| Trafnidiaeth Cymru Trenau | |||
 | |||
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| Overview | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Franchise | Wales & Borders | ||
| Main region | Wales | ||
| Other regions | |||
| Fleet | |||
| Stations operated | 248 | ||
| Parent company | Transport for Wales (forWelsh Government) | ||
| Headquarters | Pontypridd[1] | ||
| Reporting mark | AW[a] | ||
| Dates of operation | 7 February 2021 (2021-02-07)– | ||
| Predecessor | KeolisAmey Wales | ||
| Other | |||
| Website | tfw | ||
| |||
Transport for Wales Rail Limited, branded asTransport for Wales andTfW Rail (Welsh:Trafnidiaeth Cymru andTrC Trenau), is a Welshpublicly ownedtrain operating company, a subsidiary ofTransport for Wales (TfW), aWelsh Government-owned company. It commenced operations of the day to day services of theWales & Borders franchise on 7 February 2021, as anoperator of last resort, succeedingKeolisAmey Wales.
Transport for Wales Rail manages 248National Rail stations,[2][3] including all 223 in Wales,[4] and operates all passengermainline services wholly within Wales, and services along theEngland–Wales border, many of which run into or through England.
During May 2018, theWales & Borders franchise was awarded by Transport for Wales toKeolisAmey Wales.[5] Operations commenced in October 2018; at this point, the franchise was scheduled to run for 15 years.[6][7]
Within two years, the franchisee had experienced a collapse in revenues and a significant reduction in passenger numbers, which was largely attributable to the economic consequences of theCOVID-19 pandemic; this trend led to the financial circumstances of the KeolisAmey Wales franchise becoming untenable. In response, during October 2020, the Welsh Government announced that it would be transferring operations of the Wales & Borders franchise from KeolisAmey Wales to anoperator of last resort.[8][9][10] It was also stated that, despite the early termination of the franchise, KeolisAmey and Transport for Wales would continue a partnership to enact further improvements on the network; specifically, Amey Infrastructure Wales (AIW) would remain involved in the delivery of various key projects, such as upgrading theCore Valley Lines.[11]
On 7 February 2021, the Welsh Government-owned operatorTransport for Wales Rail Limited took over running the franchise's services.[12][13]
Perhaps one of the most prominent undertaking for TfW Rail is the implementation and future operation of theSouth Wales Metro; this will involve various infrastructure changes, including a brand new depot atTaff's Well, as well as a new fleet of trains built byStadler Rail.[14][15] One of the more unusual elements of this programme is the fleet ofClass 398 battery-electrictram-trains, which will operate on both on-street tracks and conventional railways.[16]
Since taking on operations, Transport for Wales has introduced numerous changes to ticketing. On 24 January 2021, it launched a pilot scheme involving 90 convenience stores acrossSouth Wales to provide a new means of purchasing rail tickets; this scheme operated via a partnership withPayzone and used SilverRail retailing technology. TfW is the first UK-based train operating company to partner with Payzone.[17] During August 2023, this arrangement was extended toNorth Wales and theWirral via a partnership between Transport for Wales and numerous local businesses under which train tickets became available for purchase from local retail outlets offering a Payzone facility.[18] That same year, a new ticketing arrangement withUnicard came into effect, enabling Transport for Wales to become the first British train operator outside of London to deploycontactlessEMV services.[19]
Funding for Transport for Wales Rail's operations is sourced from both the Welsh and British governments.[20] Cost increases, such as the South Wales Metro's original budget of £738 million having risen to in excess of £1 billion, have been politically controversial.[21] During October 2023, the Welsh government announced that it would provide an additional £125 million for Transport for Wales in response to a revenue shortfall from fares; this funding top-up was a substantial rise at a time of considerably budgetary pressure.[22][23]
As of June 2024[update], Transport for Wales Rail operates these regular and daily services Monday to Friday:[24][25]
| North Wales Coast Line and North Wales to South Wales | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Birmingham International to Holyhead | 1tp2h |
|
| Holyhead toCardiff Central | 1tp2h |
|
| Marches,West Wales, Crewe–Shrewsbury Lines andSwanline | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Manchester Piccadilly to Cardiff Central | 1 |
|
| Swansea toFishguard Harbour | 4tpd |
|
| Cardiff Central toMilford Haven | 1tp2h |
|
| Swansea toPembroke Dock | 1tp2h | |
| Cardiff Central to Swansea | 1 |
|
| Crewe to Shrewsbury | 1tp2h | |
| Cambrian Line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Birmingham International toAberystwyth | 1tp2h |
|
| Birmingham International toPwllheli | 1tp2h |
|
| Heart of Wales line | ||
| Route | tpd | Calling at |
| Shrewsbury to Swansea | 4 |
|
| Conwy Valley line | ||
| Route | tpd | Calling at |
| Llandudno toBlaenau Ffestiniog | 6 | |
| Borderlands line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Bidston toWrexham Central | 4⁄3 |
|
| Llandudno–Manchester, Chester–Crewe, and Liverpool–Wrexham | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Llandudno toManchester Airport | 1 |
|
| Chester to Crewe | 1 | Shuttle service |
| Liverpool Lime Street to Chester | 1 |
|
| Cardiff–Cheltenham | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Cardiff Central toCheltenham Spa | 1 | |
| Ebbw Valley Railway andMaesteg line | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Ebbw Vale Town toMaesteg | 1 |
|
| Ebbw Vale Town to Newport | 1 |
|
| Rhondda,Merthyr,City andButetown branch lines | ||
| Route | tph | Calling at |
| Cardiff Central toTreherbert | 2 | |
| Merthyr Tydfil toAberdare via Cardiff Central | 2 |
|
| Cardiff Bay to Pontypridd | 2 |
|
| Cardiff Bay to Cardiff Queen Street | 2 | Shuttle service |
| Rhymney,Vale of Glamorgan andCoryton lines | ||
| Bridgend toRhymney | 1 |
|
| Barry Island to Rhymney | 1 |
|
| Barry Island to Bargoed | 2 |
|
| Penarth to Caerphilly | 2 |
|
| Penarth toCoryton | 2 |
|
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Transport for Wales Rail inherited KeolisAmey Wales's fleet, which consisted of Class143,150,153,158,170 and175 diesel multiple units,Class 230 diesel-battery electric multiple units,Class 769 bi-mode multiple units andMark 4 andDVT sets with an allocation ofClass 67 locomotives.[26][27]
During its first years of operation, TfW Rail enacted multiple fleet changes. This was largely driven by pre-existing procurement arrangements that had been arranged by KeolisAmey Wales; at one point, it was intended for the majority of TfW Rail's inherited rolling stock, along with additional temporary vehicles, to be replaced by 2023 (with the exception of the Class 67 locomotives).[28] Under these plans, theClass 197 and231 diesel multiple units,Class 756 tri-mode multiple units andClass 398 tram-trains were set to replace the Class 150, Class 153, and Class 158 fleets.
SixClass 67 locomotives have been adapted to work with three sets each comprising fourMark 4 carriages and a Mark 4Driving Van Trailer, which will replace theMark 3 stock previously used on locomotive-hauled services.[citation needed] The twelve carriages and three DVTs were able to cascade fromLondon North Eastern Railway, as a result of the introduction ofClass 800s andClass 801s on theEast Coast Main Line.[citation needed] The Mark 4 coaches have retained theVirgin Trains East Coast livery, but with Transport for Wales labels attached.[citation needed] TheMark 4 Driving Van Trailers will be repainted into the new Transport for Wales livery.[citation needed] Four of the six Class 67 locomotives have been repainted into TfW Rail livery.[citation needed] TfW Rail introduced the Mark 4 sets in June 2021 on Cardiff to Holyhead services, and from December 2022 they will operate services between Swansea and Manchester using trains which had previously been planned to be used on the Blackpool route byGrand Central.[45] The three Mark 4 sets will be retained and will remain on the routes they will work from their date of introduction on TfW Rail services.[citation needed]
TfW Rail will retain eightClass 153 units to operate services on theHeart of Wales line.[46]
For the longer term fleet replacement, 148 brand new trains will be introduced including 77 CAF Civity trains (Class 197), 35 FLIRT trains (Class 231 &Class 756) and 36 Citylink tram-trains (Class 398) have been ordered. The addition of these trains to the fleet, from 2021 to 2024 but mostly in 2022–23, will allow the 109 (total) Class 150, 153 (13 by then), 158, 175 and 769 units to be withdrawn.
A total of 77Class 197Civity diesel multiple units were ordered fromCAF for long-distance routes. These trains have end gangways, but fewer toilets than the Class 158 and Class 175 DMUs they replace.[47] They are however faster, with more powerful engines and more efficient transmissions for better acceleration, as well as a higher top speed than the Class 158. 51 units are two-cars in length and 26 are three-cars in length.[27]
CAF undertook the fabrication, welding and painting of the Class 197 fleet in their factory inBeasain, Spain. The first Driving Motor carriage vehicle bodyshell had largely passed this stage by 12 February 2020, when it was pictured in the Beasain factory.[48] The painted bodyshells were shipped to Newport, South Wales, for further assembly and component fit-out at CAF's newUK factory in Llanwern.[49]
FiveClass 230D-Train diesel-battery electric multiple units[27] were built in England from formerLondon Underground D78 Stock aluminium bodyshells by start-up rolling stock manufacturerVivarail between 2019 and 2020.[27][50] Originally expected to enter service from May 2022,[51] they began operations on the Borderlands line at the beginning of April 2023.[52][53][54]
A total of 35StadlerFLIRT units have been ordered (consisting of 24Class 756 tri-modes – 7 three-car & 17 four-car units – and 11Class 231 diesel-electrics), along with 36Class 398Citylink tram-trains.[55] These units will be manufactured at Stadler's factory in Szolnok, Hungary, and assembled at their plant in Bussnang, Switzerland. The Class 398 tram-trains are particularly unusual, being able to operate on both heavy rail and at street-level; accordingly, each three car unit features level boarding and has a maximum passenger capacity of 256. In March 2023, the first of these tram-trains was delivered; testing commenced nine months later.[56][57] In November 2024, the first of theClass 756 tri-mode trains entered service on the Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare lines.[44]
| Family | Class | Image | Type | Top speed | Number | Carriages | Routes operated | Built | In service | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||||||
| Tram-trains | ||||||||||
| Stadler Citylink | 398 |  | Tram-train | 62 | 100 | 36 | 3 | Light Rapid Transit Services betweenCardiff andTreherbert,Aberdare andMerthyr Tydfil | From 2020[58] | Planned for 2025 |
On 29 May 2021, TfW Rail permanently withdrew its fleet ofClass 143Pacers, which were not compliant withpersons with reduced mobility legislation (PRM) and their PRM dispensation expired; their duties were taken over by PRM-compliant vehicles.[59][60]
Between September 2021 and November 2022, all of TfW Rail's two-carClass 170 sets were transferred to East Midlands Railway.[61][62] Operation of the three-car Class 170 continued through to spring 2023, at which point the last of TfW Rail's three-car units was transferred to the East Midlands. The final '170' transferred on 29 January 2024.[61][63]
In May 2022, Transport for Wales announced the abrupt withdrawal of twoClass 150 trains from service after they were involved with a collision at Craven Arms.[64] In May 2023, Transport for Wales withdrew the last of itsClass 769 fleet from service.[65] In February 2023, the first of the Class 175 sets was withdrawn from service partially as a result of multiple fires.[66] The entire Class 175 fleet was withdrawn on 17 October 2023.[67]
| Family | Class | Image | Type | Top Speed | Number | Carriages | Routes Operated | Withdrawn | Built | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||||||||
| Diesel multiple unit | ||||||||||||
| Pacer | 143 |  | DMU | 75 | 121 | 15 | 2 | 2021[59] | 1985–1986 | Preserved or scrapped | ||
 | ||||||||||||
| Sprinter | 150 |  | 75 | 120 | 5 | 2 |
| 2022–2024 | 1987 | Stored or scrapped | ||
| Bombardier Turbostar | 170 |  | 100 | 161 | 4 | 2 | 2021–2024 | 1999–2002 | Transferred toEast Midlands Railway | |||
| 8 | 3 | |||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||
| Alstom Coradia | 175 Coradia 1000 |   | 100 | 161 | 11 | 2 | Regional services betweenNorth,South andWest Wales andEngland | 2023 | 1999–2001 | Stored, unit 175008 converted to 1 car, by donating a driving vehicle to unit 175101[69] | ||
| 16 | 3 | |||||||||||
  | ||||||||||||
| BR Second Generation (Mark 3) | 769 Flex |  | BMU | 100 | 161 | 8 | 4 |
| 2023 | 2019–2020[g] | Stored | |
 | ||||||||||||
The introduction of the first hybrid battery-diesel multiple unit
The hybrid trains are capable of operating on diesel or battery traction
Transport for Wales has run its first Class 230 battery-diesel hybrid trainset in passenger service on the Wrexham – Bidston Borderlands Line.
Class 230s are three carriage bi-mode trains using diesel and battery.
| Preceded by KeolisAmey Wales (t/a Transport for Wales Rail Services) | Operator ofWales & Borders franchise 2021–present | Incumbent |
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| Main lines | |
| Metro lines | |
| Major rail stations | |
| Bus interchanges | |
| Bus operators | |
| Proposed stations | |
| Active travel | |
| Infrastructure |
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| Governance | |
| Walking | |
| Road | |
| Buses and trams | |
| Water | |
| Rail | |
| Cycling | |
| Local | |
| Other | |
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