CAF class 197 Civity for TfW: News and updates on introduction.

[Caaardiff]

The 197s are CAF products, not Alstom.

Isn't Central Rivers an Alstom Depot?

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Isn't Central Rivers an Alstom Depot?

Yes but the 197s go there for tyre turning on the wheel lathe.

 

[craigybagel]

Central Rivers has the spare capacity with Avanti no longer using it, and it's lathe is a state of the art facility.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

Central Rivers has the spare capacity with Avanti no longer using it, and it's lathe is a state of the art facility.

We have one at Crewe depot but it's broken.

 

[Caaardiff]

197s go for tyre turns at Crewe Electric Depot, Central Rivers and Tyseley currently.
They'll probably all be done at Holyhead when that opens.

 

[Geeves]

197s go for tyre turns at Crewe Electric Depot, Central Rivers and Tyseley currently.
They'll probably all be done at Holyhead when that opens.

One came to Newton Heath too!

 

[Jez]

Is there a reason the 197s that split at Swansea do so a long way up the platform? I notice today after alighting a train that was about to split to go onwards to West Wales any passengers joining at Swansea had a very long walk to get onto the train. After the train departed for the West, the remaining 3 car 197 then moved up the platform as the Pembroke Dock was due in behind it, to avoid people having to walk too far i assume.

Ive noticed the last few times at Swansea they are getting very good at making manual announcements with whats happening - advising people that the front two carriages are for West Wales or that all 5 carriages are going to Manchester for example.

 

[DelW]

Is there a reason the 197s that split at Swansea do so a long way up the platform? I notice today after alighting a train that was about to split to go onwards to West Wales any passengers joining at Swansea had a very long walk to get onto the train. After the train departed for the West, the remaining 3 car 197 then moved up the platform as the Pembroke Dock was due in behind it, to avoid people having to walk too far i assume.

Maybe to do with track curvature? IIRC the outer ends of Swansea platforms are relatively straight, while the buffer stop ends are on quite a curve. Maybe it's problematic to release the couplers on a curve?

 

[Jez]

Maybe to do with track curvature? IIRC the outer ends of Swansea platforms are relatively straight, while the buffer stop ends are on quite a curve. Maybe it's problematic to release the couplers on a curve?

I was thinking that when i was looking today. It is on a curve as you get close to the buffers.

Does anyone know where 197033 is. After getting 197034 today it is now the only 197 in service that i havent been on.

 

[Russel]

As much as I liked the 197s when first introduced, I've used a few recently and noticed a couple of common complaints, the white plastic moulding around the windows doesn't look very hard wearing as it's starting to look very dirty where people rest their arms on it and also, a couple of units I used yesterday had more rattles than a 10 year old Enviro400 bus.

 

[vicbury]

As much as I liked the 197s when first introduced, I've used a few recently and noticed a couple of common complaints, the white plastic moulding around the windows doesn't look very hard wearing as it's starting to look very dirty where people rest their arms on it and also, a couple of units I used yesterday had more rattles than a 10 year old Enviro400 bus.

Some of them look like they haven't been cleaned inside for ten years despite only being a few months or years old. I've been on units with things sprayed on the ceilings, on the overhead luggage racks, filthy window sills as you say, grease, sticky residue and fingerprints all over the windows and tables etc. CrossCountry's unrefurbished Turbostars genuinely feel cleaner at times.

 

[Russel]

Some of them look like they haven't been cleaned inside for ten years despite only being a few months or years old. I've been on units with things sprayed on the ceilings, on the overhead luggage racks, filthy window sills as you say, grease, sticky residue and fingerprints all over the windows and tables etc. CrossCountry's unrefurbished Turbostars genuinely feel cleaner at times.

It's a shame because they have the potential to be a decent train, I can happily spend a couple of hours one one.

Also noticed quite a few of the passenger info screens look to be developing dark patches possibly from people hitting them with luggage or elbows etc...

I'd like to think it's just a side effect of how hard the fleet is being worked at the moment and that things may improve as things settle down, but we'll have to wait and see.