Stock used by Arriva Trains Wales between Birmingham International and Holyhead?

[tango602]

Hello all, just wandering which rolling stock is used by Arriva Trains Wales services between Birmingham International and Holyhead?

I have to connect with one at New Street en route from Bodmin Parkway to Llandudno Junction on the 10th of September.

thanks in advance,
tango602

 

[Retorus]

Class 158 I believe.

 

[MCR247]

Yep class 158s

 

[D365]

I believe so too.

 

[MCR247]

Only stock that can work on the Cambrian line

 

[tango602]

Only stock that can work on the Cambrian line

That would explain why its a 158 even though the service is routed via Telford, Wrexham and Chester.

 

[tcm1106]

Only stock that can work on the Cambrian line

If only it were the Cambrian line in question

 

[Rhydgaled]

If only it were the Cambrian line in question

Class 158s are the only trains allowed on the Cambrian without being hauled by one of the 3 or 4 specially fitted class 37 (class 97) locos I beleive.

While Holyhead - Birmingham is not the Cambrian line, the diagrams are interworked. A train from Cambrian lines on reaching Birmingham International will form the Birmingham International - Holyhead service and vice versa. Therefore, Holyhead - Birminghams have to be class 158s as well, there may be the odd service which doesn't interwork but most if not all of them do and will therefore be 158s.

 

[MCR247]

If only it were the Cambrian line in question

As pointed out above, it might as well be in question

 

[AlexS]

All Birmingham International to Aberystwyth/Holyhead trains are booked for 158s. However it is possible for a 150 to turn up and be swapped out of the diagram at Shrewsbury from/to Holyhead/Birmingham International for example, albeit unusual. The one exception on a Sunday is the 2211 BHI to Shrewsbury and it's inbound working the 1926 Chester to Birmingham International which is booked a 3 car 175.

 

[ThirdBrad]

Yeah, it is usually 2 X 158s together - Operated by Arriva Trains Wales

 

[lm321412]

150285 worked the 07:24 Birmingham New Street - Holyhead this morning.

 

[150001]

A 150, bet the West Coast Main Line loved that hold up. I bet that went down with the longer travelling passengers! Oh well at least it wasn't a 142.

 

[MCR247]

West coast mainline?

 

[David10]

A 150, bet the West Coast Main Line loved that hold up. I bet that went down with the longer travelling passengers! Oh well at least it wasn't a 142.

Apart from one service in each direction, ATW services operate via Shrewsbury and not the WCML.

 

[150001]

But it would've run from New Street to Wolverhampton which the Arrivas and Virgin take to go up to Manchester etc. Is that classed as the West Coast?

 

[MCR247]

Well I personally wouldn't call it the WCML. To me it is pretty much London - Trent Valley line - Colwich -Crewe etc- Glasgow

 

[David10]

Well I personally wouldn't call it the WCML. To me it is pretty much London - Trent Valley line - Colwich -Crewe etc- Glasgow

Agree, a 75 mph 150 will not cause any significant delays between New St and Wolverhampton.

 

[MCR247]

It isn't exactly a high speed line with an extensive service. Now if we were talking about Weedon in the evening peak... hock:

 

[The Planner]

Doubt it, a 150 trundling between New St and Wolves could sit quite happily. It is pretty rammed down there path wise but it will work.

 

[cambsy]

I believe, unless line speed increases have taken place that Birmingham-Wolverhampton is 75 mph, so a class 150 will be fine speed wise.

 

[lm321412]

A 150, bet the West Coast Main Line loved that hold up. I bet that went down with the longer travelling passengers! Oh well at least it wasn't a 142.

To be fair, most of Arriva Trains Wales 150s have a few tables and pull out ones in the airline seats so I doubt many of the longer travelers would particularly notice the difference between that and an unrefurbished Wales & West 158.

Also, there is nowhere where it would be held up...

 

[MCR247]

An ATW 150 or an unrefurbed 158 is actually quite a hard choice. I like their 150s and the 158s, well the less said about them the better

 

[Geezertronic]

I've done Wolves to BHI a few times at the back end of last year on an ATW train and found the experience quite pleasant to be honest. Got a nice cuppa coffee on two occasions via the trolley service.

Didn't specifically intend to catch the services but they were the first out of ATW, XC & VT that turned up (didn't fancy changing at BHM)

 

[shaun]

Normally a Class 158, however last year I did get a two-car '175' on a weekday evening Birmingham NS departure. Not sure how rare this is as i don't use it that often myself.

 

[Gareth Marston]

It will be booked as 4 car 158 from BHM INTL to Shrewsbury and then the train splits with the forward unit going on to Chester & N Wales via Wrexham so make sure your in the front.
I believe 22 out of ATW's 24 strong 158 fleet have been refurbished now so you shouldn't get an un-refurbished one.

 

[150001]

I didn't know much on that part of the line so thanks for informing me. The ATW 150s look pretty good actually, only wish LM could've done similar! I'm certainly not moaning over new trains but I'm sure the North would appreciate the 172s as they are much better than the Pacers.

 

[Tracky]

A 150 on a peak service may not be what the customer would prefer but any time lost at reduced speed is made up for by the fact that loading/unloading times are much much better...

Mach men down sign em tho...