| British Rail Class 197 Civity | |
|---|---|
 ATfW Rail Class 197 atManchester Piccadilly in 2024 | |
 Standard class interior of the Class 197 | |
| In service | 14 November 2022 – present |
| Manufacturer | CAF |
| Built at | Newport,South Wales(body shells imported fromSpain)[1] |
| Family name | Civity |
| Replaced | |
| Constructed | 2020–present[2] |
| Formation | 2 or 3 cars per unit[3] (See§ Variants) |
| Capacity |
|
| Owners | SMBC Leasing[5] andEquitix[6] |
| Operators | Transport for Wales Rail |
| Depots | |
| Specifications | |
| Train length |
|
| Car length |
|
| Doors | Double-leaf sliding plug (2 per side per car)[4] |
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) |
| Prime mover(s) | MTU 6H 1800 R85L[8][1] (1 per car) |
| Engine type | Turbo-diesel |
| Cylinder count | 6 per engine |
| Displacement | 12.8 L (780 cu in) per engine |
| Power output |
|
| Transmission | ZF EcoLife hydromechanical[note 1][1] |
| Braking system(s) | Electro-pneumatic (disc) (Knorr-Bremse EP2002)[1] |
| Safety system(s) | |
| Coupling system | Dellner |
| Multiple working | Within class |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
TheBritish Rail Class 197[11] is a class ofdiesel multiple unit passenger train built byCAF, based on itsCivity platform. They are operated byTransport for Wales Rail (TfW), split into 51 two-car units and 26 three-car units.[12]
Seventy-seven Class 197 sets were ordered in 2018 under the franchise obligations made byKeolisAmey Wales, the then-operator of theWales & Borders franchise. They are based on theClass 195 units that were being received byArriva Rail North at that time, albeit with various customisations to suit the specification and preferences of KeolisAmey and TfW. This specification was refined to include greater comfort features and to respond to public concerns. Testing of the type commenced shortly after the first completed train arrived atCrewe for commissioning in April 2021.
The first Class 197 set entered service in November 2022 and the type was officially launched two months later. It is planned for the Class 197 to eventually replaceClass 158 trains on various regional and regional express routes that form part of theWales & Borders rail franchise, such as theCambrian lines. They are also expected to replace Class150 and153 units on theConwy Valley line, and to allow extension of services betweenLiverpool Lime Street andChester into both north and south Wales. In February 2024 they were cleared to run on theMaesteg Line and entered service on theEbbw Valley Line on 29 April 2024.[13][14]
OperatorKeolisAmey Wales took over theWales & Borders franchise fromArriva Trains Wales in October 2018. As part of their franchise award, KeolisAmey were required to fully replace the various fleets of trains used to operate the franchise, several of which had originally been inherited fromBritish Rail.[15] Orders were placed with a number of manufacturers for new units, including one for 77 newCivity-family DMUs from Spanish firmConstrucciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF). These were based on theClass 195 units that CAF had started delivering toArriva Rail North earlier in 2018, and were also assembled at CAF'snew factory inNewport.[16] Entry into service was expected between 2021 and 2023.[16] Unlike Class 195 units, however, the TfW-ordered DMUs have gangway connections at their ends, making them look very similar to theClass 196 units operated byWest Midlands Trains. The design allowing passengers and crew to move freely between coupled units.
In January 2020,WalesOnline reported that, based on minutes fromTransport for Wales board meetings, the organisation had "raised concerns" that the seats specified by KeolisAmey and CAF for the Class 197 order could be considered uncomfortable by passengers. The same model of seat is used on theClass 700 trains employed onThameslink services in and around London, where some passengers—particularly those making longer journeys—have described them as being like "ironing boards". TfW argued that these would be "unsuitable for long distance journeys", which could last up to three hours on services operated by Class 197 trains, but noted that it did not have a "strong legal argument" to compel KeolisAmey and CAF to change the specification.[17] TfW eventually paid an additional £1.9 million to upgrade to higher-specification Fainsa Sophia seats,[18] although these seats have themselves been the subject of some criticism from passengers ofGreat Western Railway trains to which they are also fitted.[17][19]
Separately, a passenger advocacy group challenged the fact that TfW had specified only one toilet for each two-car Class 197 unit and two for each three-car unit;[18] a reduction from the one-toilet-per-car configuration on TfW's existing long-distance Class158 and175 trains.[4] The group also noted that theRail Delivery Group's industry guideline for inter-urban trains throughout the UK states that there should be at least one toilet per 85 passengers, and a minimum of two toilets per train regardless of passenger capacity; but that two-car 197s would satisfy neither of these recommendations and that three-car 197s could exceed the 85-passengers-per-toilet ratio when near to fully loaded.[18] TfW stated in response that many services would be operated by two-car Class 197s working as pairs, reducing the number of potential single-toilet services.[20]
During December 2019, the Class 197 designation was assigned and, on 14 April 2021, the first completed train—a two-car unit numbered 197001—arrived atCrewe for commissioning.[21][22] Testing of the type commenced soon thereafter.[23] On 18 January 2022, theOffice of Rail and Road (ORR) granted authorisation for 20 two-car and 12 three-car Class 197 sets to enter passenger use; these initial units were not equipped to use theEuropean Train Control System (ETCS).[3][24]
Unit 197004 was the first to enter passenger service, doing so on 14 November 2022.[25] That same month, the ORR authorised 21 Class 197 units fitted with CAF Signalling’s onboard ETCS at Baseline 3 Release 2 andGSM-R Baseline 1 for operation in ETCS Level 2 and below under recently-introduced regulations.[24] During January 2023, the Class 197 was officially launched at a ceremony officiated by Minister for North Wales Lesley Griffiths and held atLlandudno railway station.[26][27]
The fleet's introduction was phased. During late 2022, the Class 197 was initially used only on theConwy Valley line in a part of North Wales.[28]
By February 2023, the Class 197 was introduced on services betweenManchester Airport in North-West England andLlandudno in North Wales and on services betweenLiverpool Lime Street andChester, both in North-West England,[28] as well as onNorth Wales Main Line services.
By late 2023, the Class 197 had been introduced on services betweenManchester Piccadilly in North-West England andSwansea inWest Wales, via theWelsh Marches line.[29]
By November 2023, the Class 197 had been introduced in service betweenSwansea andCarmarthen in West Wales.[30]
In November 2023, the Class 197 started working betweenWrexham andBidston on the North Wales/North-West EnglandBorderlands line, alongside theClass 230s, due to unreliability of the Class 230s.[31]
In December 2023, the Class 197 began operating services toFishguard Harbour andMilford Haven, their previous limit in West Wales having been Carmarthen.[32]
In April 2024, the Class 197 entered service on theEbbw Valley Railway, theMaesteg Line and services betweenCardiff andCheltenham Spa, including the subsequent different working of these services from December 2024, though this is only temporary until they are replaced by theClass 231s, which will be made available when theClass 756s replace the Class 231 units on the mainSouth Wales Valleys network.[33][34]
In June 2024, the Class 197 started to be used on services toPembroke Dock in West Wales.[35]
In February 2025, the Class 197 started working betweenShrewsbury andBirmingham International in the West Midlands of England, on services betweenHolyhead in North Wales and Birmingham, as well as between Shrewsbury and Birmingham as part ofCambrian Line services betweenAberystwyth in Mid-West Wales / Aberystwyth &Pwllheli in North Wales and Birmingham (until the Class 197 units enter service on the Cambrian Line itself - see below - a change of train betweenClass 158 and Class 197 is made at Shrewsbury).[36]
The next planned Class 197 introduction will be theETCS-fitted units on the Cambrian Line (between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth, and its coastal branch betweenMachynlleth in Mid Wales and Pwllheli) in September 2026,[37] following prior preparation, including the commencement of Class 197 ETCS testing on the line by June 2022,[38] and the completion of type testing in November 2024.[39]
In September 2025, it was announced that TfW has submitted an application to the Office of Rail and Road to run Class 197-operated services between Fishguard Harbour/Milford Haven/Carmarthen andBristol Temple Meads, via stations includingSwansea, Cardiff Central,Newport,Severn Tunnel Junction,Filton Abbey Wood andStapleton Road. If approved, these services would start in September 2026.[40]
| Subclass | Operator | Qty. | Year built | Cars | Unit nos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 197/0 | Transport for Wales Rail | 30 | 2020–pres. | 2 | 197001–197002,197004–197021,197042–197051[41] | WithoutETCS |
| 21 | 197003,197022–197041[42] | WithETCS | ||||
| 197/1 | 12 | 3 | 197101–197112[41] | 2+2 seating only | ||
| 14 | 197113–197126[43] | With a small portion of 2+1 seating |
The order for the fleet is divided into four variants, as follows:[41]
Two-car units will be able to run in multiple with up to three other two-car units, while three-car units will be able to run in multiple with up to two other three-car units.[4]
TfW organised theMagnificent Train Journey competition, aimed at primary school children, to name its Class 197 units.[26]
Additionally, 197120, although not named on nameplates, carries "Gwnaed yng Nghymru / Made in Wales" livery additions with largeWelsh Dragons on its DMSL and DMC vehicles that further emphasise the same text statement that is on the door sill plaques of all 197s.[51]
Media related toBritish Rail Class 197 at Wikimedia Commons