PHILIPE
Veteran Member
Very informative, Paul. Reminds us of what we might have forgotten about.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
ATW/Keolis Amey Wales stock shortages
- Thread starter ATW158Xpress
- Start date
- Status
Very informative, Paul. Reminds us of what we might have forgotten about.
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
CardiffKid
Member
Did it give an indication of an approx delivery date? The original five were meant to be delivered around one a month over a five month period.
Will they be arriving by bus?
Gareth Marston
Established Member
Will they be arriving by bus?
Two hourly rail services with two hourly bus service on Saturday.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
TFW have published their plan for next week in Journey Check with signs, unfortunately, of deterioration. I haven't been through the programme route by route but what stands out is that there will be no train service at all on the Wrexham to Bidston route rather than every other. Also, unless they are expecting a worsening situation, the Penarth Branch will be bustituted from Wednesday onwards.
krus_aragon
Established Member
At a guess, unless TfW have become clairvoyant about the weather, some of their operational units will be hitting service/exam deadlines by Wednesday, with insufficient repaired units coming out of the workshop to replace them.
Llanigraham
On Moderation
Second complaint sent in this week, after no bus stopped in Caersws at 0950 this morning.
Gareth Marston
Established Member
He was running late, got to Newtown station just after 1030 we got passengers off and put them aboard the 0930 ex Aberystwyth @ 1042. Not the first time.
The following train catching the bus up is a regular occurance. I can't recall ATW ever trying to do a bus the whole way from Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury with a train an hour behind. It just doesn't work as the bus is so slow.
Last edited:
Cambrian359
Member
- Joined
- 17 Jun 2018
- Messages
- 306
Third of their fleet now out of action now with trains being sent to other parts of the uk to be repaired quicker
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46324311
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46324311
anthony263
Established Member
Maybe this should have been done earlier
Llanigraham
On Moderation
Thanks Gareth, I heard as you spoke to my wife and sorted her friend out.
My complaint still stands though.
1 Delay Replay after cancelling an evening train at Shrewsbury on the way home form London.
1 complaint about the website
1 complaint about the bus.
Envoy
Established Member
- Joined
- 29 Aug 2014
- Messages
- 3,159
Transport For Wales are experiencing severe problems at the moment due to the condition of the fleet. Did Arriva neglect to maintain the fleet during the final few months of their franchise?
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/rugby-fans-travelling-wales-v-15458391
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/rugby-fans-travelling-wales-v-15458391
Note the word 'damage' in the statement, which is presumably mainly a reference to wheel flats caused by leaves on the line/poor railhead conditions generally at this time of year.
According to the December issue of Modern Railways, the Class 150s operating in Wales are now being fitted with wheelslip protection for the remaining few years they will be in use.
That doesn't really sound like a maintenance issue, more that BR and the TOCs that have used the stock since the mid-90s were willing to chance it every autumn when it came to wheels getting flats - even if it then meant several sets at a time needing a trip to the wheel lathe. Looks like the problem may be worse than usual this time round.
Northern is also struggling badly with wheel flats at the moment - see https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...o-penistone-line-and-ormskirk-preston.173752/
GWR Journeycheck has had a series of short-formations on dmu routes in the West Country in recent days, which are probably for the same reason. Same probably goes for others TOCs too.
According to the December issue of Modern Railways, the Class 150s operating in Wales are now being fitted with wheelslip protection for the remaining few years they will be in use.
That doesn't really sound like a maintenance issue, more that BR and the TOCs that have used the stock since the mid-90s were willing to chance it every autumn when it came to wheels getting flats - even if it then meant several sets at a time needing a trip to the wheel lathe. Looks like the problem may be worse than usual this time round.
Northern is also struggling badly with wheel flats at the moment - see https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...o-penistone-line-and-ormskirk-preston.173752/
GWR Journeycheck has had a series of short-formations on dmu routes in the West Country in recent days, which are probably for the same reason. Same probably goes for others TOCs too.
Granted that some disruption is always expected around autumn, but how are things that bad?? There are plenty of other operators that also run ageing trains that aren’t in quite the same situation. I guess units needing mods is also part of it but still seems excessive.
Another article here with a reply from Carwyn Jones.
https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2018...les-we-didnt-expect-it-these-level-of-issues/
parkender102
Member
Only realised the extent of this today when planning a trip to the Ballet in Liverpool. No service Wrexham to Bidston ALL DAY (Bus replacement taking 1 Hour instead of around 30 minutes) and many services affecting the Rugby in Cardiff. http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/206696.aspx
Gareth Marston
Established Member
Modern Railways quoting TfW Colin Lea as saying the MK3's are in a poor shape.
Don't expect Carwyn to accept any responsibility- its not his style.
We knew in 2003 that some of the fleet would be very old come the end of the franchise in 2018. I was in a meeting with then Transport Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones in 2008 when this point was raised....it certainly shouldn't have been surprise come 2018!
Modern Railways also reporting that TfW Rail will fit Wheel Slip Control to the Class 150 fleet in 2019 and hold stock of spares rather than "ordering in as required" which has been the ATW practice.
Don't expect Carwyn to accept any responsibility- its not his style.
We knew in 2003 that some of the fleet would be very old come the end of the franchise in 2018. I was in a meeting with then Transport Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones in 2008 when this point was raised....it certainly shouldn't have been surprise come 2018!
Modern Railways also reporting that TfW Rail will fit Wheel Slip Control to the Class 150 fleet in 2019 and hold stock of spares rather than "ordering in as required" which has been the ATW practice.
Last edited:
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
I'm wondering if we need another thread as the overall issues are already being discussed here:-
/www.railforums.co.uk/threads/atw-keolis-amey-wales-prm-fleet-updates.166304/page-13#post-3746941
Why I'm saying this, if you don't mind, is that people will start cross posting over more than one thread
/www.railforums.co.uk/threads/atw-keolis-amey-wales-prm-fleet-updates.166304/page-13#post-3746941
Why I'm saying this, if you don't mind, is that people will start cross posting over more than one thread
Higginsafcb
Member
- Joined
- 27 Sep 2018
- Messages
- 21
The stock has been hammered for ages & needs some temporary stuff hiring in to bring services up to a reasonable std. It's always made worse when the egg chasers are playing at Cardiff
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
What is available to hire that would be suitable anyway ? Zilch
This year has also been one of the worst years in recent history - it's all to do with the science behind the leaves themselves, with a 'relatively' long hot summer the leaves are more gooey this autumn allied with quite a mild autumn. There were 5 TfW 150s at Crewe last week (284 & 285 were there for refresh works admittedly).
kieron
Established Member
Perhaps the other thread needs a vaguer title, then. The shortage of stock in service has all sorts of causes (can I name the lack of 769s and the lack of 230s as just two?), and the PRM modification programme has other facets to it than just the problems it causes.
Bidston-Wrexham is an awful line for bus replacements because you have to weave your way down country lanes practically all the way. I remember one occasion about 25 years ago being on a replacement bus as far as Shotton which was caught up shortly thereafter by the train which had left Bidston an hour later.
As most of the traffic is from the last few stations into Wrexham (local buses available) or through to Birkenhead and Liverpool which can be redirected through Chester, I suppose it's considered expendable, particularly when 150s have to be worked up from Cardiff to run it which would probably be needed by more people on the Valley Lines.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
A Windermere type operation could be done on the Cambrian ...a spy tells me that 2 of the little used RETB 37's were at Tywyn yesterday. There is LHCS stock available from the likes of WC trains the charter operator. Trouble is train crew knowledge - but there is some at Cardiff I understand - possibly from DBS ?
Not much - but a couple of round trips could be managed I am sure.
Llanigraham
On Moderation
There are drivers passed for route and for the 97's, as they have taken a couple of excursion trains over the line, however I understand that one of the problems is the severe speed restrictions imposed on loco hauled stock in many places, making a mockery of the timetable, but considering the RRB hasn't once kept to it's timetable, I'm sure that could be overcome.
As Gareth has stated in the other thread, it is now better for the bus passengers from Aber and all points west to get off the bus at Newtown and catch the next train due, it is that slow.
As Gareth has stated in the other thread, it is now better for the bus passengers from Aber and all points west to get off the bus at Newtown and catch the next train due, it is that slow.
Last edited by a moderator:
43096
On Moderation
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2015
- Messages
- 18,892
You'd need a generator van as well as the RETB 37s have no train heat.
krus_aragon
Established Member
Or double-heading an ERTMS class 97 with an ETH 37?
Gareth Marston
Established Member
No it's was one on a tamper drag.
Cardiff123
Established Member
More spells of bad weather on the way across Wales from Tuesday, lasting for at least a week, with strong winds and heavy rain.
Are all the leaves down yet? Can things can much worse than they are now?
Are all the leaves down yet? Can things can much worse than they are now?
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Fair enough -and thank you - but these 37's were paid for as part of the ERTMS scheme and have had , I suspect , little work. They could , subject to the points above - do some good work on running some sort of service somewhere , until the "crisis" is resolved.
Written by someone who put in the 31's on the Bletchley to Bedford line a long time ago.
- Status