• 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!

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

Jez

Established Member
Joined
22 Jan 2011
Messages
2,338
Location
Neath
I thought all of the 197s had both Eryl and Elin regardless of whether the service was in Wales or England?
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Jez

Established Member
Joined
22 Jan 2011
Messages
2,338
Location
Neath
150242 covering for a 197 today on the Swanline that stays in Swansea for a large part of the day before forming the 1629 to Cardiff and then 1745 Cardiff to Milford Haven.

197 availability seems to have been better recently (helped by no services running the Cheltenham) so it was surprising to see this today.
 

BenBracken

Member
Joined
27 Oct 2019
Messages
178
Location
Pembrokeshire
150208 spotted in Tenby today, presumably covering a 197 diagram. It all went to pot on west Wales services today due to a track fault near Abergavenny, so I’m not surprised substitutions were made!
 

Jez

Established Member
Joined
22 Jan 2011
Messages
2,338
Location
Neath
150208 spotted in Tenby today, presumably covering a 197 diagram. It all went to pot on west Wales services today due to a track fault near Abergavenny, so I’m not surprised substitutions were made!
looks like that one will end in Carmarthen tonight so likely to be on something heading towards Cardiff tomorrow.
 

tfw756rider

On Moderation
Joined
30 Nov 2024
Messages
1,998
Location
Wales (sometimes in England), thanks for replying!
So TFW never sent a 197 to TGG then?
Correct, and apparently some of my fellow "modern train fans" were "disappointed" by this :lol: (although to be fair, perhaps they hadn't been around any of the "Welsh" trains, whereas I've travelled on 45 197s).

However, judging by the way the 398 was "dumped" there, the 197 wouldn't have necessarily got a better treatment than that anyway.
 

Lewisham2221

Established Member
Joined
23 Jun 2005
Messages
2,751
Location
Staffordshire
So TFW never sent a 197 to TGG then? Guessing that's because 197120 had a broken headlight?

Correct, and apparently some of my fellow "modern train fans" were "disappointed" by this :lol: (although to be fair, perhaps they hadn't been around any of the "Welsh" trains, whereas I've travelled on 45 197s).

However, judging by the way the 398 was "dumped" there, the 197 wouldn't have necessarily got a better treatment than that anyway.

My understanding is that 197120 was never supposed to be going and the announcement that it would be caused quite a stir... The broken headlight was coincidental and unrelated to it's non- attendance.
 

wythallpaul

Member
Joined
25 Feb 2024
Messages
125
Location
Bulkington
My understanding is that 197120 was never supposed to be going and the announcement that it would be caused quite a stir... The broken headlight was coincidental and unrelated to it's non- attendance.
197033 Re-awakens from it's slumbers today. Currently working 5T33 according to RTT.
 

Kite159

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Jan 2014
Messages
22,861
Location
West of Andover
197033 Re-awakens from it's slumbers today. Currently working 5T33 according to RTT.
RTT is suggesting it was on 5H80 (0627 Chester D.M.U.D. to Chester) this morning which would suggest it attached to
1H80 0454 Holyhead to Manchester Airport (as both used platform 4) however RTT is only saying that service is 197102 throughout
 

nigelsporne

Member
Joined
20 Dec 2012
Messages
428
Location
Coleshill
Two Cambrian 197s, 027 and 035, on the Shrewsbury to International diagram this morning. Getting some route learning before they start!
 

chrisjo

Member
Joined
18 May 2024
Messages
604
Location
Llanishen
RTT is suggesting it was on 5H80 (0627 Chester D.M.U.D. to Chester) this morning which would suggest it attached to
1H80 0454 Holyhead to Manchester Airport (as both used platform 4) however RTT is only saying that service is 197102 throughout
No, it didn't do that. On Traksy it was labelled 'unidentified 197' at Chester, and sat at the un-numbered platform opposite platform 1 before returning to the depot. Then it came out to play again and joined 197123 on 1H90.
 

Pep and co

Member
Joined
17 May 2019
Messages
340
Is 197038 sticking out of the north end of Crewe Carriage Shed today (9/8)?
Many Thanks in advance if anyone can confirm
 

RacsoMoquette

Member
Joined
24 Nov 2023
Messages
324
Location
South Cambridgeshire
I recently went on a 197 and found the ride on the bogie to be pretty bad. Further back, there was a terrible hum from the air con unit - enough to give you a migraine. Odd that some passengers get on a train and seem to not notice such things and move given enough spare seats.
Is unfortunate to think that modern trains can sometime feel so retrograde compared to the Class 175s they replaced. Although they had their troubles, a lot of effort went in to the design, such as “acoustic ceiling noise absorbing panels” and considerable work of “Ride Smoothness” all those novelties seemed numbed down on the latest CAF TFW stock! Back then FNW were proud of their comfortable new French built trains. Does TFW hold the same pride for the 197s? I recently purchased a 2000 edition of RAIL magazine hence the specialist information used.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Also what are the reliability problems the TFW 197s are experiencing? TFW have very recently started taking matters with CAF and Stadler, presumably for poor availability and delivery?
 

Peter Sarf

Established Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
9,816
Location
Croydon
Not kept up to date with this thread. Are all the 197 stock for the Cambrian ready to go?.
No, up to ten 197/0s for Cambrian not ready..

Some are still at CAF - 197025, 197040 & 197041.

The rest are on test or languishing mid acceptance (the best I can describe).
These seem to be 197023, 197025, 197026, 197032, 1970037 & 197038 mainly Crewe South Yard aiui.
 
Last edited:

tfw756rider

On Moderation
Joined
30 Nov 2024
Messages
1,998
Location
Wales (sometimes in England), thanks for replying!
Not kept up to date with this thread. Are all the 197 stock for the Cambrian ready to go?.
No, up to ten 197/0s for Cambrian not ready..

Some are still at CAF - 197025, 197040 & 197041.

The rest are on test or languishing mid acceptance (the best I can describe).
These seem to be 197023, 197025, 197026, 197032, 1970037 & 197038 mainly Crewe South Yard aiui.

As I understand it, the following 4 ETCS-fitted 197s have been in service "off-Cambrian", but have not been on test on the Cambrian (or at least I don't know that they have):

197022, 197027, 197028, 197034

The following 7 have been in service "off-Cambrian" and have been on test on the Cambrian:

197003, 197024, 197031, 197033, 197029, 197030, 197035

The following 2 haven't been in service anywhere, but have been on test on the Cambrian:

197032, 197038

So 13 (of the 21) have been in service "off-Cambrian" (11) and/or have been on test on the Cambrian (9).

====================

That leaves 8 that to my knowledge haven't been in service "off-Cambrian" and haven't been on test on the Cambrian either.

Of these, @Jacob Porrett has said that he's had the following 5 in at Crewe depot:

197023, 197025, 197026, 197036, 197037

And the following 3 are understood to have not yet been delivered:

197039, 197040, 197041
 
Last edited:

Jacob Porrett

Established Member
Joined
28 Jan 2022
Messages
1,972
Location
Telford
As I understand it, the following 4 ETCS-fitted 197s have been in service "off-Cambrian", but have not been on test on the Cambrian (or at least I don't know that they have):

197022, 197027, 197028, 197034

The following 7 have been in service "off-Cambrian" and have been on test on the Cambrian:

197003, 197024, 197031, 197033, 197029, 197030, 197035

The following 2 haven't been in service anywhere, but have been on test on the Cambrian:

197032, 197038

So 13 (of the 21) have been in service "off-Cambrian" (11) and/or have been on test on the Cambrian (9).

====================

That leaves 8 that to my knowledge haven't been in service "off-Cambrian" and have not been on test on the Cambrian either.

Of these, @Jacob Porrett has said that he's had the following 5 in at Crewe depot:

197023, 197025, 197026, 197036, 197037

And the following 3 are understood to have not yet been delivered:

197039, 197040, 197041
197025 has been on test recently from Crewe South Yard to Holyhead and Chester.
 

Jacob Porrett

Established Member
Joined
28 Jan 2022
Messages
1,972
Location
Telford
I know we've had 197s on the Salop Line for a while now but when will the next 158 diagram change to a 197 please?
 

Gordonman

Member
Joined
14 Jan 2020
Messages
630
Location
Baildon
197034 has re-entered passenger service today.Currently working 2J56 Wrexham - Bidston.

So that makes 6 'Cambrian' class 197's in service today - 197022 197024 197027 197033 197034 and 197035
 

Jez

Established Member
Joined
22 Jan 2011
Messages
2,338
Location
Neath
197034 has re-entered passenger service today.Currently working 2J56 Wrexham - Bidston.

So that makes 6 'Cambrian' class 197's in service today - 197022 197024 197027 197033 197034 and 197035
Is that the most cambrian 197s in service on any given day? Are a lot of the others out of service with faults?
 

sd0733

Established Member
Joined
7 Nov 2012
Messages
5,199
Is that the most cambrian 197s in service on any given day? Are a lot of the others out of service with faults?
Theres never been 6 before, it always was 4 out of service at any point.
From the Non-ERTMS fleet 197004 and 197110 are long stored and Im led to believe quite heavily stripped and 197012 which has now been at Holyhead for over a month.
 

Top