Anonymous10
Established Member
Haverfordwest platform 2 under the previous timetable had no booked work but was used when passenger services and tankers crossed. I believe it now acts as the passing point.
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CAF class 197 Civity for TfW: News and updates on introduction.
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I can see only one instance today where two trains are due to arrive at HVF at more or less the same time, that being 1V32 CRE-MFH at 11:13 and 1W20 MFH-MAN at 11:15. Perhaps I'm missing something?
RTT shows 1B34 CDF-MFH using platform 2 at 10:33 but it's not apparent why it would need to do so.
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BenBracken
Member
The train I was on was due to arrive at 17:11 and there’s an up train that arrives at 17:10 so I presume the cross happens at the station. But as both were late I didn’t get to find out!
Ah yes, I see it now. RTT has them both at platform 1, which would be a bit snug.
Bob Price
Member
- Joined
- 8 Aug 2019
- Messages
- 1,149
036 hauled up from Donnington to Crewe today on 6Q97.
IslandLine101
Member
This is the departure list out of Manchester today heading for south wales. Almost everything 5 car, with two 4 cars. Seems like we’ve been waiting years and years for this, but the plans are finally bearing fruit. Long many it continue
BenBracken
Member
The west Wales service I was on the other day arrived at Swansea as 5 cars then split to 2. Does seem to make sense.
Topological
Established Member
Things are definitely getting better. Today looks to have the most 5-car trains of any day since the timetable change.
Hopefully, the splitting and joining at Swansea proves smooth enough.
Certainly looking forward to my first trip to Manchester on a 5-car 197 in mid-January.
Hopefully, the splitting and joining at Swansea proves smooth enough.
Certainly looking forward to my first trip to Manchester on a 5-car 197 in mid-January.
BillStampy
Member
I think it was just a matter of putting stuff in the right place from the old timetable; some stock may have been in the wrong location to run the new timetable requirements and now that it has run for a few days things are settling into where they should be.
Kite159
Veteran Member
It just needs a way to avoid having the 19;30 & 20;30 splitting into 2 coach units, as those get extremely busy at Manchester.
Topological
Established Member
Presumably, one is supposed to be a 3-car, but the 2+2 coming north is all they had today.
It does not help that the 20:30 would otherwise be a Mk4. I can see why they do not send the Mk4 back to Cardiff though. If Crewe was not so busy the 19:30 could be 4-car to Crewe and leave a 2-car there. The Mk4 set run in service to Crewe as the 20:30. The 197 dropped at Crewe could then be the 21:11* from Crewe. That would probably clear most of the capacity issues from Manchester, but creates a lot of messing about. The current situation is the most effective, even if there is not as much capacity leaving Piccadilly as there could be.
In a parallel universe, Northern could provide a Crewe service to give more capacity. In a distant parallel universe there would be crew to run the Mk4 in service back to Crewe (presumably needs a spare guard, since TfW must have a spare driver at Picccadilly to work the 20:30 after the driver who works the Mk4 in from Cardiff takes the Mk4 back out ECS)
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
Yes, there are many who use it as an evening service to Crewe. It empties out and fills up again there.
that is certainly good to see. Hopefully this will happen every day now things have settled down a bit with the new timetable.
I also see the 1530 and 1730 are now going further rather than terminating in either Swansea or Carmarthen.
"Fills up" may be an overstatement - yes it is always busy to Crewe but beyond that is often very quiet - I have sometimes been one of a handful of passengers. 1V66 was always a bit odd under the old timetable - it often went out as a loco + set which got swapped at Crewe for a 2-car 197, and had some extended dwells - 13 mins at Crewe and 18 mins at Hereford.
Western 52
Established Member
Very interesting. Thanks for posting. So im guessing they can attach and detach at any platform, even platform 4 which isnt used that often.
Western 52
Established Member
Yes it looks that way. The signs appear to be about the length of a 3 car 197 from the buffers, so will they still use this position if the front unit when arriving is a 2 car I wonder?
pokemonsuper9
Established Member
Is the operation likely going to be 3+2 arrives, they detach and the 3 moves towards the buffers, leaving a 3 car gap between the trains and then the 2 continues West?
Given the ongoing fleet challenges, relying on the 3-car leading would perhaps be unwise.
BenBracken
Member
The platform staff moved us a long way up the platform to get the 2 car west when the 5 cars arrived, but we ended up walking back up the platform to pretty much where we started!
Jamesrob637
Established Member
- Joined
- 12 Aug 2016
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- 5,632
The South Wales Metro 398s
CardiffKid
On Moderation
Those are made by Stadler not CAF.
Not sure what the Trams in Newport are but they’re not 398s.
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
That’s very curious as I’m not aware of any other tram orders, and definitely not CAF ones?
I noticed a pair of 153s were covering a 197 diagram all day today on West Wales-Cardiff. I had it on my return journey from Swansea after going there for 197031.
It seems they are still struggling to cover all 197 diagrams without help from the Sprinters.
Any update on when more 197s may come into service? (still missing 2 x 3 cars plus maybe more of the Cambrian 2 cars may come into service to help out)
It seems they are still struggling to cover all 197 diagrams without help from the Sprinters.
Any update on when more 197s may come into service? (still missing 2 x 3 cars plus maybe more of the Cambrian 2 cars may come into service to help out)
Topological
Established Member
Not a great day on the Marches today.
Only 1 5-car 197 (15:30) from Manchester. There is a 4-car on 1V38 at 09:30, but otherwise not a great first working day of 2025.
(The 2 car on 1V62 is a pair of 153s, with a report that the same pair of 153s formed 1V33 from Wilmslow today (cancelled from Manchester in the screenshot)
Only 1 5-car 197 (15:30) from Manchester. There is a 4-car on 1V38 at 09:30, but otherwise not a great first working day of 2025.
(The 2 car on 1V62 is a pair of 153s, with a report that the same pair of 153s formed 1V33 from Wilmslow today (cancelled from Manchester in the screenshot)
Yesterday was much better with quite a few 5 cars on the Swansea to Manchesters.
However yesterday due to the lack of services on the valleys there were many spare sprinters to help to cover the likes of Swanline- Pembroke Dock in order to keep 5 car 197s on the longer distance Manchester route.
Am I missing something? There's a number of 4 and 5 car services out today.
Only 4 services are 2 cars, with 1V62 likely to have the 153 replaced before it leaves Cardiff. With the 1930 and 2030 arriving as a 4 car to split as usual.
Steveswan10
Member
Yes I can confirm 5 car on 1W18 (197030/197115)