Transport for Wales

[Sh4318]

Mod's note: Transport For Wales took over operation of services from Arriva Trains Wales in October 2018 - Stu.



Transport for Wales have received 5 class 153s from Great Western Railway:

• 153325 & 153333 - both ex London Midland
• 153329, 153361, 153369 - in First Great Western livery

It's my understanding all units moved as an ECS from Exeter St David's to Cardiff Canton Sidings earlier this month. Have they been used in service yet?

[mikestone]

wnxx mentions two of them haven't been used.

[Sh4318]

wnxx mentions two of them haven't been used.

I wonder if it's the ex London Midland units (153325 & 153333) that haven't been used, they're in an awful state aesthetically, GWR removed their ad vinyls before they moved, which TfW - understandably- weren't too pleased about

https://flic.kr/p/2feUHhn
https://flic.kr/p/2fgLGLB

[Isle of Stroma]

It's like £25 for child

An adult advance single is £12.50...

[DJ]

An adult advance single is £12.50...

Look at the date of the post you're replying to, it's from 2016!

[Isle of Stroma]

Look at the date of the post you're replying to, it's from 2016!

Where's the fun in that?

[4679]

https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/locomotive-hauled-trains-to-cover-welsh-stock-shortfall?fbclid=IwAR2GYhG20rKiDuvP5PSvVhM9Zhcb1b0P6itCFNStO492BrZprK4icKhqZgI

Loco Hauled Trains making a comeback in Wales.

[markcf83]

They'll be running on the line which passes through where I live. Pity they can't be used outside of peak times. We're also due some of the class 769 units too.....

[Trident 4194]

Only 2 coaches used from Birmingham international to aberstywith? Is this usual?

[nathanielrwi]

In my experience there's usually 2 or 4 carriages, usually 4 that split later into two 2 carriage units to serve Aberystwyth and Pwllheli, maybe there's just 2 carriages when only serving Aberystwyth?

[mikestone]

Probably 158s covering non-available 175s - on Monday there were four sets in the depot at 10.30 and 175107+175109, which had been working coupled due to a defect for at least a week, on the Crewe shuttle 150 diagram. Not sure but there may also be a 175 at Ditton being refurbished.

[Sh4318]

AFAIK, there are still 158s being refurbished with PRM mods, hence the short forming at times

[Stu]

Was really not impressed with TFW last Saturday!

I was travelling on holiday to Borth from Birmingham New Street, with my companions due to board the same train at Wolverhampton.

The departure displays were indicating that the train would be a four carriage unit, and that passengers for Borth and Aberystwyth should use the rear coaches C & D, while those going on to Barmouth and Pwllheli should use the front coaches A and B. This was based on my understanding that the train would seperate at Machynlleth. As a result, my sister and her partner had specifically reserved seats when booking their tickets.

So you can imagine my surprise as the train rolls in at New Street, and I'm counting the coaches, so I know which one to get into - I hadn't reserved a specific seat, but as I knew where my travelling companions had reservations it made sense to find a seat near them - and there are only two coaches! There was already a large crowd on the station platform - including a large group of 'football fans' - and as I asked one of the TFW staff "where's the rest of the train?" I just got a shrugged shoulders response.

So we have a short-formed train full of holidaymakers off to Aberystwyth, Barmouth, Borth and Pwllhelli, as well as a large group of Portsmouth fans heading to Shrewsbury for a football match, all trying to squeeze into two carriages rather than four. 

That wasn't the best start to this holiday. I had to stand all the way to Shrewsbury, while my sister and her partner had to stand from Wolverhampton. Luckily once all the footy yobs got off at Shrewsbury, we could all shuffle down the train and find some available seats. But all the time, the onboard announcements were showing that 'this train is for Aberystwyth', it was only after leaving Shrewsbury that we were told that passengers for Borth and Abersytwyth would have to change onto another train at Machynlleth - I guess that answered the question of "where's the rest of the train?" :D

A pretty fraught experience, and it didn't give me a very good opinion of Transport For Wales' service, though happily the return journey went to plan, with our two carriage train from Borth joining the train from Pwllheli at Machynlleth to form a four-car unit on to Shrewbsury and Birmingham.

Still, I think I got my moneys worth at £40 return. ;)

[nathanielrwi]

Was really not impressed with TFW last Saturday!

I was travelling on holiday to Borth from Birmingham New Street, with my companions due to board the same train at Wolverhampton.

The departure displays were indicating that the train would be a four carriage unit, and that passengers for Borth and Aberystwyth should use the rear coaches C & D, while those going on to Barmouth and Pwllheli should use the front coaches A and B. This was based on my understanding that the train would seperate at Machynlleth. As a result, my sister and her partner had specifically reserved seats when booking their tickets.

So you can imagine my surprise as the train rolls in at New Street, and I'm counting the coaches, so I know which one to get into - I hadn't reserved a specific seat, but as I knew where my travelling companions had reservations it made sense to find a seat near them - and there are only two coaches! There was already a large crowd on the station platform - including a large group of 'football fans' - and as I asked one of the TFW staff "where's the rest of the train?" I just got a shrugged shoulders response.

So we have a short-formed train full of holidaymakers off to Aberystwyth, Barmouth, Borth and Pwllhelli, as well as a large group of Portsmouth fans heading to Shrewsbury for a football match, all trying to squeeze into two carriages rather than four. 

That wasn't the best start to this holiday. I had to stand all the way to Shrewsbury, while my sister and her partner had to stand from Wolverhampton. Luckily once all the footy yobs got off at Shrewsbury, we could all shuffle down the train and find some available seats. But all the time, the onboard announcements were showing that 'this train is for Aberystwyth', it was only after leaving Shrewsbury that we were told that passengers for Borth and Abersytwyth would have to change onto another train at Machynlleth - I guess that answered the question of "where's the rest of the train?" :D

A pretty fraught experience, and it didn't give me a very good opinion of Transport For Wales' service, though happily the return journey went to plan, with our two carriage train from Borth joining the train from Pwllheli at Machynlleth to form a four-car unit on to Shrewbsury and Birmingham.

Still, I think I got my moneys worth at £40 return. ;)

I've seen more 2 coach trains with TfW on the Wolverhampton routes than I ever did with ATW!!

[mikestone]

The New St CIS seems unable to cope with formation changes, and I have the impression it doesn't get its information from the same source as other stations.