I'm sure they're pretty rare on Manchesters where you are, because it's 197s booked to the West, and they do solidly put 197s on 197 diagrams, but unfortunately the dire availability of 67s mean a fair few terminating at Central are often 150 still.
As for not including Sundays, I don’t know why services are still so Sprinter heavy. Considering they’ll soon be retiring Sprinters from the mainline you’d think they need to start tackling that.
I think on Sundays the 1330 and 1430 ex Manchester are still booked Sprinters and I think one other diagram that is in the South for much of the time and does a later journey to Manchester. It cant go on too much longer if 150s are being phased out for train crew at the Crewe and Shrewsbury depots. They will have to be 197s.
They do seem to be very rare on the services that run to West Wales. Ones that start and end in Cardiff are the ones most likely to be subbed for a 150/153. For example the 1100ish from Milford to Manchester which unfortunately can throw up a 150 on the 1730 Manchester to Cardiff
But yes 90% of the time they are 197s as booked now. Mostly 2 car but 3 car is becoming more common on some services.
Im surprised to hear there are still 150s on the Cardiff terminating services, whenever ive checked RTT its been a 197 with only vary rare Sprinter coverage. i did see a pair of 153s one day this week on the 1630 ex Manchester but thats rare now.
Yes. Not sure but I've seen a fair few of the Standard Plus units around and none of them seem to have any branding in there.
Any news on when the Standard Plus upgrade will be available?
Also any news on when Maesteg and Cheltenham will start using 197s? Im not suggesting they should use 197s when there are so many short formations on the Marches as they should take priority, im just wondering if there is any progress with Maesteg-Cheltenham being cleared for 197 passenger service.
Match day in Cardiff today. Be interesting to see what formations are put on and if any extra seats are available, especially from west and north Wales.
Seems to be mostly 2 car 197s on the service going from West to Cardiff in the hours before kick off. I suppose there isnt much they can do Rugby or not.
Interestingly the 1510 Swansea to Abergavenny is also a 2 car 197 today according to RTT. Its rare for this one to be a 197. (the full diagram starting with 0914 CDF-SWA is infact)