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TfW ‘Active Travel’ Class 153s
- Thread starter strettonarms96
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They were but various issues have held lots of projects up. Its not really a TfW thing, fleet introductions new and old for the last few years across the board have been pretty dismal.
AFAIK many of the delays have been supply chain and paperwork related.
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craigybagel
Established Member
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Name a TOC that has gotten a new fleet in service in the last few years? There's a lot more than TfW who've been having issues
And if you're trying to work through the introduction of several new fleets, your lowest priority should surely be units dedicated to the Heart of Wales line given it's October. There won't be much call for active units for a while.....
Definitely, not a huge market for cycling and rambling in the middle of winter.
I never said others havent had issues. However as TFW is my local TOC I'm going to comment about them more.
gazthomas
Established Member
To me it seems a lack of project planning. If you're announcing their imminent arrival then surely your plan (including risks built in) should be achievable?
Press announcements don't equal delivery.
Press announcements don't equal delivery.
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
I still don't think I've actually ever even seen a picture of one of these fabled things yet.
BillStampy
Member
My friend took a picture a while ago but I'm unsure where it is, it was mostly covered though so probably wouldn't be of use, since that thing is hiding in the back of the shed!
Agree with this to some degree but surely the production and introduction of these units are not overlapped with any others. TFW desire to have 2 cars on the heart of Wales which is utilising the current 153/9s
Isn't the works being done at Landore?
Having these in service would also free up other 153/9s for other routes. Marginal gain i know but Coryton-Penarth has often been a single 153 lately and regularly ones without a toilet.
Spaceship323
Member
With a toilet, just locked out of use so no-one can use it...as a disabled user that is (in a Welsh accent) ridiculous
craigybagel
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No but the implication was that it's solely TfW's fault - but when you look at the number of TOCs having issues, and the causes of the issues themselves, you do start to think that maybe the train manufacturers/refurbishers also have something to answer for.
Fair point on the need to get them into service. I would assume though that on an introduction level it's going to be using the same pool of people that are already tied up with several other projects as well.
It's not just accessibility rules keeping the toilet locked out - it also doesn't have a retention tank.
I must say, in as nice a way as possible, you’ve said some fairly daft things in other threads too (I’m mainly thinking about the comparison of trains and planes from a maintenance perspective).
Before I was on the railway I worked in Engineering and was involved in a number of projects and had to manage one myself for my qualification, let me tell you, no amount of planning or forward thinking of risks and delays in I’ll prepare you for everything.
I don’t even know how many times I had to edit Gantt charts because of sets backs totally out of control of anyone at the company I worked for.
Maybe there comes a time where you should start to think that perhaps you don’t have a good understanding of a topic and therefore shouldn’t make uninformed accusations?
Classic distinction between an engineer (makes things work) and an MBA (makes the board *think* things are working). Civils consultancy suffered where the MBAs took over.
Honestly, managing that stupid project for my qual was the worst thing I ever did there lmao. Could not wait to get back to do actual engineering. Altough it did give me some empathy for the actual project managers there and what they had to deal with. Either way, the company wasn't great either as the managers (non-engineering) often told us on the engineering side we were wrong or asked us to achieve something but wern't willing to pay for it. Jokes on them becasue now I earn twice as much, and they're making a big loss and making a 2nd large round of redundanciues this year.
Bringing it back to topic, I do think that if choices are being made where to concentrate resources, not focusing them on these units is the correct choice. hopefully they can be out for next summer and then we can see how much they are used/liked by the public. I think the cambrian as another TFW line that would benefit by this type of unit.
Bevan Price
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Mention of engineers reminds be of encounters with graduate engineers where I used to work. The engineers always seemed to think there had to be a sinlgle correct answer to problems - yes or no, right or wrong, etc.
They did not seem to be able to comprehend that, in my job (a laboratory chemist), there could also be a "most probable" solution, without 100% certainty.
(And partly relating to trains - that was trying to explain the behaviour of lubricants.)
StripeyNick
Member
First active travel 153 (153531) broke cover this morning and worked up to Shrewsbury via the HoW. Looks good from the pics I've seen on Facebook
BenBracken
Member
Railways of Wales | Spotted 153531 freshly painted at Swansea Station this morning it later run as empty coaching stock to Shrewsbury | Facebook
Spotted 153531 freshly painted at Swansea Station this morning it later run as empty coaching stock to Shrewsbury. Heart of Wales Line The Heart of Wales Line Trail Transport for Wales...
www.facebook.com
Any idea of the service pattern yet? And when anymore are due in service? I’m keen to get my bike on one soon!
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BillStampy
Member
None in service just yet, this is a test run to Shrewsbury, not entirely sure when it'll enter service yet.Railways of Wales | Spotted 153531 freshly painted at Swansea Station this morning it later run as empty coaching stock to Shrewsbury | Facebook
Spotted 153531 freshly painted at Swansea Station this morning it later run as empty coaching stock to Shrewsbury. Heart of Wales Line The Heart of Wales Line Trail Transport for Wales...
Any idea of the service pattern yet? And when anymore are due in service? I’m keen to get my bike on one soon!
dave_sigs
Member
1st test run on HoW Landore to Shrewsbury was Tuesday and back yesterday. Livery is Swansea to mid Wales one side and further north the other side. VIPs on board said service starting January (2025 ?). Pics show one side at Bynea. Other side livery pics fron Loughor viaduct too poor to post and video too large sorry.
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Maybe it’s time we went back to the idea that news reporting was about things that had happened rather than might just possibly happen today (BBC - I’m looking at you!). Ie in this case - get them in service, then decide a press jolly!
That branding is interesting, does it imply they might rove a bit further around the network than just Heart of Wales?
I think the PR approach has been to launch something as often as possible for a while!
I think the PR approach has been to launch something as often as possible for a while!
BillStampy
Member
Someone has been caught out and about working 3Z00 to Crewe! Both looking lush; thanks to Cardiff Railcam for existing for me to see it!
Western 52
Established Member
With the December timetable cuts to the Heart of Wales line services, TfW probably need fewer active travel units than they'd originally planned for.
BenBracken
Member
Looking good. Are the cuts a winter timetable thing or permanent?
DelW
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The HoWL timetable isn't seasonal, the change is permanent for foreseeable future. It has removed the additional through train each way introduced two years ago, and retimed the rest.
berneyarms
Established Member
There are still 3 sets required for the core HOWL service, plus a fourth does the Shrewsbury-Llandrindod morning service before going onto the Shrewsbury-Crewe shuttle for the day.
Bob Price
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Two units on a Landore to Crewe to Landore run. Railcam has them as 552 and 531. 3Z06 on the run back
