Its a big advantage having numbers up high. The road and the path rising up at each end helps.
I assume the ones i didn't see were inside unless they were any to the West of the Station.
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TfW class 398 Stadler Citylink tram trains
- Thread starter Bob Price
- Start date
I assume the ones i didn't see were inside unless they were any to the West of the Station.
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Markdvdman
Member
I believe December this year is when the 398s go live? It is dragging on!
The first 398s in service are due in June, on the Cardiff Bay- Pontypridd service. A wider rollout will happen in subsequent months.
Markdvdman
Member
I think the 398s are fully rolled out in December from their info. But however, they have been known to change things.......
Daft question, I know the unit are or have done some over tight test runs, but has driver training started with these units yet?
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
With TfW, what is due and what happens have always been two completely separate things.
Visited on New Years Eve, and managed to see 16 398's outside from the 3 different vantage points.
Slightly different list from your November visit.
01, 05, 06, 07, 08, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 and 23 whenever that one was delivered.
Think you saw 4 or 5 that I didn't.
No sign of 22.
Phatcontroller
Member
- Joined
- 9 Jun 2019
- Messages
- 22
There’s an excellent film by Richard Bowker on the Green Signals You Tube channel in which he visits Taffs Well and interviews the TfW CEO. This suggests units in service this coming summer.
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anthony263
Established Member
That's been mentioned on.lical Facebook group.
Soft launch units will start on Pontypridd to Cardiff Bay service to start
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Recently linked in the South Wales Metro thread. Worth a watch.
DBS92042
Established Member
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- 1,803
I saw three coaches of a 398 heading northbound on the M5 past Hallen, Bristol at 1640 this afternoon. Presumably freshly out of Portbury Docks, does anyone know which one it is please? TIA
This must be one of the first to arrive for several months?
398 testing appears to happen in the small hours of Saturday morning. Last week (8th Feb) a set ran from Taff's Well depot to Pontypridd, Cardiff Central (via the City Line), back again to Radyr again via the City Line and then back to the depot. Tonight (early hours of 15th) it's supposed to run between Pontypridd and Radyr eseveral times between midnight and 0330.
theblackwatch
Established Member
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- 10,889
The last delivery I'm aware of was at the end of October.
Anyone know which set came on Feb 3rd please? I believe 019 is outstanding as well as 024 upwards.
Defiance149
Member
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- 30 Dec 2013
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- 497
Believe there was also a delivery last week, understand both went to Asfordby rather than Taff's Well.
Brian Bennett
Member
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- 24 Jul 2019
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- 14
On 22 December, I saw
019, 020, 021, 022, 023. All outside of the depot
Guessing the recent arrival would be 024?
StripeyNick
Member
I had a tour of the depot on 28th January......001 to 023 were all present. Couldn't see any sign of 024 when I stopped there last week but it could have been inside.
Of note, now the old footbridge has been closed, it's not as easy to number crunch. The new bridge is a bit high and at the wrong angle.
Of note, now the old footbridge has been closed, it's not as easy to number crunch. The new bridge is a bit high and at the wrong angle.
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Yes. I noticed that last Thursday (13/02/2025). Although the new bridge is higher so are the sides. The old bridge gave a good view across the South end of seven units parked side by side. For those who do not know it the numbers are almost at the very top of the cab sides so height would help to see over adjacent units.
There are seven roads outside each holding three
We saw most of
EDIT - not 777s
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Bob Price
Established Member
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We know you mean 398, but a fleet of 777's suddenly appearing would drop a few jaws.
Peter Sarf
Established Member
Ummmm, corrected.
This test didn't run. It does seem like there are still some significant issues with the 398s given that there's been no start of regular driver training.
Avowedsevern
Member
What exactly are the supposed issues?
The last technical issue that I heard of was wheel profiles, and there’s been nothing more said on that. But the point I was making above is that there are very few test runs of 398s at the moment, which suggests a technical or regulatory problem is preventing the start of crew training. It’s possible that crew training is being held back until enough traincrew have finished the 756 training, but given that there were press releases before Christmas talking about a June start for 398s I would be expecting to see the units out on training runs.
StripeyNick
Member
Talking to a chap in the depot the other week, he was saying that we'll be very lucky to see one in service before December now. They are apparently having access issues to use the overnight paths and that the later running/earlier starting movements on the Valleys are hindering things.
He mentioned that there is a distinct possibility that they may have to go back to Ashfordby to use the test track up there
I've seen some forms that also suggest this will happen.
ExRes
Established Member
398017 is reported on se gen as having left Pengam Sdgs this morning on RailAdventure 0251 6Q38 to Kings Norton, it will then continue as 0845 6Q39 to Old Dalby, schedules on RTT currently show a repeat run tomorrow morning
preceded by Railadventure 6V37 2000 Kings Norton to Pengam
and
3Q00 2236 Taffs Well to Pengam