TfW ‘Active Travel’ Class 153 progress updates

[sd0733]

The whole AT fleet seem to be struggling at the moment with numerous sets stopped and 150 subs galore!

The new diagrams on paper anyway look to be:

1-
ECS to Swansea
07:29 Swansea to Shrewsbury
18:35 Shrewsbury to Swansea
23:48 Swansea to Carmarthen (Mon-Thurs)

2-
04:46 Carmarthen to Shrewsbury
11:31 Shrewsbury to Swansea
17:47 Swansea to Shrewsbury

3-
04:30 Shrewsbury to Llandrindod
06:05 Llandrindod to Shrewsbury
08:35 Shrewsbury to Swansea
14:50 Swansea to Shrewsbury

4-
05:54 Shrewsbury to Swansea
10:48 Swansea to Shrewsbury
16:00 Shrewsbury to Swansea
ECS to Canton.

Sat-
1-
ECS Canton to Swansea
07:30 Swansea to Shrewsbury
18:35 Shrewsbury to Swansea

2-
04:50 Swansea to Shrewsbury
11:31 Shrewsbury to Swansea
17:48.Swansea to Shrewsbury

3-
08:35 Shrewsbury to Swansea
14:50 Swansea to Shrewsbury

4-
05:54 Shrewsbury to Swansea
10:43 Swansea to Shrewsbury
16:00 Shrewsbury to Swansea
ECS to Carmarthen

Sun-
1-
12:08 Shrewsbury to Swansea
20:57 Swansea to Fishguard Harbour
23:01 Fishguard Harbour to Carmarthen

2-
15:18 Swansea to Shrewsbury

3-
09:34 Carmarthen to Shrewsbury
16:20 Shrewsbury to Cardiff

4-
Shrewsbury to Crewe locals

 

[Jez]

Thanks @sd0733 for the diagrams. I was trying to work out a few weeks ago how they were going to incorporate the 5th HOWL service with the same number of diagrams.

I guess the reason they will do the Crewe Local's on Sundays with be to keep Crewe drivers up to date on them.

 

[craigybagel]

I guess the reason they will do the Crewe Local's on Sundays with be to keep Crewe drivers up to date on them.

I doubt that was a major consideration to be honest, Crewe don't have that much work on the local on a Sunday, it's mostly covered by Shrewsbury. To be fair though, the depot's drivers still officially sign 150s when none have been booked to visit at all for several timetables now.

With Canton seeing an AT set every night that might at least help keep a link or two at Cardiff mainline competent for a little longer, especially if they work some of the HOWL services between Llanelli and Swansea as has been done in the past.

 

[animationmilo]

The whole AT fleet seem to be struggling at the moment with numerous sets stopped and 150 subs galore!

The new diagrams on paper anyway look to be:

1-
ECS to Swansea
07:29 Swansea to Shrewsbury
18:35 Shrewsbury to Swansea
23:48 Swansea to Carmarthen (Mon-Thurs)

2-
04:46 Carmarthen to Shrewsbury
11:31 Shrewsbury to Swansea
17:47 Swansea to Shrewsbury

3-
04:30 Shrewsbury to Llandrindod
06:05 Llandrindod to Shrewsbury
08:35 Shrewsbury to Swansea
14:50 Swansea to Shrewsbury

4-
05:54 Shrewsbury to Swansea
10:48 Swansea to Shrewsbury
16:00 Shrewsbury to Swansea
ECS to Canton.

Sat-
1-
ECS Canton to Swansea
07:30 Swansea to Shrewsbury
18:35 Shrewsbury to Swansea

2-
04:50 Swansea to Shrewsbury
11:31 Shrewsbury to Swansea
17:48.Swansea to Shrewsbury

3-
08:35 Shrewsbury to Swansea
14:50 Swansea to Shrewsbury

4-
05:54 Shrewsbury to Swansea
10:43 Swansea to Shrewsbury
16:00 Shrewsbury to Swansea
ECS to Carmarthen

Sun-
1-
12:08 Shrewsbury to Swansea
20:57 Swansea to Fishguard Harbour
23:01 Fishguard Harbour to Carmarthen

2-
15:18 Swansea to Shrewsbury

3-
09:34 Carmarthen to Shrewsbury
16:20 Shrewsbury to Cardiff

4-
Shrewsbury to Crewe locals

There’s also the Llandovery set which I can’t see on here?
0513 Swansea to Llandovery and 0641 Llandovery to Swansea

 

[sd0733]

There’s also the Llandovery set which I can’t see on here?
0513 Swansea to Llandovery and 0641 Llandovery to Swansea

Thats booked a 150 which then does the Swanline/Fishguard diagram that's currently the AT set

 

[Roger B]

And still no sign of AT06 being formed / in service yet?

 

[Jez]

Thats booked a 150 which then does the Swanline/Fishguard diagram that's currently the AT set

So it looks like the 150 is doing ECS from Canton to Swansea then the early Llandovery and return, then the 0828 Swanline returning on the afternoon Swanline and then doing Fishguard and back to Carmarthen. Then the next day instead of doing the HOWL like the AT set used to do it will do shuttles to Milford (the ones not going back to Cardiff) before eventually returning to Cardiff on the 1650.

This will be the first main line booked 150 Swansea to Cardiff I think (on weekdays at least) in a while.

 

[sd0733]

So it looks like the 150 is doing ECS from Canton to Swansea then the early Llandovery and return, then the 0828 Swanline returning on the afternoon Swanline and then doing Fishguard and back to Carmarthen. Then the next day instead of doing the HOWL like the AT set used to do it will do shuttles to Milford (the ones not going back to Cardiff) before eventually returning to Cardiff on the 1650.

This will be the first main line booked 150 Swansea to Cardiff I think (on weekdays at least) in a while.

Yes although it does over the 2 days:

EcS Canton to Swansea
05:13 Swansea to Llandovery
06:41 Llandovery to Swansea
08:28 Swansea to Cardiff
Canton for a few hours
15:43 Cardiff to Fishguard
19:28 Fishguard to Carmarthen

05:43 Carmarthen to Fishguard
06:50 Fishguard to Clarbeston Rd
07:18 Clarbeston Rd to Fishguard
07:45 Fishguard to Carmarthen
Stabled for a few hours
15:44 Carmarthen to Milford Haven
17:48 Milford Haven to Cardiff.

There is actually another west Wales 150 which didn't notice bedore that.starts and finishes at canton but does:
07:45 Cardiff to Swansea
Stables
16:27 Swansea to Cardiff
17:44 Cardiff to Milford
20:36 Milford to Cardiff

Along with the 2 Newport To Ebbw diagrams theres now 5 booked 150s off the valleys.

 

[Tony2]

Set AT03 was on Newport to Ebbw Vale diagrams today so I had a run on 153531 on 1138 Ebbw Vale Town to Newport, with 153303.

 

[Ribbleman]

Of the remaining 153s, how many are owned by TfW and have a long term future? Of the other survivors, how many, if any, are PRM compliant? Are there others stored without that status? I am pondering the practicality of pressure being brought to bear upon the DfT to fund/permit refurbishment of any available 153s. This in the light of no real progress being made in improving the appalling reliability record of Class 769 and the date of delivery of new stock for Northern being pushed back yet again.

 

[Jez]

Yes although it does over the 2 days:

EcS Canton to Swansea
05:13 Swansea to Llandovery
06:41 Llandovery to Swansea
08:28 Swansea to Cardiff
Canton for a few hours
15:43 Cardiff to Fishguard
19:28 Fishguard to Carmarthen

05:43 Carmarthen to Fishguard
06:50 Fishguard to Clarbeston Rd
07:18 Clarbeston Rd to Fishguard
07:45 Fishguard to Carmarthen
Stabled for a few hours
15:44 Carmarthen to Milford Haven
17:48 Milford Haven to Cardiff.

There is actually another west Wales 150 which didn't notice bedore that.starts and finishes at canton but does:
07:45 Cardiff to Swansea
Stables
16:27 Swansea to Cardiff
17:44 Cardiff to Milford
20:36 Milford to Cardiff

Along with the 2 Newport To Ebbw diagrams theres now 5 booked 150s off the valleys.

Very Interesting. It seems like lots of juggling of 197/153/150 diagrams for the extra 197s needed in the North for the Wrexham and Crewe shuttles, but its sensible for units that stable for long periods of time to be booked 150s. Particularly the one that stays in Swansea from before 9am until 1627. This always seemed a waste of a 197 to be there doing nothing all day.

The downside is Fishguard gets a few 150s now after getting mostly 197s for the last year and a few Milford's are also 150s including the peak time 1744 ex Cardiff. But until everything is working where its meant to be its making the best use of the resources.

 

[Anonymous10]

Very Interesting. It seems like lots of juggling of 197/153/150 diagrams for the extra 197s needed in the North for the Wrexham and Crewe shuttles, but its sensible for units that stable for long periods of time to be booked 150s. Particularly the one that stays in Swansea from before 9am until 1627. This always seemed a waste of a 197 to be there doing nothing all day.

The downside is Fishguard gets a few 150s now after getting mostly 197s for the last year and a few Milford's are also 150s including the peak time 1744 ex Cardiff. But until everything is working where its meant to be its making the best use of the resources.

I for one will be avoiding the 1747 from here on. Ive done many a journey on it and its busy at the best of times, in my experience through to carmarthen. A 150 is certainly an experience on it.

 

[Jez]

First day of the new timetable and we look to have 2 of the AT sets in service on the 1518 Swansea-Shrewsbury and all day on the Crewe Locals. The other 2 diagrams are both covered by a 150.

 

[animationmilo]

First day of the new timetable and we look to have 2 of the AT sets in service on the 1518 Swansea-Shrewsbury and all day on the Crewe Locals. The other 2 diagrams are both covered by a 150.

It’ll be tomorrow the big test

 

[Jez]

It’ll be tomorrow the big test

Today not a good day due to the flooding and all the cancellations but this morning before the cancellations RTT was showing the diagram starting with 0446 Carmarthen as a 150 and the other 3 diagrams were AT sets.

 

[158822]

So in the long term, if 231s move onto their intended lines and all the 150s are gone, will there be any 153 operated services between Cardiff and Swansea?

 

[craigybagel]

So in the long term, if 231s move onto their intended lines and all the 150s are gone, will there be any 153 operated services between Cardiff and Swansea?

Nobody (publicly) knows, the plans seem to keep changing.

If the long term plan is to keep 153 maintenance at Canton then I suspect Cardiff will need some degree of regular work on 153s beyond ECS moves between Canton and Swansea, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[158822]

Will there even be enough 197s to run everything?

 

[InvHst]

Seen that AT04 ended up in Birmingham this evening forming 1D16 back to Shrewsbury where a set swap occurred. Bit of a quirky move

 

[Roger B]

Has AT06 operated its first service yet? I've been checking RTT most days and not seen anything, but may have missed one or two days.

Many thanks

 

[WirralLine]

Looks like AT03 is working to Birmingham with 158835. Should be 1708ish off International.

 

[50002Superb]

AT06 out today according to the TOPS thread

 

[gabrielhj07]

AT06 out today according to the TOPS thread

Yes, 568 & 327

 

[Jez]

I saw photos online of one of the Active Travel Sets in Milford Haven this week, it seems despite mostly being booked for the Heart of Wales they have visited most parts of the South (aside from the valley Lines) including Milford, Pembroke, Dock Cheltenham, Ebbw Vale and Maesteg.

There are 4 diagrams for the Active Travel sets but are there any booked workings for the other 153's that TFW still have? Or are they just used for extra capacity when needed?

 

[Caaardiff]

Depends where they are. If 150's are covering them from the North then it will take a few days to get the 153s back in to where they need to be. Along with other unit shortages 153s can be used to sub for them if they are available. 150's are still soldiering on covering for all fleets at the moment.

 

[Jez]

Depends where they are. If 150's are covering them from the North then it will take a few days to get the 153s back in to where they need to be. Along with other unit shortages 153s can be used to sub for them if they are available. 150's are still soldiering on covering for all fleets at the moment.

Thats fair enough. I rode a 150 today on a Swanline service. It was looking a little worse for wear inside. It was good to hear Ruth making announcements on board, probably the only good thing about a 150!

 

[ValleyLines142]

To confirm, are these still the current sets?

AT01 - 153507+153362
AT02 - 153528+153353
AT03 - 153531+153303
AT04 - 153552+153382
AT05 - 153572+153318
AT06 - 153568+153327

 

[animationmilo]

To confirm, are these still the current sets?

AT01 - 153507+153362
AT02 - 153528+153353
AT03 - 153531+153303
AT04 - 153552+153382
AT05 - 153572+153318
AT06 - 153568+153327

Yes although AT04 382 is at Crewe and 552 in canton

 

[tel]

Hi all, can someone tell me the numbers of the 153s that are AT01, 02 etc? Thanks. RTT only give the AT numbers and not the unit numbers.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 May 2026 ==

Just found on the forum that
AT01 is 153507 & 362,
AT02 is 153528 & 353
AT03 is 153531 & 303
AT04 is 153552 & 382
AT05 is 153572 & 318
AT06 is 153568 & 327
are these still correct please? Thanks

 

[81A]

The rail record website (link to rail record headcode search) allows you to search by headcode (or by station) a bit like Realtime Trains (RTT).

It seems to show the unit numbers rather than the AT numbers.