2 car 197s struggle across the board with capacity with the reduced seating. People also seem reluctant to spread down the aisles in them, more so than 150s but do spread more than end door stock like 175s.
Most people waiting for the 1639 Swansea (like me) didn't even bother attempting to board as the GWR was only a couple of minutes behind. The 1703 Carmarthen is always a busy service, made worse by the fact the previously regular 3 car 175 is now booked a 2 car 197. Hopefully we will see more capacity in South Wales eventually!
Many thanks for that.
Ignoring the ERTMS sets which are more or less a like for like 158 replacement, There's still 20 (including the elusive 045) 197s to enter service, most of them 3 car plus another Mk4 set to enter service (and the 5th coaches).
Yes and progress has gone a long way since that day when just 1 set was out on the Conwy Valley line..
The 175s rarely worked in multiple as 4 carriages.
Obvious to passengers with a reasonable sense of where places are and knowledge of the rail network. However not everyone possesses those qualities. There are least two places called Newport in the southern half of Wales, although the other one I'm thinking of is not on the rail network some passengers may not know that. Wouldn't be a problem for Welsh-language announcements though since one Newport is Casnewydd and the other is Trefdraeth.
It's very common in Germany to state where a town/city is e.g. Neustadt as there are quite a few. To be honest there are a few Newports in UK and a foreign traveller may not be familiar. There are also two Gillinghams, which are referred to by the country they're in. Sorry, if going a bit off topic.
Long term the plan is to run a lot more multiple sets either 2+2 or 2+3.
For me, the problems with Class 197 are:
The DfT/Treasury are not directly responsible for the 197 procurement, TfW is devolved to the Welsh Government. As has been said before, they will also be operating many more services as 3,4 or 5 coach trains than before, as there are simply more units. I agree that the catering space is too large, though.
There's actually another Bangor in Wales, Bangor on Dee, east of Wrexham (Bangor-is-y-Coed in Welsh).
TFW certainly operate a very good number of services where 2 coaches is significantly more than adequate.
Sorry to dig up an older post, but is there anywhere I can see this?
So sorry to be pedantic, but that’s not true; the seats used are the same type as 397/Nova 3 instead.
And those in turn are the same seats, as far as I know. I think they’re both variants of the Freedman “Luxury” offering, just with different cushion shaping. The frame is extraordinarily similarly shaped if not.So sorry to be pedantic, but that’s not true; the seats used are the same type as 397/Nova 3 instead.
That's cool, thanks.
There’s the documentary. I can’t remember the exact time (I believe it’s about 19 minutes in, though I could be completely wrong), but it’s when they are looking around the factory in Newport.
And those in turn are the same seats, as far as I know. I think they’re both variants of the Freedman “Luxury” offering, just with different cushion shaping. The frame is extraordinarily similarly shaped if not.
3 months left, according to iPlayer.
