It's very noticeable pulling away from a station with an engine out on a 3-car 197 - much slower as the computer tries to calculate how to distribute the power being applied (probably worded badly, sorry) and you can often still feel them slipping, then power shutting off and being reapplied. Once they're going, they are more than capable of almost normal performance speed/timings wise.
The biggest issue is overcoming the parking brake. It's automatic, the driver has no control over it - you just apply power and the unit works it out itself when there's enough power to avoid rolling back and it releases the brakes. It's pretty instant when all 3 engines are running, but if one is out it can take 10 seconds or longer. I'm not sure why drivers are not trusted to have full control over the brakes any more but I know that CAF units are not unique in that regard either.
I think the parking brake situation and not being able to open a window as I drive along will be my least favourite part about them haha!
It partly depends on which platform is used at Chester. Going into a bay platform takes about one minute longer than if you go into the through platform (3).
101 has been sat around Canton for 2 months, I have no clue where it's going.
Was seen heading along the M4 today.
Can still drive with the window open - you just need to remember to close it again before you try opening the door
Those are very conservative times. 18 minutes is easily achievable, but there are many variables like platforms and running brake tests, and lately the biggest variable of all seems to be what condition the units engines are in.
A 142 could do it in 20 minutes so it would be worrying if a 197 couldn't beat that.
Wonder why a broken train can’t be transported by rail - unless something wrong with the running gear?
This was the one involved in the derailment on Canton. When 197020 derailed at Crewe it had to move a 5mph to Chester. That would be out of the question from Canton to Chester.
Now swapped to a 150. It'll be my train from work at 1740.
There was also a pair of 153s on the lunchtime Swanline and these swapped to the 15xx Cardiff to Milford Haven service and the 197 on this diagram swapped to the 1549 Manchester (which is 4 carriages from Cardiff). Another Milford to Manchester was a 150 but this was swapped as usual at Cardiff for a 197. It seems a lot of effort is made to ensure 197s are on services the other side of Cardiff.
It looks like it was swapped with the 150 that was on the Heart of Wales and the single 153 then did the afternoon service to Shrewsbury. Good swapping when its needed as Pembroke Dock usually justifies a 2 car more so than the Heart of Wales.
1V82 0624 Holyhead to Cardiff is 197102 and 197042.
That service is booked via Wrexham which is already cleared for 5 and 6 coach formations. Shrewsbury - Manchester goes via Crewe
Some definitely are built, I have 003, 022-029,031,033,034 and 037 definitely having been seen and photographed.
As far as I know these 3 are yet to appear in passenger service.
I've not had a 197 between Cardiff and Cheltenham for months so I'll gladly take them over the late running 150s and 153s I always seem to end up on!
I always check the HVAC screen because of this, a lot of drivers don't know that when taking a unit to operational mode from sleep you need to turn the saloon HVAC back on and switch the lighting back to active from standby.
Unless it's a new thing you can drive a 197 with the window open, to be pedantic it's not a parking brake it's a holding brake. 21 minutes is ample between Crewe and Chester even for a 150 if you get clear signals.
Fair to be pedantic, poor terminology by me especially as my training to be a driver had 197’s as our core traction!
