krus_aragon
Established Member
When the new franchise was let, the long-term rolling stock plan outside the Valleys area was roughly as follows:
With all other fleets, including the sprinters and 175s to be disposed of.
We've recently heard that TfW have acquired five additional rakes of MkIV stock from Grand Central, to operate four 5-carriage diagrams on the Swansea-Manchester route. TfW have also sub-let some 170s to EMR, though it's unclear whether this is going to be more than a temporary arrangement.
The introduction of MkIV rakes on Swansea-Manchester means that TfW won't need 14 3-car 197s to be fitted with First Class to provide the (initially planned) service. The 2-car units from West Wales that were expected to couple up to them will also be released east of Swansea. Going by sheer rule-of-thumb, four 5-carriage MkIV rakes could release four 2-car and four 3-car 197s for duties elsewhere.
So what might TfW be planning to do with this displaced stock? Displace the 170s for a more uniform fleet? Keep the First Class accommodation on the 3-car units, and use them to operate the 2-hourly Holyhead-Cardiff services between the planned MkIV ones? Operate some new services instead?
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts...
- 3 x MkIV rakes to replace the existing MkIII rakes, with three services each way North-South
- 5 x Class 230 units to operate the Borderlands line
- 12 x Class 170 units used on West Wales and Heart of Wales services
- 77 x Class 197 units used for all other regional services, 14 of which would include First Class accommodation for Swansea-Manchester services
We've recently heard that TfW have acquired five additional rakes of MkIV stock from Grand Central, to operate four 5-carriage diagrams on the Swansea-Manchester route. TfW have also sub-let some 170s to EMR, though it's unclear whether this is going to be more than a temporary arrangement.
The introduction of MkIV rakes on Swansea-Manchester means that TfW won't need 14 3-car 197s to be fitted with First Class to provide the (initially planned) service. The 2-car units from West Wales that were expected to couple up to them will also be released east of Swansea. Going by sheer rule-of-thumb, four 5-carriage MkIV rakes could release four 2-car and four 3-car 197s for duties elsewhere.
So what might TfW be planning to do with this displaced stock? Displace the 170s for a more uniform fleet? Keep the First Class accommodation on the 3-car units, and use them to operate the 2-hourly Holyhead-Cardiff services between the planned MkIV ones? Operate some new services instead?
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts...