TfW withdrawals (170/175 all gone, now just class 15x to go)

[Rhydgaled]

But in the interim they could still use them on the likes of Maesteg and Ebbw Vale to free up 197s to ensure all of their other diagrams are covered/not short formed!


I agree. They could use 3 x 153s on a couple of Maesteg to Ebbw Vales for example to free up more 197s for where they are needed

It's the avoidance of short-forming bit that I was getting at. Running two or three 153s in multiple is presumably barely any different to a single 153 in terms of staff requirements, route clearance etc. Assuming that all 17 of the leased class 153s are 153/9s, and TfW are paying to lease them until December 2026, surely it would be better to make use of them by ensuring that any 153/3 in service has at least one /5 or /9 attached rather than dumping all the /9s at Landore doing nothing. Unless of course there is an engineering reason why they can't use the /9s.

Of the possible issues raised above, the only one that might be applicable is depot capacity at Canton for maintaining them, surely? Even then, they seem to have managed so far, so unless they need more time for maintainance of 756s and/or 197s (as the roll-out of those continues) even that seems unlikely?

 

[Caaardiff]

Of the possible issues raised above, the only one that might be applicable is depot capacity at Canton for maintaining them, surely? Even then, they seem to have managed so far, so unless they need more time for maintainance of 756s and/or 197s (as the roll-out of those continues) even that seems unlikely?

The 756s coming into service will add to the capacity issues at Canton.
The 150s were never supposed to be there now but are hanging on until the 398s are in.
Also some of the 153/9s have effectively been replaced by 153/5s don't forget.

 

[Jez]

It's the avoidance of short-forming bit that I was getting at. Running two or three 153s in multiple is presumably barely any different to a single 153 in terms of staff requirements, route clearance etc. Assuming that all 17 of the leased class 153s are 153/9s, and TfW are paying to lease them until December 2026, surely it would be better to make use of them by ensuring that any 153/3 in service has at least one /5 or /9 attached rather than dumping all the /9s at Landore doing nothing. Unless of course there is an engineering reason why they can't use the /9s.

Of the possible issues raised above, the only one that might be applicable is depot capacity at Canton for maintaining them, surely? Even then, they seem to have managed so far, so unless they need more time for maintainance of 756s and/or 197s (as the roll-out of those continues) even that seems unlikely?

Im not aware of many single car 153s although i could be wrong. But the HOWL seems to be booked for 150s and most 153s are in pairs. There is one on an Ebbw-Newport service today the other diagram is actually being covered by a 197.

 

[AdamWW]

Im not aware of many single car 153s although i could be wrong. But the HOWL seems to be booked for 150s and most 153s are in pairs. There is one on an Ebbw-Newport service today the other diagram is actually being covered by a 197.

There have been single 153s on the Caerphilly-Penarth-Coryton services on occasion up to the week before last.

 

[BillStampy]

Realtime Trains | 5C52 0905 Landore T.M.D. to Bridgend | 11/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 5C52 0905 departure from Landore T.M.D. to Bridgend on 11/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5C53 1041 Newport (South Wales) to Landore T.M.D. | 11/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 5C53 1041 departure from Newport (South Wales) to Landore T.M.D. on 11/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Almost certainly 150242 making it's return on a test run to Newport tomorrow, unless they're using something else (e.g. 153/5s)

 

[sd0733]

Realtime Trains | 5C52 0905 Landore T.M.D. to Bridgend | 11/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 5C52 0905 departure from Landore T.M.D. to Bridgend on 11/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5C53 1041 Newport (South Wales) to Landore T.M.D. | 11/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 5C53 1041 departure from Newport (South Wales) to Landore T.M.D. on 11/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Almost certainly 150242 making it's return on a test run to Newport tomorrow, unless they're using something else (e.g. 153/5s)

It is down as 150242 running that.

 

[AdamWW]

150s seem to be dropping like flies at the moment - two yesterday on Caerphilly-Penarth-Coryton diagrams (not sure if they failed or were taken off to replace failed units elsewhere) and one today that apparently failed while on the Coryton line.

Single 153s have been out and about as replacements.

 

[Western 52]

It is down as 150242 running that.

On Traksy seems to have terminated at Bridgend and is returning west.

 

[BillStampy]

On Traksy seems to have terminated at Bridgend and is returning west.

Oh dear! Showing as problem with the traction equipment on RTT...!

 

[animationmilo]

153-333 & 153361 seem to have gone to Landore is this meaning they are withdrawn or just temporary

 

[sd0733]

153-333 & 153361 seem to have gone to Landore is this meaning they are withdrawn or just temporary

Highly likely that's it for them, no others that aren't part of the retained fleet have made it back out of Landore.

AFAIK of the leased fleet that only leaves 5 left, 320/323/325/367/369 not at Landore with the other 13 all stood down there.

 

[Jez]

Highly likely that's it for them, no others that aren't part of the retained fleet have made it back out of Landore.

AFAIK of the leased fleet that only leaves 5 left, 320/323/325/367/369 not at Landore with the other 13 all stood down there.

13 stood down is a massive drop in availability for the 153s. I think there are 8 being retained plus the 5 not stood down but some of the retained 153s are also not in service as being converted into the active travel carriages.

No wonder there was a single 153 on one of the HOWL diagrams yesterday! (the other 2 diagrams being 150s)

 

[sd0733]

It's certainly wiped out a decent chunk of the fleet.
With 2 of the retained fleet now paired with a /5 as Active Travel pairs, another in the process of that it leaves very very few units for mainline/valleys. 2 of the retained ones (353+362) have also been at Canton for almost a month.

There's only 1 diagram at the moment on a Sunday and even that is a 150 today.

 

[Jez]

It's certainly wiped out a decent chunk of the fleet.
With 2 of the retained fleet now paired with a /5 as Active Travel pairs, another in the process of that it leaves very very few units for mainline/valleys. 2 of the retained ones (353+362) have also been at Canton for almost a month.

There's only 1 diagram at the moment on a Sunday and even that is a 150 today.

It's nice to see 150s being used on the line so regularly. There can't be that many 150 diagrams now either

 

[sd0733]

It's nice to see 150s being used on the line so regularly. There can't be that many 150 diagrams now either

It is a total contrast to a few weeks back. 150s are suddenly spreading their wings again.
There's 12 today but lots are just evening positioning moves to the heads of the valleys, most are on the Heart of Wales/West Wales and Crewe-Shrewsbury locals.

Weekdays now have 20 150 diagrams and weekdays have only 2 pairs of 153s diagrammed.

 

[Jacob Porrett]

I can't remember the numbers however, 2x 153 at Crewe depot at the moment.

 

[Rhydgaled]

13 stood down is a massive drop in availability for the 153s. I think there are 8 being retained plus the 5 not stood down but some of the retained 153s are also not in service as being converted into the active travel carriages.

No wonder there was a single 153 on one of the HOWL diagrams yesterday! (the other 2 diagrams being 150s)

I think it is 17 leased and 13 owned by WAG/TfW. A bit strange as that is an odd number and I thought all the owned units would be retained and run as pairs (active travel unit + unit with wheelchair-accessible toilet). Perhaps the plan is for the 13th purchased unit to be stripped for spares?

 

[sd0733]

I can't remember the numbers however, 2x 153 at Crewe depot at the moment.

153327 and 968 showing as at Crewe at the moment

 

[Jez]

I think it is 17 leased and 13 owned by WAG/TfW. A bit strange as that is an odd number and I thought all the owned units would be retained and run as pairs (active travel unit + unit with wheelchair-accessible toilet). Perhaps the plan is for the 13th purchased unit to be stripped for spares?

Yes that makes sense to have 1 for spare parts. If its 6 pairs thats about enough to cover the HOWL and Crewe/Local with one pair for maintenance and possibly the other set as a spare or to use on some West Wales services as Carmarthen will still sign 153s so they could still turn up in West Wales.

Yesterday 153369 was out on the HOWL but as far as I know no 153s seem to be out today, as said above a 150 is covering the 1 diagram today.

 

[43096]

I think it is 17 leased and 13 owned by WAG/TfW. A bit strange as that is an odd number and I thought all the owned units would be retained and run as pairs (active travel unit + unit with wheelchair-accessible toilet). Perhaps the plan is for the 13th purchased unit to be stripped for spares?

Or used as a spare vehicle in case one of the others is demic - the full PRM fitted vehicle is the critical one in terms of getting sets into traffic, so it is sensible that the split is seven full PRM and six bike car.

 

[animationmilo]

Will RTT be able to show the unit numbers for AT04 and AT03 going forward it was much easier with that way

 

[chrisjo]

Will RTT be able to show the unit numbers for AT04 and AT03 going forward it was much easier with that way

It's not showing anything for AT units as far as I can see. Am I missing something?

 

[AdamWW]

And again they don't appear to have enough functioning trains to run the Valley Lines services in full, despite the fact that nothing is running north of Caerphilly which you'd think would reduce the number of units needed somewhat.

 

[The_Train]

Oh dear! Showing as problem with the traction equipment on RTT...!

I don't think I am destined to get 242 in the book

 

[AdamWW]

Oh dear! Showing as problem with the traction equipment on RTT...!

Although I find that the reasons shown on RTT are often different to the ones that TfW give for the same incident.

 

[sd0733]

Will RTT be able to show the unit numbers for AT04 and AT03 going forward it was much easier with that way

They were showing the other day but neither are today. AT03 and AT04 were a pair from Canton earlier, shown as 4 car on RTT but that's all that was there.

All the non Active Travel 153s that arent at Landore are now at Canton (other than 2 long term ones at Crewe) with no diagrams so the future doesn't look good for those, none have been used for a couple of days.

153320 and 153325 have become the 13th and 14th 153s to make their way to Landore

 

[animationmilo]

They were showing the other day but neither are today. AT03 and AT04 were a pair from Canton earlier, shown as 4 car on RTT but that's all that was there.

All the non Active Travel 153s that arent at Landore are now at Canton (other than 2 long term ones at Crewe) with no diagrams so the future doesn't look good for those, none have been used for a couple of days.

153320 and 153325 have become the 14th and 15th 153s to make their way to Landore

That only leaves 323, 367, 369 but did they need 13 in total for May timetable those 3 might stay longer maybe

 

[DannyMich2018]

Apart from the 153/9s I thought 13 PRM 153s were been retained long term?

 

[sd0733]

Apart from the 153/9s I thought 13 PRM 153s were been retained long term?

9 of the current fleet are being retained (7 full PRM and 2 Non-PRMs) plus 4 ex Northern units. The non-prm and the ex Northern ones are entering service as Active Travel units.

That only leaves 323, 367, 369 but did they need 13 in total for May timetable those 3 might stay longer mamaybe

It does, will be interesting to see if anymore do go now or if the leased fleet do dissappear completely.
Plans do seem to have changed somewhat as I don't recall it being the original intention to see the 153s withdrawn so quickly and be replaced by 150s!

 

[43096]

Apart from the 153/9s I thought 13 PRM 153s were been retained long term?

No - it is 13 units in total.