in service is now up to 120 (of 148):

76 (of 77) 197s
All 11 231s
9 (of 36) 398s
All 24 756s

This leaves 28 new TfW trains still to enter service:

1 197
27 398s

 

[norbitonflyer]

Was out today on 031, which the guard said was having some "traction issues" (whatever that means)

 

[chargesmith]

026 is out testing today which I think is also a new unit?

 

[StripeyNick]

026 is out testing today which I think is also a new unit?

I'm only counting the ones that carry passengers as being 'in service'.

If 026 is out, I wouldn't be surprised if we see it carrying passengers in the not too distant future

 

[318266]

Was out today on 031, which the guard said was having some "traction issues" (whatever that means)

Indeed it appears to have been pulled at around 1500 for traction issues, but has come back just before 2000 to cover for 398017 which itself had only managed a return from Taffs Well to Pontypridd, having been sent out to cover for 398021...

 

[EveningStarr]

Rather a poor day today with the 398s unfortunately. If I'm reading it right:
Two Ponty-Bay diagrams,
One was 398031, which failed and was replaced by 398029,
The other was 398021, which failed and was replaced by 398017, which made it from Taffs Well to Ponty before having to return to shed, and then 398031 came out again to cover this diagram.

Meanwhile 150256 was chugging about on the third diagram all day no issues so far.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Rather a poor day today with the 398s unfortunately. If I'm reading it right:

I was lucky then, as my second attempt to get to Wales to sample a 398 (and a 756, another new class for me) got off, just like the first attempt, with meltdown on the District and Overground at Richmond, and the Overground also at Clapham Junction. But unlike my oprevoius attempt, when i never got further than Paddington, this time everthing else went to plan - in fact better, as I was also able to compare the 756 with a 231, and get a proper ride on a 197 (my only previous attempt having got from Man Picc to Oxford Road and then breaking down).
But 398031 turned up on time and ran to time

And, for only the second time in my life, I can now say I have ridden on all MU classes currently in service on National Rail. (The first time I completed the set was when I had a 385 and 803 on the same day, three years ago)

 

[AdamWW]

Rather a poor day today with the 398s unfortunately. If I'm reading it right:

Not great perhaps but Realtimetrians seems to show the vast majority of trains running, and without significant delays.

 

[chargesmith]

Three units out today, 017, 029 and 031.

 

[StripeyNick]

Three units out today, 017, 029 and 031.

Excellent! Let's hope they last the day

 

[chargesmith]

013 and 018 are out on test as well today, have we seen either of these out before?