TfW to operate Class 37s on the Rhymney Line

[Broseley man]

Thank you. Disappointing but fingers crossed for sooner rather than later.

 

[anamyd]

Thank you. Disappointing but fingers crossed for sooner rather than later.

1 week hopefully

 

[Broseley man]

One week seems OK.

 

[PHILIPE]

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P77177/2019/06/10/advanced

Anyone know if this is class 37 hauled today?

Post 207 states otherwise

 

[xotGD]

I see that 37025 is now involved in the ecs workings.

 

[jrs47]

Information poster at Cardiff Central:

 

[CardiffKid]

Cue passengers on twitter having a melt down and commenting about ‘new’ trains

 

[anamyd]

Information poster at Cardiff Central:

View attachment 64339

Oh that's great

 

[Dai Corner]

Information poster at Cardiff Central:

View attachment 64339

It's easy to forget that many of today's passengers weren't even born when slam doors were last the norm in the Valleys. Timekeeping as well as safety will be at risk if people don't know what to do.

 

[FracaWicro]

Here is 37421 (with 418 at the tail (barely in shot)) running 3Z36 on a training run at Pengam last week.

 

[krus_aragon]

Oh that's great

From the title, it looks lke a rehash of the posteer. ATW used up north when our loco-hauled rakes were introduced. I think a version of it still remains inside the current timetable book 4.

 

[anamyd]

From the title, it looks lke a rehash of the posteer. ATW used up north when our loco-hauled rakes were introduced. I think a version of it still remains inside the current timetable book 4.

I'll look in it sometime today!

 

[anamyd]

Here is 37421 (with 418 at the tail (barely in shot)) running 3Z36 on a training run at Pengam last week.

Nice shot and welcome That guy looks impressed by the train

 

[Bikeman78]

It's easy to forget that many of today's passengers weren't even born when slam doors were last the norm in the Valleys. Timekeeping as well as safety will be at risk if people don't know what to do.

Years ago there was a Rhymney guard on the hauled sets that gave detailed instructions about how to open the doors by lowering the window and the please slam them shut if you are the last person to exit. It worked. His trains were never late.

 

[Dr_Paul]

Maybe I've missed it further up the thread, but has anyone explained why a large diesel loco hauling all of four carriages are being used here rather than a DMU?

 

[tomwills98]

Maybe I've missed it further up the thread, but has anyone explained why a large diesel loco hauling all of four carriages are being used here rather than a DMU?

All of the TfW's must have accessibility modifications fitted to them to meet new criteria that comes into play at the end of the year. Delays in the 769 programme have meant that they're a bit behind and trains need to be sent away to allow this to happen.

To cover the shortfall, four loco hauled trains a day (two in the morning and two in the afternoon) are being used. 37's are leased by Colas as they have a depot in Canton so it's fairly local and should be in use until the end of the year when hopefully 769's should be ready.

 

[CardiffKid]

Maybe I've missed it further up the thread, but has anyone explained why a large diesel loco hauling all of four carriages are being used here rather than a DMU?

There aren't any spare DMUs.

 

[PHILIPE]

Maybe I've missed it further up the thread, but has anyone explained why a large diesel loco hauling all of four carriages are being used here rather than a DMU?

Briefly because there is a critical shortage of DMUs

 

[Strat-tastic]

Maybe I've missed it further up the thread, but has anyone explained why a large diesel loco hauling all of four carriages are being used here rather than a DMU?

Because a Syphon-head is in charge of things in Wales these days

 

[tomos dafis]

Because a Syphon-head is in charge of things in Wales these days

Ignoring silly replies and to get serious and back on topic and expanding on the sensible posts 227 and 228 above, they allude to the fact that by now 5 class 769 units (with another 4 ordered later) should be running the services on the Rhymney line, but the 2 delivered so far (and 2 delivered to Northern), very late in both cases, still appear to have unspecified problems that prevent them from turning a wheel under their own power on the main line even for training/testing, let alone carrying passengers. As an undesirable (probably expensive) LAST RESORT the locos plus carriages have been drafted in to try to fulfil a promise to increase capacity on these services . Also, I believe I am right in saying that the class 230's should have started to appear by now, but have only just started revenue service on the Marston Vale line, with some initial teething troubles.
So 2 lots of cascaded stock which should now be entering service are absent, hence the pressure on existing ageing stock, with many existing units needing to be taken out of service for PRM work - the cascaded units which have not arrived on time were also supposed to provide some cover for this.

 

[Moodster020]

If you put 2 locos, one on each end, it is a DMU (diesel MULTIPLE unit)

 

[tomos dafis]

If you put 2 locos, one on each end, it is a DMU (diesel MULTIPLE unit)

Good one !

 

[AndrewE]

If you put 2 locos, one on each end, it is a DMU (diesel MULTIPLE unit)

Except that it's not - because you can't put 2 sets together and just drive it from the front cab.

 

[krus_aragon]

Also, I believe I am right in saying that the class 230's should have started to appear by now, but have only just started revenue service on the Marston Vale line, with some initial teething troubles.

Going from memory, the original schedule of TfW 230s was for the first unit to arrive at the Conwy Valley for testing in May, with further deliveries over the summer.

Naturally, the Conwy Valley hasn't been open to rail traffic, but the delivery timetable has slipped somewhat too. They're not as late as the 769s (yet), though: the first of those were due back in 2018!

 

[Dr_Paul]

Ignoring silly replies and to get serious and back on topic and expanding on the sensible posts 227 and 228 above, they allude to the fact that by now 5 class 769 units (with another 4 ordered later) should be running the services on the Rhymney line, but the 2 delivered so far (and 2 delivered to Northern), very late in both cases, still appear to have unspecified problems that prevent them from turning a wheel under their own power on the main line even for training/testing, let alone carrying passengers. As an undesirable (probably expensive) LAST RESORT the locos plus carriages have been drafted in to try to fulfil a promise to increase capacity on these services . Also, I believe I am right in saying that the class 230's should have started to appear by now, but have only just started revenue service on the Marston Vale line, with some initial teething troubles. So 2 lots of cascaded stock which should now be entering service are absent, hence the pressure on existing ageing stock, with many existing units needing to be taken out of service for PRM work - the cascaded units which have not arrived on time were also supposed to provide some cover for this.

Thanks for this and other replies to my question.

 

[FracaWicro]

Thanks for this and other replies to my question.

According to a Facebook group I'm in, training on the 769s is meant to start on the Rhymney in September. I'm not 100% certain about the validity of this, or the logistics as only 002 and 008 have been delivered so far.

 

[anthony263]

37516 looks like it's going back to southall so no idea what 37 is going to take its 0lace unless its 37025 as the spare Thunderbird 37

 

[PHILIPE]

37516 looks like it's going back to southall so no idea what 37 is going to take its 0lace unless its 37025 as the spare Thunderbird 37

37025 has been out on the trainer

 

[PHILIPE]

From what I can gather from Facebook the extra capacity will be lost due to bashers riding them

 

[Kyle1]

Are the coaches air conditioned? Would be a nice upgrade from a 150.