Dai Corner
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I hope the service is popular and useful to passengers. I was just suggesting how commuters in the south might see it. Perhaps I could have worded it more clearly.
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ATW/Keolis Amey Wales stock shortages
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I hope the service is popular and useful to passengers. I was just suggesting how commuters in the south might see it. Perhaps I could have worded it more clearly.
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ancientsolar
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The Chester - Liverpool service is just a temporary measure before being extended.. I do believe there will be an hourly service from one of the destinations on the Holyhead/Llandudno route.
Also .. it will eventually be pushed hourly from Shrewsbury and 2 hourly from Cardiff
Also .. it will eventually be pushed hourly from Shrewsbury and 2 hourly from Cardiff
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
This situation is happening on an almost daily basis. When the Timetable starts TFW will have more stock, i.e. 37/4 + 4 Mark 2s which will release 2 x 150s and another set to follow. There will also be 5 x 153s which have been transferred from GWR which will assist with the position. Diagrams are planned based on the number of units in the fleet and so that means that what is on paper is the final position and does not take into account poor daily availability. The PRM Mods have to be legally done and they are going through at a fast pace. I won't say anything about 5 x 769s as this seems to be a closely guarded secret and should have been in service by now and only one has so far arrived and not turned a wheel.
You wouldn't like to see trains cancelled, would you, just because there is no 158 available.
Llanigraham
On Moderation
To put some balance to Belpers comments about The Cambrian, I did four trips to Birmingham on it last month and none of them were as he described. Yes some of them might have been short formed, but the only crowded one was just after rush hour and by Shrewsbury most of the passengers had got off, since many seem to prefer TfW services to Telford than the West Mids service.
You cannot and should not base an opinion on just one journey.
You cannot and should not base an opinion on just one journey.
Couldn't a short-term small help be achieved by training-up more crew to utilise the two LCHS services on a regular basis every Saturday and Sunday?
At present they seem to spend the weekends in peace in the sidings at Crewe and Holyhead, except when they're used for ruggex extras to Cardiff and the occasional short-notice peak holiday extras along the NW coast when staffing allows.
If they could be used on regular diagrams at weekends it would release 2 extra dmus and provide welcome relief to inevitable overcrowding when a 150 turns-up for a Sat/ Sun holidaymaker train along the coast.
I did suggest this to TfW the last time I had to use the first eastbound service along the coast on a Sunday morning, which was a single unit packed to the gunwales, but the response was they don't have enough staff trained to work them. So they remain in the sidings.
At present they seem to spend the weekends in peace in the sidings at Crewe and Holyhead, except when they're used for ruggex extras to Cardiff and the occasional short-notice peak holiday extras along the NW coast when staffing allows.
If they could be used on regular diagrams at weekends it would release 2 extra dmus and provide welcome relief to inevitable overcrowding when a 150 turns-up for a Sat/ Sun holidaymaker train along the coast.
I did suggest this to TfW the last time I had to use the first eastbound service along the coast on a Sunday morning, which was a single unit packed to the gunwales, but the response was they don't have enough staff trained to work them. So they remain in the sidings.
anamyd
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Not just the 5x 769/0s ordered by Welsh Government under ATW, but also the 4x 769/4s ordered by TfW. So 9x 769s in total, and the exhaust pipe gauging issue will be rectified (I remember reading that the fix has already been worked out).
Cardiff123
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It's taking an incredibly long time to rectify a 'minor' exhaust pipe issue that can be fixed 'in a few hours'. (according to a poster over in the 769 thread)
Belperpete
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If you read my original post, you will see that I wasn't:
Also:
I agree, they are doing the best they can with the little they have got, and I have seen some quite inventive stock shuffling on my various trips this year. However, I suspect that is little consolation to those who despite having reservations can't get on at somewhere like Wolverhampton and will suffer a two hour delay if travelling beyond Mach. Assuming they can even get on the next train, of course.....
craigybagel
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They're struggling to cover their own services as it is without releasing extra staff for training. There is a big recruitment drive going on at the moment, but until that is completed it would be very difficult to release more staff for LHCS training.
The 1704 Cardiff to Pembroke Dock was short formed 2 car in place of 3 car. The 3 car terminated at Cardiff (from Manchester) and it was announced there would be a change of set and the 3 car went to Canton. A few minutes later a 2 car 175 came out of Canton and formed the service. It was lucky there was a spare 175 in Canton given TFW are supposed to have all available sets out in service unless undergoing repairs.
The situation with the Cambrian often happens as if there is a shortage of 158s (either undergoing repairs/modifications or covering for 175s on Cardiff-Manchester) then a 150 cant go on the Cambrian so works the Birmingham-Shrewsbury portion of the service and swaps.
The situation with the Cambrian often happens as if there is a shortage of 158s (either undergoing repairs/modifications or covering for 175s on Cardiff-Manchester) then a 150 cant go on the Cambrian so works the Birmingham-Shrewsbury portion of the service and swaps.
I see. Thank-you.
I didn't realise it was a crisis re staffing as well as shortage of rolling-stock.
On a more positive note, congratulations should be given to TfW for finding staff and stock for extra shuttles between Llandudno and the Junction for the Victorian Extravaganza this weekend.
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/LLD/2019/05/04/0200-0159?stp=WVSC&show=all&order=wtt
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/LLD/2019/05/05/0200-0159?stp=WVSC&show=all&order=wtt
krus_aragon
Established Member
A good (and welcome) move, but it could well be that it's being run with the unit and staff that would be operating the Conwy Valley service if it weren't still bustituted.
They sent up at least one extra 3 car 175 tagged on the back of the last service last night. They’ve been ringing round everyone all day yesterday too to get cover. The lads in resources have done a crackin job to be fair to them.
With regards to the Liverpool services, perhaps a 150 would have to be pinched from The Valley Lines, and a 4 car Pacer service split to cover two diagrams. Not ideal by any means but if you take a train from elsewhere, passengers will have longer to wait if they are unable to board. The current favourite seems to be to cancel services between Cardiff and Cheltenham, with XC normally not even making extra stops.
Indeed.
Presumably they had to get Network Rail to open Deganwy signalbox too, or is the crossing there now fully automated?
Needs someone in the box.
Belperpete
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I am surprised it has never been converted to CCTV operation from either Llandudno or the Junction.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
You can't identify just like that as it is all part of the whole picture. The Liverpool services are being discussed here:-
https://www.railforums.co.uk/forums/infrastructure-stations.43/
Other posters were discussing the impact of the Liverpool to Chester and TfW stock shortages on the previous page. My post mentioned an option that may cause less widespread disruption than leaving passengers at a station for an hour due to cancelled trains from stock shortages.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
No need to do specially. The Summer opening of the branch started on 21st April in advance of the May Timetable change.
krus_aragon
Established Member
It was planned to be done as part of the resignalling of the NW coast. But that got descoped to (roughly) Chester - Colwyn Bay, so it's still on the to-do list.
The sooner it's done, the sooner Llandudno can have affordable* winter Sunday trains!
*in terms of staffing costs
Thanks. So, 37 + mark 2s releases maybe one 150 and the 153s (in pairs) could probably release two 150s. Assuming it is two 150s they need for the Liverpool services, that would just about cover it but not allow (m)any more 150s to go for PRM mods. Are the extra 153s and the 37 certainly going to be ready for service by the timetable change?
Without the 769s and 230s the topic heading 'stock shortages' still appears apt.
Cardiff123
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I can't help thinking that TfW are wishing right now that Welsh Govt had ordered 9 x 230s for the Valleys instead of phantom 769s
anthony263
Established Member
At this rate they might've have had better luck and got some in service
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
TFW are expecting some 230s but they haven't seen any of those either yet, although unlike the 769s, there is one just entered service on the Marston Vale Line.
I hope I'm not coming over as being overconfident but there are various gloomy stories, and remember rumours spread and escalate, re the 37/4s and 769s .but there are things that take place behind the scenes so we could have some pleasant surprises. I will fall on my sword on the other hand
I hope I'm not coming over as being overconfident but there are various gloomy stories, and remember rumours spread and escalate, re the 37/4s and 769s .but there are things that take place behind the scenes so we could have some pleasant surprises. I will fall on my sword on the other hand
Ted172
Member
I believe they now have 2 out of the 3 Class 230s in service on the Marston Vale. Sorry for going slightly off topic!
Cardiff123
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Well to the layman when deadline after deadline after deadline is missed, and now it's been confirmed by Porterbrook that there are problems with the exhaust stacks and bogies that need rectifying before they can move on the mainline, it's difficult to be positive.
A project that was sold as a 'quick fix' to DMU shortages has been anything but.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
I thought this rumour had died a death. Not to say that something couldn't happen in the future
anthony263
Established Member
Crew training on the 37s hasn't started yet due to union issues. Way its going I'm wondering are we going to see any extra trains or are we going to see rail replacement buses and coaches providing extra capacity
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