CAF class 197 Civity for TfW: News and updates on introduction.

[sd0733]

197109 has not had a good day, it must be a horrible failure if it’s still blocking the line 4 hours later..

Now on the move 225 mins late now coupled to 197115.

 

[JakeMurphy]

Now on the move 225 mins late now coupled to 197115.

What’s up with 109?

 

[Lurcheroo]

What’s up with 109?

It can’t get power. The cause of the fault is not yet known.

 

[Diedinium]

What’s up with 109?

Edit: Nevermind someone else already explained why disregard this message

 

[simonmpoulton]

I hope TFW are getting some compensation from CAF or even an extra unit or two for all these reliability issues!

 

[40029 Saxonia]

197003 is currently at Crewe depot with 197033, 19730, 197024, 197029 and 197121 is also at Crewe depot today.

Many thanks

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Sep 2024 ==

Some definitely are built, I have 003, 022-029,031,033,034 and 037 definitely having been seen and photographed.
I believe there are some unnumbered ones at Donnington but that’s about all I know sorry.

Many thanks

 

[CHAPS2034]

Are there any 197s at Mach at present please?

I gather that 003 was there for a while for testing and familiarisation, but I see that is now at Crewe.

 

[Lurcheroo]

Are there any 197s at Mach at present please?

I gather that 003 was there for a while for testing and familiarisation, but I see that is now at Crewe.

Nope.
There were 2 testing between Shrewsbury and Dovey junction yesterday but they returned to Crewe yesterday. Unsure if they’re doing another run today.

First thing I knew of the one yesterday was when I rounded the corner into Newtown to be greeted by the very bright headlights haha!

 

[David Bullock]

is the 1725 MIA-HHD diagrammed as 2 cars or just consistently short-formed?

 

[Lurcheroo]

is the 1725 MIA-HHD diagrammed as 2 cars or just consistently short-formed?

On the short term plan diagrams it is planned a single 197 unit so at most a 3 car. Unsure about the LTP.

Edit at 19:45 05/09/24
Looks like In TFW’s long term aspirations, there are just 3 return trips Chester - Manchester airport and just 2 return trips Shrewbury - Birmingham International that are planned to be 6 car 197’s and the 17:25 from Manchester airport is one of them.

 

[Cambrian359]

On the short term plan diagrams it is planned a single 197 unit so at most a 3 car. Unsure about the LTP.

Edit at 19:45 05/09/24
Looks like In TFW’s long term aspirations, there are just 3 return trips Chester - Manchester airport and just 2 return trips Shrewbury - Birmingham International that are planned to be 6 car 197’s and the 17:25 from Manchester airport is one of them.

At least no one will be able to claim tfw prioritise Welsh routes when the longest formations will operate in England! Is that 7.30 Shrewsbury to Birmingham and 5.10ish return?

 

[Lurcheroo]

At least no one will be able to claim tfw prioritise Welsh routes when the longest formations will operate in England! Is that 7.30 Shrewsbury to Birmingham and 5.10ish return?

Well, they’re heavy commuters trains into 2 major cities where the services begin in Wales so the people of wales still benefit. There’s no other primarily Welsh service that routinely demands a 6 car.

It’s 7:30 from Shrewsbury and then return from International at 9:08 and then 15:30 from Shrewsbury then returning from Birmingham International at 17:08.

 

[Dai Corner]

At least no one will be able to claim tfw prioritise Welsh routes when the longest formations will operate in England! Is that 7.30 Shrewsbury to Birmingham and 5.10ish return?

Carrying commuters to/from Manchester and Birmingham is how TfW make money to subsidise their services within Wales and why they're keen to serve Bristol.

 

[Rhydgaled]

There’s no other primarily Welsh service that routinely demands a 6 car.

Maybe not, at least not if by 'primarily Welsh service' you actually mean 'services operated by TfW', but in Arriva days I'm pretty sure there was a service which was routinely operated as a 6-car from Machynlleth into Birmingham, since I seem to remember discussions about platform length at Caersws. If I had to guess, I'd say it was the 09:30 from Aberystwyth (running as 4-cars from Aberystwyth and then gaining two more from Pwllheli at Machynlleth).

 

[Lurcheroo]

Maybe not, at least not if by 'primarily Welsh service' you actually mean 'services operated by TfW', but in Arriva days I'm pretty sure there was a service which was routinely operated as a 6-car from Machynlleth into Birmingham, since I seem to remember discussions about platform length at Caersws. If I had to guess, I'd say it was the 09:30 from Aberystwyth (running as 4-cars from Aberystwyth and then gaining two more from Pwllheli at Machynlleth).

Before my time that but wouldn’t surprise me.
I don’t know if it needs 6 carriages Mach - Shrewsbury but 4 can be very cosy in summer, 5 would add a good boost of capacity but it’s not possible with the current 158 or 197 fleet for the Cambrian.
But not to mention 2 is not enough on many services between Mach and Aberystwyth or Pwllheli. So during summer a 3+3 splitting at Mach would make a lot of sense IMO.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Sep 2024 ==


Update: 9/9/24
So as of this week TFW/CAF are implementing a software upgrade on the 197’s which is expected to be completed on all units by the end of this week.
The software upgrade fixes some bugs with the HVAC system which causes it to turn off too soon or in some cases to heat when it should cool.
Hopefully that will sort the aircon out for good!!

It will also improve the ASDO system allowing testing of 5 cars between Shrewsbury and Manchester which will hopefully then improve capacity on the marches and fingers crossed see an end to 2 cars on that stretch.

And it will do some stuff for the ETCS units.

 

[Nick Ashwell]

So as of this week TFW/CAF are implementing a software upgrade on the 197’s which is expected to be completed on all units by the end of this week.
The software upgrade fixes some bugs with the HVAC system which causes it to turn off too soon or in some cases to heat when it should cool.
Hopefully that will sort the aircon out for good!!

It will also improve the ASDO system allowing testing of 5 cars between Shrewsbury and Manchester which will hopefully then improve capacity on the marches and fingers crossed see an end to 2 cars on that stretch.

And it will do some stuff for the ETCS units.

Some really good news!

Other than 231s on intended routes is there much left for the 197s fleet other than the ETCS introduction?

Even as a user of the Cheltenham service daily the three cars need deploying on their routes, saw a four car leave Newport empty on a Swansea on Sunday which seems a waste, admittedly with the Marches closed.

Does anyone have any indication how many are currently marked Non Multi? A seems a fair few from my anicdotal viewing

 

[Jez]

Update: 9/9/24
So as of this week TFW/CAF are implementing a software upgrade on the 197’s which is expected to be completed on all units by the end of this week.
The software upgrade fixes some bugs with the HVAC system which causes it to turn off too soon or in some cases to heat when it should cool.
Hopefully that will sort the aircon out for good!!

It will also improve the ASDO system allowing testing of 5 cars between Shrewsbury and Manchester which will hopefully then improve capacity on the marches and fingers crossed see an end to 2 cars on that stretch.

And it will do some stuff for the ETCS units.

Thanks for the update. Great news! Although I imagine booked 5 car working will be limited until the 197s are able to move from the likes of Maesteg and Ebbw Vale. Hopefully the last of the 3 car units will be in service soon.

 

[BillStampy]

Thanks for the update. Great news! Although I imagine booked 5 car working will be limited until the 197s are able to move from the likes of Maesteg and Ebbw Vale. Hopefully the last of the 3 car units will be in service soon.

The other day we had FOUR 197/1s running Maestegs and a few others working Ebbws...
Not to mention a few Manchester and Holyheads were leaving Central two coaches full and standing.. not ideal. Faster the 231s get down here the better sadly..

 

[Lurcheroo]

Other than 231s on intended routes is there much left for the 197s fleet other than the ETCS introduction?

I think only a few 3 cars other than the ETCS ones.

Does anyone have any indication how many are currently marked Non Multi? A seems a fair few from my anicdotal viewing

The other day we had FOUR 197/1s running Maestegs and a few others working Ebbws...

The software update is causing another issue, a unit on the old software and a unit on the new can not be coupled together.

I’m not aware of how the diagrams inter worked but a lot of work has been done to keep there from being clashes which may (or may not because I don’t know the ins and outs of how they’ve been altered) be part of the reason there seem to be 3 cars running places unnecessarily.

 

[Pinza68]

197.119 stabled on Chester sidings this afternoon

 

[aar0]

Has anyone had working hand dryers in the small loos? Just realised I’ve yet to have one wirr at me.

 

[Pete_uk]

I saw a three carriage one doing the Maesteg to Cheltenham run this morning.

Just saying..

 

[Lurcheroo]

I saw a three carriage one doing the Maesteg to Cheltenham run this morning.

Just saying..

Just remember, as I said above, currently they’re going through a software update and incompatible units can not be coupled together, so putting that on a Maesteg diagram May keep it away from units it can’t couple with.

Just saying…

 

[BillStampy]

I saw a three carriage one doing the Maesteg to Cheltenham run this morning.

Just saying..

Two out and about today.. 116 and 112, 112 I believe is headed North for its Software update at Chester, same with a few other units, whilst cycling newly updated units back south. 104 has swapped in for 112, though it did seem to lose 5 minutes at Pontyclun on 2L63..

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I saw a three carriage one doing the Maesteg to Cheltenham run this morning.

Just saying..

Very, very common.

 

[Western 52]

Cards on the tables in standard plus in 197120 this morning saying standard plus is coming late September. Picture shows the card, Welsh on the reverse side.

 

[Jez]

Cards on the tables in standard plus in 197120 this morning saying standard plus is coming late September. Picture shows the card, Welsh on the reverse side.

Thats good news it wont be much longer until standard plus is rolled out. And hopefully it will be clear when customers need to start paying for the upgrade so there wont be any confusion.

 

[Lurcheroo]

Cards on the tables in standard plus in 197120 this morning saying standard plus is coming late September. Picture shows the card, Welsh on the reverse side.

At least a good effort is being go made to pre-advise !

 

[AdamWW]

Thats good news it wont be much longer until standard plus is rolled out. And hopefully it will be clear when customers need to start paying for the upgrade so there wont be any confusion.

I'm amused by the posted saying something like "Good news for knees and elbows" - standard plus is coming.

So they're saying that their regular seats are uncomfortably cramped?

 

[Jez]

I'm amused by the posted saying something like "Good news for knees and elbows" - standard plus is coming.

So they're saying that their regular seats are uncomfortably cramped?

I wouldn't say the seats on a 197 are cramped. I'm 6ft 2 and find them perfectly fine. A 150 or.153 I find cramped.

But there is is no denying standard plus offers far more comfortable seats and more personal space.