Locomotive-hauled trains drafted in to cover deficit in Welsh fleet
A shortage of rolling stock has forced Transport for Wales to use locomotive-hauled trains on the Valley Lines from May.
Class 37s and Mk 2s will be used on two peak-time duties on the Rhymney route, with each train having 220 seats - the equivalent of a pair of Class 150s currently used on the route.
This will free Class 150s and ‘158s’ to undergo internal refurbishment, enabling them to meet January 1 2020 accessibility deadlines. TfW plans to rid itself of its Pacer fleet as quickly as possible through a number of cascades.
While Riviera Trains is expected to provide the coaches, a TfW spokesman told RAIL that there are a couple of options for the locomotive supplier.
It has since been confirmed that Colas Railfreight will supply the locomotives, and it has already sent 37418 to Cardiff Canton for crew training. It has two electric train heat-fitted ‘37s’ on its books (37418/421).
TfW has chosen Class 37s because they have operated on the route before, and are therefore tried and tested. They finished working for Arriva Trains Wales on the Valleys in December 2005.
“In addition to our £800 million investment in brand new rolling stock, we also recognise there is an urgent need to increase capacity on some of the busiest routes on our network,” said TfW Chief Executive James Price.
“As a result, we are pleased that despite the UK national shortage of compatible rolling stock, we are close to securing additional stock for use on the Rhymney line on a short-term basis. This will mean that services at the busiest times will have double the number of carriages than they have had previously.
“Customers are at the heart of everything we do at Transport for Wales, and they consistently tell us that capacity on trains is one of their most urgent priorities. This interim rolling stock is a small step towards creating a transport network of which people can be proud, and we know there is much more work to do.”
TfW has also taken on five Class 153s from Great Western Railway (as part of its franchise commitment). These will also be used to cover for the diesel multiple units being modified.
Meanwhile, the Class 769 FLEX project for Transport for Wales has been confirmed as running late. So far, only one set (769002) has been delivered.
A TfW spokesman told RAIL: “The latest update was we expect to have delivery of all nine units by the end of June, so we should know a bit clearer by then when they will be in service.”
RAIL understands that TfW has also investigated using short-form High Speed Trains, although there are issues around maintenance and crew knowledge. Porterbrook’s rake of Mk 3s currently leased to TransPennine Express has also been considered, although that would rely on their being released by TPE.
On April 16, TfW Rolling Stock Director Sara Holland said: “This year there will be a significant number of additional trains coming onto our network in what is a very exciting, but challenging time for Transport for Wales. Some of those projects have taken longer than anticipated, and as such we have had to explore a number of shortterm solutions.
“We are pleased to have secured two Class 37s and five Class 153s ahead of the May timetable change, and we expect these will provide us with sufficient capacity for all our services moving forwards.”