CAF Civity for TfW: News and updates on introduction.

[Anonymous10]

Well time to time is not very helpful for those booking first class tickets. It’s already a lottery now.

Could end up declassified on that route I guess

 

[43096]

They're only booked to have 4 sets out at the moment anyway. And there's a very good explanation as to why they're struggling to achieve that, and why it should get better soon on the MKIV thread.

There’s always a “good explanation”, isn’t there? The reality is that the Mark 4 fleet is way behind where it should be in terms of sets in traffic compared with the original plan.

I don’t think that’s a reflection on the stock but the organisation itself. Every stick rollout on TfW has been botched.

 

[sd0733]

Do we have a date for this yet?

The planned date has been and gone. There has been movement but it didn't progress as planned. Still shouldn't be far off unless more sticking points come up.

 

[Krokodil]

Well time to time is not very helpful for those booking first class tickets. It’s already a lottery now.

It's invariably cheaper to upgrade on the day.

 

[sd0733]

It's invariably cheaper to upgrade on the day.

With the price of a lot of the advances it isn't anymore. Quite a.lot who book late on end up with 1st cheaper than the standard advance available. Presumably as people don't know its there so don't look.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Am I right in thinking the only Holyhead services with first class will be the MK4 services, and that the 197/1s on that route will be the standard only ones? Ergo First 197 on Manchesters only?

I don't think it's completely clear what will happen now more Mk4s have been taken on.

On the orignal plans I thought the provision of 14 units was a bit generous if they were just for Swansea-Manchester (9 or 10 diagrams) given how tight fleet availability often is. Unless TfW were planning to have a 'hot spare' or two on standby, I personally suspected that either the 3-car unit would continue to Milford Haven or the Holyhead-Cardiff route would have first class, although (as far as I know) this was never promised by TfW and, as Bletchleyite says, the additional mark 4s mean the plan will have changed.

 

[Krokodil]

With the price of a lot of the advances it isn't anymore. Quite a.lot who book late on end up with 1st cheaper than the standard advance available. Presumably as people don't know its there so don't look.

I'm struggling to find much in the way of first class advance tickets. When I put my mother on the WAG however, we got a really cheap standard class advance and paid the guard to upgrade

 

[AdamWW]

I don’t think that’s a reflection on the stock but the organisation itself. Every stick rollout on TfW has been botched.

What went wrong with the 231s?

The introduction seemed pretty smooth to me.

 

[Bob Price]

What went wrong with the 231s?

The introduction seemed pretty smooth to me.

Absolutely, they came in extremely well. Issues with UK built stock, Swiss built stock no problems (yet).

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Swiss built stock no problems (yet).

You might find the 777 introduction thread might disagree there.

 

[Jez]

What went wrong with the 231s?

The introduction seemed pretty smooth to me.

Yes I agree. I've said before the 231s has been very successful going from 1 diagram in January to 8 or 9 by the May timetable. Just as well. Its about the only successful introduction so far out of the Mk4, 197, 230 and 231s.

Regarding the 197s is there any news yet on when we can expect more accepted into service other than the 15 at the moment ?

 

[The_Train]

It was 197016

It's 197016, and don't worry, when you click on the photo to open it it appears correctly oriented.

Was this in service or on test?

 

[william.martin]

Was this in service or on test?

Either testing or crew training.

 

[Anonymous10]

Was this in service or on test?

Would have been crew training none are tested in South Wales and nothing past cardiff in service at moment.

 

[The_Train]

Would have been crew training none are tested in South Wales and nothing past cardiff in service at moment.

I treat training/testing/mileage accumulation/fault free running all in the same bracket - I keep it simple for new stock, either it is in revenue earning service or it isn't and if it isn't it (or the staff) are being tested in some way

Thanks for confirming

 

[Anonymous10]

I treat training/testing/mileage accumulation/fault free running all in the same bracket - I keep it simple for new stock, either it is in revenue earning service or it isn't and if it isn't it (or the staff) are being tested in some way

Thanks for confirming

No problem. Once they're in service in Carmarthen I'll be taking a trip and reporting back

 

[southernyoshi]

Hi, does anyone have any diagrams for Marches line 197s through Shrewsbury for this coming week? Thank you

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Hi, does anyone have any diagrams for Marches line 197s through Shrewsbury for this coming week? Thank you

For weekdays, 1V92 and 1V94 are booked 197s southbound, with the return 1W94 and 1W95.

 

[southernyoshi]

Thank you - I'm sorry but what actual times are these at Shrewsbury? I don't know how to convert the codes to times...I take it they're more reliable than the Mark 4 ones? Is that 4 a day locked in for a while or is there a surge of them coming anytime soon? (I also assume the Marches and the Cardiff to North Wales are the only places they run, I don't know if they're ever going to go to Birmingham)

 

[william.martin]

(I also assume the Marches and the Cardiff to North Wales are the only places they run, I don't know if they're ever going to go to Birmingham)

We are looking at next year for Birmingham - but they are definitely coming.

 

[craigybagel]

Thank you - I'm sorry but what actual times are these at Shrewsbury? I don't know how to convert the codes to times...I take it they're more reliable than the Mark 4 ones? Is that 4 a day locked in for a while or is there a surge of them coming anytime soon? (I also assume the Marches and the Cardiff to North Wales are the only places they run, I don't know if they're ever going to go to Birmingham)

0913&1113 to Cardiff, 1528&1728 to Holyhead.

The next services you'll see them on will likely be more North Wales - Cardiff diagrams, then Manchester - West Wales, and finally Birmingham. They're not currently cleared to Birmingham and nor is there likely to be a need to anytime soon as those services mostly interwork with the Cambrian, and it'll be a while before they go down there.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Thank you - I'm sorry but what actual times are these at Shrewsbury? I don't know how to convert the codes to times...I take it they're more reliable than the Mark 4 ones? Is that 4 a day locked in for a while or is there a surge of them coming anytime soon? (I also assume the Marches and the Cardiff to North Wales are the only places they run, I don't know if they're ever going to go to Birmingham)

Sorry, should have explained better. They're the service codes which you can see listed on RTT's detailed mode for the station.

 

[Anonymous10]

Sorry, should have explained better. They're the service codes which you can see listed on RTT's detailed mode for the station.

Or can type into the search function at top of the screen.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Sorry, should have explained better. They're the service codes which you can see listed on RTT's detailed mode for the station.

They are also in the NR eNRT.

Electronic national rail timetable - Network Rail

The electronic National Rail Timetable (eNRT) is a long-term timetable for planners that covers services on the national rail network.

www.networkrail.co.uk

Table 131 covers all the Marches services to/from South Wales, Manchester and Holyhead.

 

[southernyoshi]

Thank you all So there's only two out on the line at the moment? When can we expect more of them, to enable the 175s to finally be put out of their misery? There is one diagram there that could be perfect timing though

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Thank you all So there's only two out on the line at the moment? When can we expect more of them, to enable the 175s to finally be put out of their misery? There is one diagram there that could be perfect timing though

When the next batch of units is accepted, which should happen within the next few weeks as I understand it.

 

[southernyoshi]

So let me get this right, I've got the Mark 4 diagrams from the 225 Group when I asked about those a while ago - so off peak, the 0944, 1346, & 1544 southbound from Shrewsbury are Mark 4, the 1053, 1251, & 1447 northbound are also Mark 4, those times mentioned above - 0913 and 1113 southbound and 1528 northbound (the other one is peak) are 197, presumably everything out of or going to Birmingham from North Wales is 158, obviously everything Cambrian is 158, and I assume everything else on the Marches lines are 150/3/whatever until full 197 arrives?

 

[SuperLuke2334]

So let me get this right, I've got the Mark 4 diagrams from the 225 Group when I asked about those a while ago - so off peak, the 0944, 1346, & 1544 southbound from Shrewsbury are Mark 4, the 1053, 1251, & 1447 northbound are also Mark 4, those times mentioned above - 0913 and 1113 southbound and 1528 northbound (the other one is peak) are 197, presumably everything out of or going to Birmingham from North Wales is 158, obviously everything Cambrian is 158, and I assume everything else on the Marches lines are 150/3/whatever until full 197 arrives?

That's correct, Mk4s are slightly hit and miss at the moment, however most of the time it is pretty good.

 

[craigybagel]

So let me get this right, I've got the Mark 4 diagrams from the 225 Group when I asked about those a while ago - so off peak, the 0944, 1346, & 1544 southbound from Shrewsbury are Mark 4, the 1053, 1251, & 1447 northbound are also Mark 4, those times mentioned above - 0913 and 1113 southbound and 1528 northbound (the other one is peak) are 197, presumably everything out of or going to Birmingham from North Wales is 158, obviously everything Cambrian is 158, and I assume everything else on the Marches lines are 150/3/whatever until full 197 arrives?

Still some 158s and 175s on the Marches too.

 

[southernyoshi]

Oh, I thought they were completely gone now because of their problems, and they were muddling through with whatever they could find until the 197 rollout ends. Are the current Saturday 197 diagrams the same?