I live in Suffolk and we have these exact same trains running under the Greater Anglia banner. If your in a carriage that's not next to the engine carriage it's very quiet which makes the journey very pleasant. Plus the level boarding is a blessing for my wife who can struggle with even the smallest of steps due to arthritis in both ankles
The main difference apart from the power is these have vinyl flooring. I think yours have carpets. These are very much outer suburban units rather than the long distance ones you have
Wow, good old TH-cam giving this as a suggestion, I lived in Crystal Glen in the 60's with the low level and high level running either side of the house. The old green DMU's running into Queen Street for shopping in town. Will have to visit and try these new ones.
Are they in service now? I was literally in Cardiff 5 days ago and they were still testing! I live in Abergavenny so not too far away but have been waiting for these for ages!
They started today with one unit. More will come over the next few weeks. Check Real Time Trains and they show which ones are 231's and which are other units.
Pity the Display Screens are not as clear as the Display Screen on the Class 745 and 755 trains. The font on the Class 231 trains seem rather on the small size
Great news. I look forward to seeing one for real. (And I assume the weird flashing display boards are just an artefact of the refresh rate of the video)
Lovely report, as usual Bob. Good to see you doing one on new trains. What were the seats like? I have an issue with TfW seats!!! And not alone, I think. Can you do a report on the new ones (can't remember the Class) that will do the Cardiff Manchester route please?
Real Time Trains. Search the station you are at, switch to 'detailed' and it shows the unit. If it is not shown as a graphic click on 'Show train information ' For example 231001 is out today.
Good question. The 755s are bi-modes with overhead power and diesel. The 231's are just diesel. They were bought for the Cheltenham, Maesteg and Ebbw Vale lines which have no wires. They will move to those services when the 756's arrive. These will be Tri Mode diesel, overhead and battery.
Great little video, good to see they have entered service. Interesting that the 231s and 769s are both diesel electric units. Hopefully Merseyrail will have their Stadler class 777s in service from Monday on the Kirkby - Liverpool Central services. It's not 100% guaranteed yet, but that's what they are aiming for. Do you know what the future holds for the 769s, will TfW retain them after the 231s are in full service? I wonder if they'll end up in the Bidston to Wrexham line, seeing as the 230s could be in doubt since Vivarail went belly up? We have 769s running out of Southport, they've been pretty unreliable at times.
The 231's are destined for outer suburban use, namely Maesteg, Cheltenham and Ebbw Vale services. However the 769's have been so bad they are looking to get shot of them. Eventually tri-mode Stadler FLIRTs will take over all the Rhymney, Coryton, Barry, Bridgend and Penarth services. The 769s.are unlikely to go anywhere especially not the Borderlands. Knowing the gradients on that line, they wouldn't cope. They simply don't climb hills on diesel very well at all. I have heard through some rail forums that the 230 driver training is starting again and an introduction is still on the cards. We await with interest as they say. Many thanks for watching.
Travelled on these 231 units the seating is fairly comfortable better than the iet units they are really smart a big improvement on the 150 units which themselves are good trains but now past their prime
Stadler should manufacture more new hybrid-diesel & Bi/Tri-mode FLIRT trains especially for Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, ScotRail and Northern. And to replace the ageing diesel MU rolling stocks that are like 40 years old and over. The Transport for Wales Class 231 Diesel FLIRT are lovely trains.
I am not sure if the Civity trams which will be used on the Aberdare services will have the ramp. It does mean the guard can concentrate on making sure everyone is on safety before dispatching.
personally i think they should have just got 755 so if they decide to electrify their routes it would make it much easier unless they do have electric power already but i doubt it
The plan is they will switch these out onto outer suburban lines and replace them with electric/battery/diesel 756's. The line will have overhead electrics with gaps at some bridges and tunnels. Watch this space as they say 👍
Stadler should manufacture all the trains in the UK and stop Hitachi imposing their poor quality trains into the network. The Azuma trains on LNER are shameful.
Very nice, will head down one day to take a look
I live in Suffolk and we have these exact same trains running under the Greater Anglia banner. If your in a carriage that's not next to the engine carriage it's very quiet which makes the journey very pleasant. Plus the level boarding is a blessing for my wife who can struggle with even the smallest of steps due to arthritis in both ankles
The main difference apart from the power is these have vinyl flooring. I think yours have carpets. These are very much outer suburban units rather than the long distance ones you have
Wow, good old TH-cam giving this as a suggestion, I lived in Crystal Glen in the 60's with the low level and high level running either side of the house. The old green DMU's running into Queen Street for shopping in town. Will have to visit and try these new ones.
They are something special but I miss being able to see out the front of the old units. Thanks for watching
Are they in service now? I was literally in Cardiff 5 days ago and they were still testing! I live in Abergavenny so not too far away but have been waiting for these for ages!
They started today with one unit. More will come over the next few weeks. Check Real Time Trains and they show which ones are 231's and which are other units.
Ok thanks
I caught one yesterday, they are lovely units, very quiet, comfy and powerful.
Pity the Display Screens are not as clear as the Display Screen on the Class 745 and 755 trains. The font on the Class 231 trains seem rather on the small size
Great news. I look forward to seeing one for real. (And I assume the weird flashing display boards are just an artefact of the refresh rate of the video)
Exactly that. They are a step change from the current units and a welcome addition to the line. More will trickle out over time.
Lovely report, as usual Bob. Good to see you doing one on new trains. What were the seats like? I have an issue with TfW seats!!! And not alone, I think. Can you do a report on the new ones (can't remember the Class) that will do the Cardiff Manchester route please?
The seats are OK for an outer suburban unit. More comfortable than some I have ridden on recently. If I can get on a 197 I will see what I can do.
Looks awesome!
They are. Best new train I have been in for years
Great video, slightly different to the 769 you came back on 😅
When the Class 231 will enter service from Cardiff Central to Maesteg/Ebbw Vale Town and Chelthenham Spa?
When the 756's arrive. Probably later this year or early next year
@@huxleypiguk okay
Great video. ☺️
Thank you Bob. Is there any way of finding out what loco you'll be getting on the day so I can make sure I get a ride on the new train?
Real Time Trains. Search the station you are at, switch to 'detailed' and it shows the unit. If it is not shown as a graphic click on 'Show train information ' For example 231001 is out today.
@@huxleypiguk Thanks!!
whats the difference between a 755 and a 231
Good question. The 755s are bi-modes with overhead power and diesel. The 231's are just diesel. They were bought for the Cheltenham, Maesteg and Ebbw Vale lines which have no wires. They will move to those services when the 756's arrive. These will be Tri Mode diesel, overhead and battery.
Great little video, good to see they have entered service.
Interesting that the 231s and 769s are both diesel electric units.
Hopefully Merseyrail will have their Stadler class 777s in service from Monday on the Kirkby - Liverpool Central services. It's not 100% guaranteed yet, but that's what they are aiming for.
Do you know what the future holds for the 769s, will TfW retain them after the 231s are in full service?
I wonder if they'll end up in the Bidston to Wrexham line, seeing as the 230s could be in doubt since Vivarail went belly up? We have 769s running out of Southport, they've been pretty unreliable at times.
The 231's are destined for outer suburban use, namely Maesteg, Cheltenham and Ebbw Vale services. However the 769's have been so bad they are looking to get shot of them. Eventually tri-mode Stadler FLIRTs will take over all the Rhymney, Coryton, Barry, Bridgend and Penarth services. The 769s.are unlikely to go anywhere especially not the Borderlands. Knowing the gradients on that line, they wouldn't cope. They simply don't climb hills on diesel very well at all. I have heard through some rail forums that the 230 driver training is starting again and an introduction is still on the cards. We await with interest as they say. Many thanks for watching.
Is there only one 231 operating on the Rhymney-Penarth service?
At the moment yes. They have used 004 and 001 so far. I would imagine more diagrams will be added soon.
@@huxleypiguk 👍
Travelled on these 231 units the seating is fairly comfortable better than the iet units they are really smart a big improvement on the 150 units which themselves are good trains but now past their prime
i thought they were meant to enter service on the ebbw vale line
They will move to those services once the Tri Mode units are built and available. The priority is to get the 769's finished.
Stadler should manufacture more new hybrid-diesel & Bi/Tri-mode FLIRT trains especially for Great Western Railway, South Western Railway, ScotRail and Northern.
And to replace the ageing diesel MU rolling stocks that are like 40 years old and over. The Transport for Wales Class 231 Diesel FLIRT are lovely trains.
Shame they are not being used on Aberdare thing is with a ramp automatically coming down is that takes a job off the guard
I am not sure if the Civity trams which will be used on the Aberdare services will have the ramp. It does mean the guard can concentrate on making sure everyone is on safety before dispatching.
personally i think they should have just got 755 so if they decide to electrify their routes it would make it much easier
unless they do have electric power already but i doubt it
The plan is they will switch these out onto outer suburban lines and replace them with electric/battery/diesel 756's. The line will have overhead electrics with gaps at some bridges and tunnels. Watch this space as they say 👍
@@huxleypiguk ahh ok thx for that
Nice
Cardiff is not in ‘the Valleys’.
True; but the route is still part of the "Valley Lines"
Llanishen and Heath High Level are on the Rhymney line so its classed as a valley line.
Stadler should manufacture all the trains in the UK and stop Hitachi imposing their poor quality trains into the network. The Azuma trains on LNER are shameful.
Indeed, that is what happens when civil servants try to buy trains.
join the movement, return the much beloved pacers #blovedpacers
Heard them called a lot of things but beloved wasn't one of them 😁
Good lord they are quiet.
Yep, very noticeable
Frankly I think they look hideous. The Class 769 units-the old Thameslink units-are much better......
I have a soft spot for the 769's but they are becoming unreliable so I understand why their days are numbered