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Meanwhile there's luxury on the VoG today with 2 double 150s on 2 different diagrams, when other services are being cancelled. Sometimes TfW's allocations make absolutely no sense

It looks like one of the 398s has failed today and it's not been replaced, either by another 398 or a 150. Are there only 3 x 398s still available for passenger services?

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...

Announced this afternoon https://tfw.wales/service-status/disruption-and-service-changes

I'm surprised that TfW have not announced yet that their 158 fleet will be grounded over the next few days due to the extreme forecast temperatures of around 30C right across mid and north Wales, higher along the borders in England. Maybe the air con has been fixed?

It was also a ridiculous idea because despite the UK Government and the London based media pretending otherwise, GBR will not exist as a single brand across the entirety of Britain. By that logic, it would be explained to the public that TfW, ScotRail, the Bee Network, TfL, and any other...

Because the Marches line is the only route between north and south Wales, and the many of TfW's profitable services run over this line. It's in TfW's and Wales' interest for the Marches line to get improvements.

Or it's just not seen as a priority by a Westminster UK government. That would change if the line was devolved

They took full ownership of the CVL because Welsh Govt wanted to pursue light rail options and discontinuous electrification for the Valley Lines to keep overall costs of the project within certain limits. It was also a time a decade ago when costs of NR's electrification schemes were spiralling...

To be honest, I sigh every time I read a post from someone saying there's no way that Welsh Government should get control of any section of line that runs into England, despite the fact that Welsh Government are much more likely to invest in & upgrade the Marches line than if it was left under...

It would make more sense to plaster the George Cross all over trains that operate wholly within England, and the union Jack on cross-border services. But the DfT would never go for that, as the UK Government has a complete inability to say England when an organisation only (or 90%) serves...

I think this puts to bed any idea that TfW will keep 158s any longer than needed to cover a shortfall of other units, eg. In the south with 398s. From the statement they released, TfW obviously want rid of the 158s ASAP and tbh I can't see them spending any money on fixing the air con now.

This seems to be the reason:

That it's just absolutely, utterly awful? By all means call it GBR, but at least come up with a decent livery that isn't a flag tastelessly plastered all over trains.

Here's a link on the TfW website. https://tfw.wales/service-status/disruption-and-service-changes Of course, TfW will be running even older trains than 158s long term with 153s and Mk 4s, but the 153s have opening windows and Mk 4 air con actually works.

For clarity, Wales is not about to "take over 10% of the UK rail network". The Welsh Government simply wants parity with Scotland and Northern Ireland when it comes to funding and control over the Wales & Borders rail network. The fact that Scotland & Northern Ireland get significant extra...

There's no indication that mainline training on the 231s / 756s has even started, hence why 150s are still the only traction that can work on the VoG line (Barry - Bridgend).

So TfW now seem to be at the stage where is a 150 fails on a 150 / 153 diagram, there's nothing to replace it, and services are cancelled. A VoG diagram 150 failed this morning, resulting in the VoG getting a 2 hourly service nearly all day and some Barry Island services cancelled as well...

What exactly is happening during the 3 day closure of Queen Street this weekend? Will the Cardiff Bay wires finally get energised?

If the 158s are to have any future after TfW, I think at this point it would be easier to permanently disable the faulty air con in 158s, and re-fit all of the windows with opening hopper windows. Not ideal, but better than having a unit with sealed windows and no air con during increasingly...