2022 originally with the 158 fleet completely gone from TFW by end of 2022.
5T04 early-terminated at Shrewsbury...
Unfortunately nothing announced publicly. I have heard that 5 are confirmed as they are essentially paid for by fines owed to TFW by CAF.
Well, I think you can expect part of the route to go over to 197’s next week. Huge amounts have been spent to get everything to where it needs to be. They’re not going to abandon it.
The fines must have been a lot to pay for 5 entire units
I think it will be the end of the week, because more crew training paths have been bought for Mon 12/10/26 to Fri 16/10/26.
5T04 seems to have been cancelled between Shrewsbury and Machynlleth
If what you're saying is true, what TfW are doing behind the scenes appears to have very little relevance to what they are saying publicly. Nothing has been announced regarding additional 197s, but TfW have (some months ago now) announced publicly that they want the North Wales Coast Line electrified by 2035. If that happens, they will go from a DMU shortage to a massive surplus. What they need is stock which can run under diesel power now but will either be life-expired (and permanently withdrawn from front line service) by 2035 or can be switch to electric operation post-2035. The 197s are neither, so getting more of them would only be further undermining their electrification business case (TfW, if you're reading this, take any fines from CAF in money rather than 197s and procure bi-mode stock instead).
We could be right or wrong so just have to wait and see if anything happens.
Have they said where the funding would come from for this?
I don't think so (I've managed to find the relevant page on the TfW site now, here's the link), but given the way the Welsh Government complains when things like East-West Rail and HS2 are classified as 'England & Wales projects' I assume they are trying to persuade the UK Government to provide at least part of the funding.
Interesting. When I looked through RTT yesterday 11/10 (See my post #10,919) there were no through Pwllheli - Birmingham services showing in RTT beyond 11/10, but they are back in for today.
That's to be expected, as we haven't reached this weekend, let alone the beginning of next week.
So I heard. Will that be on some of the services between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, or Cambrian Coast Line services between Machynlleth and Pwllheli, or both? I've heard a few different things, but I'm not clear on it.
ooh interesting. The start of the goodbyes to the 158s then?
Pwllheli line only
Ah ha. So 197039 still not risking a stint in service in the rest of Wales !.
Thanks, that's what I heard as well. Interesting for sure!
Not that I'm aware of. The only platform raising work I'm aware of on the Cambrian for the 197s is on the Cambrian Coast Line (the hump at Aberdovey was raised recently, and I was told that another station on that line had similar work but I can't remember which one).
I don't think the 197s (unlike the new South East Wales Metro stock) have ever been advertised as offering level-boarding, so I expect there will always be a step up to get into them. That said, your photo does look like rather a high step; how does a 158 look in the same location?
