• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Will TfW meet the 1/1/2020 PRM deadline?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Cardiff123

Established Member
Joined
10 Mar 2013
Messages
1,318
https://news.tfwrail.wales/news/extra-capacity-and-improved-trains-for-rail-passengers-in-wales

Pacers are staying into 2020 then, as no surprise to anyone that the 769s won't be ready for 1/1/2020

Extra capacity and improved trains for rail passengers across Wales and the borders

Transport for Wales (TfW) has announced plans to provide space for up to 6,500 more commuters a week from December this year, whilst introducing additional trains right across the Wales and Borders rail network.

Improvements for rail passengers in December 2019 will include:

• Valley lines will see more four-carriage trains on peak services and combined with other rolling stock changes, will provide space for up to 6,500 more commuters every week.
• Passengers between Cheltenham and Maesteg, and between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale will have the benefit of modern Class 170 trains with more space, onboard passenger information systems, accessible toilets, air conditioning, Wi-Fi and power sockets.
• Long distance passengers on some services between North Wales and Manchester will be travelling on more modern ‘Mark 4 intercity’ carriages.

As part of the updated plan for December, Porterbrook, the supplier of the delayed Class 769s, will provide additional Class 153 trains until the previously ordered Class 769s are available for use.

Mary Grant, CEO of Porterbrook, said:

“Porterbrook is committed to working closely with TfW as they continue to transform the experience of rail passengers across Wales. Some of TfW’s plans depend on our innovative Class 769 trains, whose introduction into service has been subject to delays for which we apologise. We are actively working with TfW and our supply chain to deliver these trains as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have accelerated delivery of our Class 170 units and are also supplying additional trains to cover for the Class 769s and provide support to TfW and their passengers.”

TfW will also be improving the onboard experience for long-distance journeys with the introduction of refurbished, more accessible Mark 4 intercity carriages on certain services between North Wales and Manchester, and an additional loco-hauled service on the key Holyhead-Cardiff route linking North and South Wales.

Passenger feedback has highlighted the need to improve capacity and resilience in the fleet as a key priority, TfW plan to deliver this by keeping Pacer trains for a short period during 2020, subject to receiving a time-limited dispensation against the mandatory requirements for accessible rail vehicles which come into force on 1st January 2020. The Pacers and Class 37 loco hauled trains will gradually be removed from service as the more modern and comfortable Class 769s become available in the new year.

The popular Class 37 loco-hauled trains were temporarily added to the fleet back in May 2019 to help provide an immediate capacity boost on the busy Rhymney Valley line – again in response to demands from customers for extra seats.

James Price, Transport for Wales CEO said:

“Our customer research reveals that being able to sit or stand comfortably on a train is a top priority for many people, and therefore we hope that our customers will welcome plans which will mean a big increase in capacity for December.

“We’re also pleased that we’re improving the overall experience for passengers using services between Cheltenham and Maesteg, and between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale through the introduction of more modern accessible trains.
“Our plan is to retain some of our Pacer and Class 37 loco-hauled trains for a short period of time in 2020 to allow us to increase capacity of our busiest routes, meaning extra space onboard for our customers.

“We have always focused on delivering what our customers want, and we will do all we can to provide further capacity, which is their key priority. We must remain responsive to the needs of all of our customers, even if this means changing our plans.”
 
Last edited:
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Cardiff4

Member
Joined
10 Aug 2011
Messages
6
TfW have also posted other results of their customer research at https://news.tfwrail.wales/news/extra-capacity-and-improved-trains-for-rail-passengers-in-wales


"• Customers place a higher importance on being able to sit or stand comfortably on a train than other key priorities, such as punctuality of the service.
• Current TfW performance is below the customers’ expectation on capacity.
• There are more tweets about capacity than delay/disruption or quality of rolling stock.
• Complaints figures indicate a trend of increasing numbers of capacity-related complaints month-on-month.
• The latest wave of the NRPS as well as monthly customer satisfaction and mystery shopper surveys reflect a similar picture in overcrowding being the biggest issue (particularly for commuters).

The additional capacity will be provided through changes to the current plan, which includes operating 11 services with Class 150 trains rather than Pacers. These larger trains, which are being upgraded to improve accessibility will provide additional space in the morning and evening peaks on Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr services, meaning capacity for up to 1300 more customers daily, and therefore up to 6500 weekly.

Pacer trains will be focused as four carriage trains on the majority of Rhymney line services, with the Class 37 loco-hauled trains continuing to operate as the larger and more modern Class 769s are gradually introduced in the new year.

The mandatory requirement for rolling stock to meet modern accessibility standards comes in to force on 1 January 2020. Any trains which will remain in service with existing levels of accessibility is a decision for the UK Secretary of State for Transport who will consider applications for dispensation against standards from the rail industry on the merits of each case".
 
Last edited:

Phil from Mon

Member
Joined
28 Nov 2014
Messages
374
Location
Beaumaris, Ynys Môn
Interesting to see changes in the plans for the Marches too - Mk 4s for Manchester! And just one additional loco-hauled for Cardiff-Holyhead. Disappointing for us who were looking forward to 3 of those services a day.
 

anthony263

Established Member
Joined
19 Aug 2008
Messages
6,518
Location
South Wales
A few of the 67s including 67025 are being painted into tfw livery. I think it was inevitable once northern announced that they were retaining their class 144s that tfw would follow suit.
 

Caaardiff

Member
Joined
9 Jun 2019
Messages
851
That's great getting 153's, but the GWR ones have been farcical because of restrictions placed on them about how long drivers are prepared to drive them due to cab layouts, even though some of the old Arriva ones are similar and was never an issue, and wasn't an issue for GWR drivers. Hopefully the GA ones aren't the same otherwise they'll be useless until modified. They also can't go on Valleys routes, except the city line. The 170's will be on Maesteg/Cheltenham/Ebbw Vale, so aside from the Blaenau branch and West Wales, how much work is there for 18+ 153's?
As TfW were the first to PRM mod a 153, have the GA 153's had PRM mods yet or will that work also be needed?
 

Rhydgaled

Established Member
Joined
25 Nov 2010
Messages
4,568
@Cardiff123 @Cardiff4 thanks for posting guys :) Will be interesting to see where the extra 153s come from :p
Wherever they come from, I don't think they'll be PRM compliant. I cannot recall any operator other than TfW say that they proposed giving 153s PRM mods; that said I don't know what West Midlands Trains plan for their 153s. Are the WMT 153s due off lease in December?

But, it seems the answer to the topic title is now officially "no, they won't". As well as having to take on non-PRM 153s to make up for not having the 769s in service, there is still a long way to go with PRM mods on the 150s and TfW 153s according to the TfW Livery topic. At least the 158 PRM programme is nearing completion.

That's great getting 153's, but the GWR ones have been farcical because of restrictions placed on them about how long drivers are prepared to drive them due to cab layouts, even though some of the old Arriva ones are similar and was never an issue, and wasn't an issue for GWR drivers. Hopefully the GA ones aren't the same otherwise they'll be useless until modified. They also can't go on Valleys routes, except the city line. The 170's will be on Maesteg/Cheltenham/Ebbw Vale, so aside from the Blaenau branch and West Wales, how much work is there for 18+ 153's?
As TfW were the first to PRM mod a 153, have the GA 153's had PRM mods yet or will that work also be needed?
The Rhymney branch can take some stock with 23m vehicles (158s for example) so maybe 153s are also cleared to work Rhymney services (not sure whether they are or not).
 

craigybagel

Established Member
Joined
25 Oct 2012
Messages
5,061
153s will be seeing some extra work in the North. A 153 has been based at Chester for the last few weeks for crew training purposes as not all depots/links sign them at present.
 

Cardiff123

Established Member
Joined
10 Mar 2013
Messages
1,318
When you read into the detail of these changes, which is worded to make it sound like all peak time Valleys services will be 4-carriage, that's not what's actually happening at all. It says that Pacers will work in pairs and be concentrated on Penarth - Rhymney with the 37 + Mk2s, and Treherbert/Merthyr/Aberdare will get 150s instead of Pacers. So all Valley lines apart from Rhymney will still be getting 2 carriage 150s at peak times.
 

Tomos y Tanc

Member
Joined
1 Jul 2019
Messages
640
So all Valley lines apart from Rhymney will still be getting 2 carriage 150s at peak times.

Which should read "So all Valley lines apart from Rhymney will still be getting SOME 2 carriage 150s at peak times"

Let's agree on a couple of things. TfW were dealt a bad hand and they over-promised on their short-term plans.

From my point of view, TfW still seem like the good guys who are trying everything they can to keep passengers moving. Sure, not everything works but they're doing their best. Best to reserve judgement I think.
 

anamyd

On Moderation
Joined
17 Aug 2018
Messages
3,011
Was reported in a greater Anglia topic last week that (their 153s) were heading to TFW
Ah thanks for that - can I have a link to that topic please...? That might mean some 170+153 combo delivery runs!
 
Last edited:

anamyd

On Moderation
Joined
17 Aug 2018
Messages
3,011
153s will be seeing some extra work in the North. A 153 has been based at Chester for the last few weeks for crew training purposes as not all depots/links sign them at present.
Thanks for the info :)
 

Class 170101

Established Member
Joined
1 Mar 2014
Messages
7,909
@Cardiff123 @Cardiff4 thanks for posting guys :) Will be interesting to see where the extra 153s come from :p

Was reported in a greater Anglia topic last week that there’s were heading to TFW

From Richard Clinnick at RAIL
Richard Clinnick said:
Confirmed that @PB_Leasing will provide @tfwrail with additional Cl.153s to cover until Cl.769 FLEX units are ready. These will come from @greateranglia. Meanwhile, the Cl.170s cascaded from GA to TfW will be used on Cheltenham-Maesteg and Cardiff-Ebbw Vale services from Dec.
https://twitter.com/Clinnick1/statu...s5PZBFOWxISf5ifmDgt6B6YdbT6LggNPwXf2uBhVqDC8I
 

Tomos y Tanc

Member
Joined
1 Jul 2019
Messages
640
Here's the Welsh Government statement in full. In addition to the information above it announces '200 additional Sunday services' from mid December.

WRITTEN STATEMENT
BY
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT


picture


Extra capacity and additional Sunday services for Wales and the Borders

Ken Skates, AM, Minister for Economy and Transport



I would like to update Members that Transport for Wales (TfW) will shortly be announcing plans to increase capacity for up to 6,500 extra rail commuters a week, from 15th December this year, whilst introducing additional trains right across the Wales and Borders rail network.

This represents an increase of 10% capacity for our service users. It will also result in more than 200 additional Sunday services for Wales and the Borders, representing an increase of 45% against the current Sunday service.

Members will be aware that unfortunately, additional trains ordered under the previous operator (known as Class 769) have, despite assurances from their owner Porterbrook, have been significantly delayed, putting additional strain on the already limited fleet which TfW inherited.

Porterbrook have today apologised for this failure.

This issue is affecting rail services across the UK, however despite this delay, TfW have worked hard to secure additional rolling stock in the form of the Class 37 loco-hauled trains and additional Class 153 trains.

Porterbrook have also agreed to provide TfW with additional trains until the previously ordered Class 769s are available for use. TfW has already confirmed the earlier delivery of a modern fleet (known as Class 170), which will each provide between 118 and 181 seats. These will provide not only additional capacity, but, also, improved accessibility, charging points and air conditioning. Initially, these trains will serve passengers between Cheltenham, Cardiff and Maesteg, and between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale.

TfW will also be improving the onboard experience for long-distance journeys with the introduction of refurbished, more accessible Mark 4 intercity carriages on certain services between North Wales and Manchester and an additional loco-hauled service on the key Holyhead-Cardiff route linking North and South Wales.

Improvements for rail passengers in December 2019 will include:

· Valley lines will see more four carriage trains on peak services, which will provide extra space for the equivalent of up to 6,500 commuters every week

· Passengers between Cheltenham and Maesteg, and between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale will have the benefit of modern class 170 trains with more seats, on board passenger information systems, accessible toilets, air conditioning, Wi-Fi and power sockets.

· Long distance passengers on some services between North Wales and Manchester will be traveling on more modern ‘Mark 4 intercity’ carriages


While we have been working very hard to mitigate the impact of the wider supply issues on TfW’s service, this has left us with difficult decisions to make around TfW’s immediate compliance with Personal of Restricted Mobility (PRM) accessibility regulations.

The choice for me as Economy and Transport Minister has been stark. To either comply with PRM regulations from January 2020, resulting in a significant reduction in trains in the interest of our passengers, or take the necessary steps to seek a dispensation for some of our trains to operate outside of PRM compliance, for a very short period.

Achieving a PRM deadline set just 15 months after the devolved franchise came into operation was a risk that many of us have been alive to and concerned about. Mitigating it in such a short timescale, when the market is struggling to offer suitable alternatives, was also a problem of which I have been acutely aware. Passengers expect me to ensure that TfW can run a rail service for Wales and the Borders and I have had to balance this need against the urgent need to ensure a fully accessible railway for all of its users.

Therefore, reluctantly and in common with other parts of the UK, I have had no option but to seek a dispensation to operate trains slightly beyond the UK Government’s deadline for compliance with PRM accessibility regulations.

I have mandated that TfW must then do everything within its power to limit the use of these non-PRM compliant units and phase them out at the earliest opportunity.

As passenger feedback has highlighted the need to improve capacity and resilience in the fleet as a key priority, I have reluctantly agreed that TfW should keep a number of existing trains in service into the early part of the new year, subject to receiving the necessary dispensation. The Pacers and Class 37 loco hauled stock will gradually be removed from service as the newer, more comfortable and fully accessible Class 769s become available in the new year. This will allow TfW to increase the number of four carriage trains available to commuters during peak periods.

The popular class 37 loco-hauled trains were temporarily added to the fleet back in May 2019 to help provide an immediate capacity boost on the busy Rhymney Valley line – again in response to demands from customers for extra seats.

Transport for Wales’ customer research reveals that being able to sit or stand comfortably on a train is a top priority for many people and therefore I expect that passengers will welcome plans which will mean a 10% increase in capacity from December.

I am pleased that we are improving the overall experience for passengers using services between Cheltenham and Maesteg and between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale, through the introduction of more modern accessible rolling stock. I am also pleased that December will see an improvement in the experience for passengers in North Wales, with the introduction of the mark 4 intercity carriages on some long-distance services.

A step change in Sunday services is also being introduced from December, which I look forward to confirming in detail in the coming weeks. I have also asked TfW to hold another drop-in session for Members and I am happy to confirm that they will be in Ty Hywel between 11am and 2pm on Wednesday. I would encourage Members to take advantage of this session, to discuss the December Time Table as well as any other operational matters Members may have.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to remind members of some the achievements of TfW during its first year of operation.

Through its ‘First Fare’ initiative, TfW has created over 3000 new advanced fares making rail travel cheaper than ever form any journeys over 50 miles.

TfW has launched 215 new services per week and has re-opened the Halton Curve track connecting Wrexham with Liverpool by rail for the first time in 40 years, providing an hourly link between Cheshire and Liverpool. This is a major economic boost for the region.

In addition, TfW has introduced a new suite of performance targets and a system where customers can claim for delays of 15 minutes and above and through its ‘Station Improvement Vision’ has announced £194 million investment into railways stations across Wales and Borders.

Lastly, TfW has created 120 jobs and established Community Rail Partnerships across the entire Wales and Borders network to promote and encourage rail use in communities.

I have always been clear that this exciting journey of rail improvement will take time but I think it is important to acknowledge the progress that TfW are continuing to make despite ongoing challenges.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

anamyd

On Moderation
Joined
17 Aug 2018
Messages
3,011
Here's the Welsh Government statement in full. In addition to the information above it announces '200 additional Sunday services' from mid December.


WRITTEN STATEMENT
BY
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT


picture


Extra capacity and additional Sunday services for Wales and the Borders

Ken Skates, AM, Minister for Economy and Transport


I would like to update Members that Transport for Wales (TfW) will shortly be announcing plans to increase capacity for up to 6,500 extra rail commuters a week, from 15th December this year, whilst introducing additional trains right across the Wales and Borders rail network.

This represents an increase of 10% capacity for our service users. It will also result in more than 200 additional Sunday services for Wales and the Borders, representing an increase of 45% against the current Sunday service.

Members will be aware that unfortunately, additional trains ordered under the previous operator (known as Class 769) have, despite assurances from their owner Porterbrook, have been significantly delayed, putting additional strain on the already limited fleet which TfW inherited.

Porterbrook have today apologised for this failure.

This issue is affecting rail services across the UK, however despite this delay, TfW have worked hard to secure additional rolling stock in the form of the Class 37 loco-hauled trains and additional Class 153 trains.

Porterbrook have also agreed to provide TfW with additional trains until the previously ordered Class 769s are available for use. TfW has already confirmed the earlier delivery of a modern fleet (known as Class 170), which will each provide between 118 and 181 seats. These will provide not only additional capacity, but, also, improved accessibility, charging points and air conditioning. Initially, these trains will serve passengers between Cheltenham, Cardiff and Maesteg, and between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale.

TfW will also be improving the onboard experience for long-distance journeys with the introduction of refurbished, more accessible Mark 4 intercity carriages on certain services between North Wales and Manchester and an additional loco-hauled service on the key Holyhead-Cardiff route linking North and South Wales.

Improvements for rail passengers in December 2019 will include:

· Valley lines will see more four carriage trains on peak services, which will provide extra space for the equivalent of up to 6,500 commuters every week

· Passengers between Cheltenham and Maesteg, and between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale will have the benefit of modern class 170 trains with more seats, on board passenger information systems, accessible toilets, air conditioning, Wi-Fi and power sockets.

· Long distance passengers on some services between North Wales and Manchester will be traveling on more modern ‘Mark 4 intercity’ carriages


While we have been working very hard to mitigate the impact of the wider supply issues on TfW’s service, this has left us with difficult decisions to make around TfW’s immediate compliance with Personal of Restricted Mobility (PRM) accessibility regulations.

The choice for me as Economy and Transport Minister has been stark. To either comply with PRM regulations from January 2020, resulting in a significant reduction in trains in the interest of our passengers, or take the necessary steps to seek a dispensation for some of our trains to operate outside of PRM compliance, for a very short period.

Achieving a PRM deadline set just 15 months after the devolved franchise came into operation was a risk that many of us have been alive to and concerned about. Mitigating it in such a short timescale, when the market is struggling to offer suitable alternatives, was also a problem of which I have been acutely aware. Passengers expect me to ensure that TfW can run a rail service for Wales and the Borders and I have had to balance this need against the urgent need to ensure a fully accessible railway for all of its users.

Therefore, reluctantly and in common with other parts of the UK, I have had no option but to seek a dispensation to operate trains slightly beyond the UK Government’s deadline for compliance with PRM accessibility regulations.

I have mandated that TfW must then do everything within its power to limit the use of these non-PRM compliant units and phase them out at the earliest opportunity.

As passenger feedback has highlighted the need to improve capacity and resilience in the fleet as a key priority, I have reluctantly agreed that TfW should keep a number of existing trains in service into the early part of the new year, subject to receiving the necessary dispensation. The Pacers and Class 37 loco hauled stock will gradually be removed from service as the newer, more comfortable and fully accessible Class 769s become available in the new year. This will allow TfW to increase the number of four carriage trains available to commuters during peak periods.

The popular class 37 loco-hauled trains were temporarily added to the fleet back in May 2019 to help provide an immediate capacity boost on the busy Rhymney Valley line – again in response to demands from customers for extra seats.

Transport for Wales’ customer research reveals that being able to sit or stand comfortably on a train is a top priority for many people and therefore I expect that passengers will welcome plans which will mean a 10% increase in capacity from December.

I am pleased that we are improving the overall experience for passengers using services between Cheltenham and Maesteg and between Cardiff and Ebbw Vale, through the introduction of more modern accessible rolling stock. I am also pleased that December will see an improvement in the experience for passengers in North Wales, with the introduction of the mark 4 intercity carriages on some long-distance services.

A step change in Sunday services is also being introduced from December, which I look forward to confirming in detail in the coming weeks. I have also asked TfW to hold another drop-in session for Members and I am happy to confirm that they will be in Ty Hywel between 11am and 2pm on Wednesday. I would encourage Members to take advantage of this session, to discuss the December Time Table as well as any other operational matters Members may have.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to remind members of some the achievements of TfW during its first year of operation.

Through its ‘First Fare’ initiative, TfW has created over 3000 new advanced fares making rail travel cheaper than ever form any journeys over 50 miles.

TfW has launched 215 new services per week and has re-opened the Halton Curve track connecting Wrexham with Liverpool by rail for the first time in 40 years, providing an hourly link between Cheshire and Liverpool. This is a major economic boost for the region.

In addition, TfW has introduced a new suite of performance targets and a system where customers can claim for delays of 15 minutes and above and through its ‘Station Improvement Vision’ has announced £194 million investment into railways stations across Wales and Borders.

Lastly, TfW has created 120 jobs and established Community Rail Partnerships across the entire Wales and Borders network to promote and encourage rail use in communities.

I have always been clear that this exciting journey of rail improvement will take time but I think it is important to acknowledge the progress that TfW are continuing to make despite ongoing challenges.
Thanks for sharing :) Have you got a link to the source...?
 

anamyd

On Moderation
Joined
17 Aug 2018
Messages
3,011
I found this as well:

http://tfwrail.wales/dear-customers

17 September 2019

Dear Customers,

I hope you’ve all had some time off this summer and have managed to get some quality time in doing the things that really matter most to you.

Since we were privileged to take over running your train network last year a huge amount has happened, some of which you will have seen in the media and some of which you will have experienced first-hand.

I myself and the majority of my colleagues travel by train every single day too so we’re not blind to the problems and frustrations you’ve faced. Equally we see excellent customer service our staff give day in, day out, often in difficult circumstances.

A huge amount of work goes on behind the scenes and the journey of transformation is moving ahead. So I am pleased to be able to give you an update on where we are and what you can expect from us going forward.



Capacity, cancellations and short forming

Firstly, I must apologise to anyone who has found themselves on a very busy train, unable to get a seat or worse still, not able to board at all.

That’s not something we ever wanted to see when we took over and I know just what a big impact that can have on your day as a customer. We need to deliver for you.

We inherited a small and old fleet of trains last year which we are keeping going through the tireless work of our engineers. But the trains need replacement (the new trains are ordered and paid for) but also modifications, refurbishment and investment to keep them going in the shorter term.

From next year all UK trains must comply with accessibility requirements. This is the right thing to do and we are passionate about making the railway far more accessible. About ¾ of the trains we inherited didn’t comply. So we’ve been taking a small number out of service at a time to get them up to standard. However this has reduced the total fleet available and when other issues occur we have had no spare trains to cover, which impacts too much on you the customer.

Unfortunately, because it’s an old fleet, we’ve seen more trains than normal needing general repairs too. And because we cover such a large rural network, we’ve had multiple tree and animal strikes, which take longer to repair.

We are also acutely aware that we experienced particularly bad issues in autumn last year and to combat that we are investing heavily in better technology (called wheel slip protection and automatic sanding) to protect our trains ahead of poor weather this autumn and winter. However again this means extra trains need to come out of service for this work to take place.

All these things add up and at times we’ve been pushed to the limit of what we can put into service.

We have tried to avoid cancelling services entirely, but have been forced to “short form” trains. For example if we were very short one day we’d have to run 1 two-carriage train, instead of 2 coupled together. A two carriage train is never ideal in a busy period, but is better than cancelling a service altogether. When we talk about making “difficult decisions”, this is the type of thing we mean.

I know this isn’t what you rightly expect your train service to provide and I would never seek to gloss over that, but I am a great believer that we must tackle whatever problems we are faced with head on.

We are blessed in wales and the borders to have some of the most skilled and committed people in the whole rail industry working for us and as a team we will build a service we can all be proud of. That will take time and there will be bumps in the road. At the start of our tenure, we tried to emphasise that the ‘journey begins’ because the new trains take years to build and there are very few spare diesel trains anywhere in the UK.



What are we doing about it?

As you may have read, an £800 million order is in place to build us a brand new fleet of trains. We’re very excited for that but have made no secret that they won’t be ready until 2023. Like buying a new build house, all the different components need to come together and we have purchased 148 new trains, meaning 95% of journeys in the future will be on brand new trains.

In the meantime we’ve been looking at short term options to increase our capacity in any way possible.

Some of you will have travelled on our two Class 37 trains on the Rhymney line, which are a stop gap, but are large trains which have made a real difference there in the short term. We also brought in five short trains (Class 153s) from GWR in the spring. We continue to explore all options where these are feasible, but some trains cannot operate on all routes in Wales due to their size, weight or design.

When we took over this contract, we identified opportunities to refurbish old trains to a great standard. These will be an excellent capacity solution and we’ve ordered some to join our fleet. However both suppliers of these trains have experienced delays, and while incredibly disappointing from our point of view, we understand that these conversions are difficult and innovative. We’ll continue to work with the suppliers to get where we need to be.

As other train operators get new fleets, ordered a few years ago, some older trains are becoming available. Many of those are perfectly good trains and in some cases, are newer than our current fleet. Early in September, the first of these arrived in Wales, ready for driver training. We have secured 12 of these and you will see them in service before the end of the year.

Myself and colleagues at Transport for Wales are incredibly grateful for your patience, loyalty and understanding. We are still early into our journey to transform this railway and we are proud to be your train operator. The future is bright, but there are many challenges to overcome on the way.

I plan to update you all via this blog regularly. I will also be occasionally available on our twitter channel for you to ask questions.

Cofion gorau,

Colin Lea, Customer Experience Director
 

Rhydgaled

Established Member
Joined
25 Nov 2010
Messages
4,568
Let's agree on a couple of things. TfW were dealt a bad hand and they over-promised on their short-term plans.

From my point of view, TfW still seem like the good guys who are trying everything they can to keep passengers moving. Sure, not everything works but they're doing their best. Best to reserve judgement I think.
I'd agree that they were dealt a bad hand, and this latest annoucement comes as a bit of a relief to me. They seem to have accepted that some of the Pacers will need to stay beyond the PRM deadline and hopefully this will avoid mass short-forms that would have happened if they tried to make do without them. Good news I'd say. Longer term I'm still very concerned about the new stock, but as of right now they seem to be doing the right thing in the short term.

TfW will also be improving the onboard experience for long-distance journeys with the introduction of refurbished, more accessible Mark 4 intercity carriages on certain services between North Wales and Manchester, and an additional loco-hauled service on the key Holyhead-Cardiff route linking North and South Wales.
Interesting that mark 4s are only specificly mentioned for north Wales. Putting two and two together with the rumour elsewhere on this forum that there are clearance issues with the mark 4s, I'm guessing that TfW have managed to get the Holyhead-Manchester route cleared but not yet Chester-Cardiff. So I expect the north Wales mark 3 set is to be moved onto the Holyhead-Cardiff route with mark 4s taking over the North Wales - Manchester diagram.
 

anamyd

On Moderation
Joined
17 Aug 2018
Messages
3,011
I spotted this path yesterday but deliberately didn't post anything in case the move fell down again. Wait and see first:lol::lol:
Well, it's been activated so hopefully today's Cardiff trip is not a wasted one :lol:
 
Joined
13 Feb 2011
Messages
1,056
Location
Cardiff
Here's the Welsh Government statement in full. In addition to the information above it announces '200 additional Sunday services' from mid December.


WRITTEN STATEMENT BY THE WELSH GOVERNMENT

picture


Extra capacity and additional Sunday services for Wales and the Borders

Ken Skates, AM, Minister for Economy and Transport

Members will be aware that unfortunately, additional trains ordered under the previous operator (known as Class 769) have, despite assurances from their owner Porterbrook, have been significantly delayed, putting additional strain on the already limited fleet which TfW inherited.

Worth remembering that the WG put up 2/3rds of the cash for these and trumpeted them at the time. I don't think it's fair for the WG to blame ATW who aren't around to defend themselves.

https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2017...-wales-most-crowded-services-to-be-announced/


Achieving a PRM deadline set just 15 months after the devolved franchise came into operation was a risk that many of us have been alive to and concerned about. Mitigating it in such a short timescale, when the market is struggling to offer suitable alternatives, was also a problem of which I have been acutely aware. Passengers expect me to ensure that TfW can run a rail service for Wales and the Borders and I have had to balance this need against the urgent need to ensure a fully accessible railway for all of its users.

Therefore, reluctantly and in common with other parts of the UK, I have had no option but to seek a dispensation to operate trains slightly beyond the UK Government’s deadline for compliance with PRM accessibility regulations.

I have mandated that TfW must then do everything within its power to limit the use of these non-PRM compliant units and phase them out at the earliest opportunity.

If only the WG knew that the 2020 PRM deadline was coming and would have to be dealt with whoever won the franchise :-/
 

Cardiff123

Established Member
Joined
10 Mar 2013
Messages
1,318
Worth remembering that the WG put up 2/3rds of the cash for these and trumpeted them at the time. I don't think it's fair for the WG to blame ATW who aren't around to defend themselves.

https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2017...-wales-most-crowded-services-to-be-announced/

If only the WG knew that the 2020 PRM deadline was coming and would have to be dealt with whoever won the franchise :-/

In fairness to WG, it's not their fault that the 769 project has been a disaster. But on the other hand, WG were insisting right up until Spring 2017, just before the 769 order was announced, that they didn't need to do anything about PRM compliance with the ATW fleet as "sufficient cascaded, PRM compliant DMU's will be available to the new franchise to enable it to achieve full PRM compliance", or words to that effect (check your issues of Modern Railways and RAIL in 2016-17). So WG had it's fingers in it's ears, ignoring all the warnings, right up until it was rabbit in the headlights time.

The DfT are just as complicit as they co-managed the ATW franchise with Welsh Govt.
 

anamyd

On Moderation
Joined
17 Aug 2018
Messages
3,011

59 seats :p forgot to put the clip of the data plate in
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top