markymark2000
On Moderation
Yes, ours for Dingle Road was when we were going about 10mph slowing to stop in the station.
We need now approaching announcements rather than this station is. Kind of like Merseyrail.
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Transport for Wales Class 231 / 756 Stadler FLIRTs
- Thread starter DaveHarries
- Start date
We need now approaching announcements rather than this station is. Kind of like Merseyrail.
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RailUK Forums
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I'm very pleased to hear of the generally positive reviews there! I had a 25 cycle ride instead today, although I did nearly finish it early to jump on a train at short notice to do a quick spin from Central to Penarth and back. I'd have not got a puncture from a huge pothole if I had done, equally I'd have probably froze in Cardiff while waiting for the off-peak to begin again!
Hopefully next week I will be able to pop down, if the weather is better I'll go down with my Blue Beauty (after she's fixed) and combine the 231 journey with some cycling
Here's hoping by next Wednesday more than 1 will be out as well!
Hopefully next week I will be able to pop down, if the weather is better I'll go down with my Blue Beauty (after she's fixed) and combine the 231 journey with some cycling
Here's hoping by next Wednesday more than 1 will be out as well!56xx
Member
It' looks like it may be a duct for the power and usb underneath the seats in front. Have since been informed it is a seat support bar.As with Greater Anglia’s FLIRTS, I really must denounce the hugely obstructive bar by window airline seats, which get in the way of one’s legs ridiculously - and I’m only 5’11/6’0 (halfway in between)
Image description: said bar
Made the 1427 departure from Rhymney. Well impressed. Acceleration is such that we arrived over a minute early at a lot of stations. 4 at Bargoed I think.
Sat on the high level seats over a bogie. The ride was generally very smooth but had a loud clunk and jerk between Tir Phil and Brithdir where there has been a dip in the track for some time now. Also had a bit of hunting when leaving Aber for Caerphilly.
Look forward to travelling on them from now on.
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PhoenixWing101
Member
Any idea if they'll be running the same service tomorrow?
Bob Price
Established Member
- Joined
- 8 Aug 2019
- Messages
- 1,244
Have a look at RTT in the morning. As yet they haven't got artwork for them.
And for those who don't know (I only found out today) you can enter a unit number into the "quick search" box and it will tell you what service it's currently on. (Don't include a space)
I don't know if 231007 is the only one currently available for passenger service though.
If not it's probably quicker to look at services from Penarth than to go through all the numbers...
hexagon789
Veteran Member
RTT says RT or 1L or 2L at all stations.
penguin8967
Member
RTT is fairly inaccurate for timings on that line due to the large signalling blocks.
hexagon789
Veteran Member
Well, that as may be. But 4 early at Bargoed seems impossible given it is only 4 mins in the timetable from the previous station.
RTT says that the 0702 from Bargoed left 5 minutes late and shows 5, 6 and 7 minutes late at each stop until Penarth where it was 4 minutes late.
But actually 5 against the working timetable.
That looks fairly consistent to me, not the effect of incorrect timing offsets.
No it's to support the weight of the seats. Having the bar there means it only has to be supported from one side and isn't blocking floor space by the aisle. The wire for USB and power is a lot smaller.
56xx
Member
It was actually just after 1440 for a 1444 1/2 departure but 1441 1/2 is in WTT so at least a minute early.
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Thanks I had a look and jumped to a conclusion
It does look rather substantial just to carry some wiring.
On another matter, it's interesting how low key today's "launch" was.
By comparison when Greater Anglia ran their first FLIRT they had had an advertising campaign beforehand (including a rather impressive sand sculpture of a FLIRT in (I think it was) Great Yarmouth station). Then on day one they had free hot drinks on the train and handed out merchandise. Now that might not work for the rush hour, but it could have been done later in the day.
I just looked on Wales Online and the most recent story I can find about TfW is about how disruptive the Metro works are (with someone complaining - understandably - about the extra time it takes to change onto a bus for part of her journey,
but then saying that even when there are no engineering works the service is poor and something should be done to improve it....)
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
Might I recommend not presenting a guess as fact, or we’ll all get very confused
56xx
Member
Point takenMight I recommend not presenting a guess as fact, or we’ll all get very confused
CardiffKid
Member
Given how much bad press rail in Wales has had, not shouting about it on or before day one would be a key component of any campaigns/marketing plan I drew up. Plus only one unit (that left service before the evening rush hour) was in service today.
Most of the negative press comes from WalesOnline, I site I’m very pleased to say I avoid where possible. It’s absolute garbage most of the time.
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I can see the advantages of a low key launch.
It's just interesting to compare with Greater Anglia's approach - and they also only had a single unit in service on day one.
Perhaps but they do at least cover news in Wales.
And they do also run articles on the "Metro" in a positive way.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Why did the 231 come out of service before the evening peak? I'm sure there's a good reason, just not one I can think of. If it had been going this evening, I'd have definitely made the effort to go down there.
Anonymous10
Established Member
Possibly fuel? Or train crew issue?
Dai Corner
Established Member
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2015
- Messages
- 6,998
Media Wales Business Editor Sion Barry and Prof. Mark Barry who provides the academic input to the Metro project are brothers.
PhoenixWing101
Member
I didn't know about searching by unit number that's actually really helpful. I was literally complaining about this the other day to my partner and had no idea it was possible. Should be pretty easy to see where the units are given there's only 11 of them to check...
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Checking RTT, looks like 231007 will be out again on the same diagrams as yesterday, assuming it isn't pulled for some reason.
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CardiffKid
Member
There are good articles, you just need to fight your way through all the adverts, listicals and clickbate, which is why I’ve basically given up with that site. I honestly don’t think I’m missing anything, but I accept that’s a personal opinion.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Both are certainly good points, I hadn't considered those.
Forecast for next Wednesday (not that I expect it to be accurate yet of course!) looks a lot more agreeable for visiting South Wales, so here's hoping that's the case
My plan is to do the full run from Cardiff to Rhymney, and do a 769 the other way purely as a farewell to the 769s while I'm down there. As well as adding some outdoor activity while in the Rhymney area, there's plenty to go and explore up there!
Envoy
Established Member
- Joined
- 29 Aug 2014
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- 3,159
I used it yesterday to Rhymney & back to Cardiff. Excellent design and very clever to have level boarding with auto ramp. Ride was pretty smooth and TfW had the temperature spot on. I walked through the engine section when on full power going up a hill and it was perfectly OK to walk through sound wise. Train was very quiet though it would be interesting to be on one at speed on the main line.
I was disappointed with the seats which I found to be too hard and the back was too upright. The base of the seats was short and did not offer any leg support. Although the Sophia seats on the Hitachi 800 series are also hard, they are a far better shape and wider and the base is longer. This train also lacked any storage for big luggage cases that cannot be lifted into the overhead rack. Also note that due to the low floor, the rack is higher and therefore you need to be tall in order to lift any baggage onto the rack. People could lug larger cases into an area of flat floor with small flip up seats. The normal seats in this area were arranged around a table and perhaps these could have priority for people who need to keep an eye on their cases or for people with prams or helping those with wheelchairs?
I also think that the bulk of the seats are set too low in relation to the floor/windows. This may be OK for kids and short people but most will surely dislike dropping down to such a low level?
I noticed on the more lightly loaded off peak train, that people tended to make for the higher placed seats over the bogies - which also happened to be those with tables and were ideally placed to match the windows. Perhaps this proves my point that people do not like the low placed seats through the bulk of the coach? The head area on the seats has some sort of plastic which is ideal for wiping an area that if it were cloth would become grimy with people’s heads.
The train looks very smart in the TfW livery.
I was disappointed with the seats which I found to be too hard and the back was too upright. The base of the seats was short and did not offer any leg support. Although the Sophia seats on the Hitachi 800 series are also hard, they are a far better shape and wider and the base is longer. This train also lacked any storage for big luggage cases that cannot be lifted into the overhead rack. Also note that due to the low floor, the rack is higher and therefore you need to be tall in order to lift any baggage onto the rack. People could lug larger cases into an area of flat floor with small flip up seats. The normal seats in this area were arranged around a table and perhaps these could have priority for people who need to keep an eye on their cases or for people with prams or helping those with wheelchairs?
I also think that the bulk of the seats are set too low in relation to the floor/windows. This may be OK for kids and short people but most will surely dislike dropping down to such a low level?
I noticed on the more lightly loaded off peak train, that people tended to make for the higher placed seats over the bogies - which also happened to be those with tables and were ideally placed to match the windows. Perhaps this proves my point that people do not like the low placed seats through the bulk of the coach? The head area on the seats has some sort of plastic which is ideal for wiping an area that if it were cloth would become grimy with people’s heads.
The train looks very smart in the TfW livery.
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Trainbike46
Established Member
This was definitely great yarmouth - as it was still there when I visited over summer, even though the trains had been running for a few years at that point
PhoenixWing101
Member
Afraid not, it was a 769
Wow! I wasn't expecting it to last that long.
Yes that was a problem I noticed with the Anglia units. Really not very helpful on holiday camp changeover days. Probably less of a problem in the Valleys.
Envoy
Established Member
- Joined
- 29 Aug 2014
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- 3,159
People from the valleys do go on holiday and I have seen people with big cases using Rhoose - Cardiff Airport station - which will be served by the FLIRTS.