South Wales Metro | 398 Tram-Trains' first test runs
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- The very first test runs of Class 398 Tram-Trains which will form the backbone of the South Wales Metro and transport passengers from Treherbert, Aberdare & Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay via both Llandaf and the "City Line" route though Fairwater, with future "metro" extensions seeing the units trundle on street as trams though Callaghan Square and a redeveloped Cardiff Bay before making their way to Newport Road.
Here we see the units at the dawn of their test campaign, first just moving under battery power and then testing under 25kv overhead for the first time, in July.
Apologies for the slightly disappointing video quality and abhorrent audio in some of these clips.
You get some pretty awesome stuff when you stop building massive expensive roads and revive public transport. Love to see it.
Yes and then the unions get their claws into it!
Obviously have no idea why people like cars. Clue: it ain’t because they are just waiting for a train.
Not quite.
Car driving is a lot more fun if there's no congestions, don't you agree? As these tram trains have a high capacity, they will substantially contribute to less congestions by taking many cars and buses off the road. @@xr6lad
Great to see such a positive development in public transport. A massive infrastructure puzzle to overcome. Hat's off to the team working on making our world a little bit better and making this a reality. It's baby steps but everything great begins with small, careful steps towards a great achievement. Well done everyone.
Not so great if you ask yourself where the electricity is coming from.
@@proudhon100Burning gas in a power station is still more efficient than burning petrol in hundreds of thousands of engines, and that's assuming it all comes from gas
@@HesterClapp But we are closing down power stations and replacing them with unreliable wind turbines.
@@proudhon100 We are building wind turbines, so when there is wind we get more or less free power, and when there is not wind we turn on gas power stations, which is no worse for the environment than what we were doing without the turbines. I don't see where your problem is
@@HesterClapp You have to burn oceans of fossil fuels to mine, refine and process the raw materials to fabricate and position wind turbines. When the wind doesn't blow, or blows too strongly, they have to be switched off. They are probably not even net energy positive over a ten year period ie more energy required to manufacture them than you get from them. They are a backwards step in technology toward medieval civilisation.
Great video.
It's interesting to see the tram-trains running off the juice.
I'm in Merseyside and looking forward to the extension of Merseyrail services to the new station at Headbolt Lane. The extension has no 3rd rail so will rely on battery powered Stadler 777/1s.
I can understand why people in North Wales are a bit fed up when they see all the investment in track and rolling stock in South Wales. All they've had are the Vivarail 230s, and they aren't a success story. The 197s are taking a long time to be delivered.
Last time I was at Pontypridd and Cardiff was 2019. Certainly going to have to pay another visit when all the new stock and services are up and running.
That's very cool to hear that South Wales is getting a metro system
No just Cardiff area rest of south Wales don't exist
@@philiptaylor3568As it should be! The people living in Cardiff r paying quite some money to live there & therefore they should definitely get higher quality services. Get an apartment there, pay the costs related to living in a city and then you'll also be able to enjoy these developments. On the other hand, if u live in the middle of nowhere with cheap rents & stuff then u shouldn't expect these type of services 😒😒
The word Metro is used very loosely in the UK it seems. But the core valley lines should be getting a much higher frequency with these traims so it's an improvement
@@Adrenaline_chaser Think it's ''cheap'' living in Swansea? Get real!!
It isn't a true 'metro' system either, at least not heavy metro. There are no underground sections. It is more akin to a tram-train, as supposedly the plan is for them to run on an on street extension into cardiff from the valley lines.
Brilliant video, those trains look awesome!
Excellent video. I am a Welsh ex-pat (living in East Anglia!) but I like to see what's happening in my former homeland. After 55 years since commuting on that line from Queen Street to Treforest Estate (for Upper Boat Power Station), I have at last seen an electric train on it! Great coverage, especially getting the pantograph raising. Thank you for your tip following my comment on the TfW channel. I have now subscribed.
nice relaxing video and it’s nice to see the trains on the rails!!
This looks like a great way to do rail. If only Cork could get this and not another Dublin style tram system.
Hopefully now Sir Beer's given Dripford his marching orders, Cardiff Bay can reverse their spiteful no new roads policy and sort out the M4and Bryn Gla s tunnels
Not sure these units are an improvement in the valleys with no toilets can be a long journey from barry to Merthyr /aberdare if you need to spend a penny going back to the days of the 116 units with no loos
Don't be overly impressed guys. It is utterly shocking that all this investment has gone into short trip commuter lines for the Cardiff valleys when the rest of Wales has NIL electrification. The good people of Milford Haven, and all those outside of Cardiff, have to put up with inadequate aluminium windowed trains, decades old, trains to travel to Manchester Piccadilly! Add to this to the farm track roads of Wales outside of the M4 and A45 corridors and you have an utter transport wilderness.
Yes the Cardiff metro is nice to have but there were FAR bigger priorities. It is yet another utter Cardiff centric disgrace that the Welsh Government have been known for since its inception.
Those railways are still managed by Network Rail, it was incredibly expensive for the Welsh Government to acquire what they have, it's unfortunately GOT to be a slow process.
@@jaystocky Priorities is my beef. The WHOLE of Wales has a greater need.
@@leightongoss6147certainly, but his point is the people to address would be the DfT in London. Except the secretary of state for transport has no interest in trains and has earmarked £30bn over 5 years to fill in potholes instead.
Why do they sound like the 377
No toilets.... Glad I retired before having to drive them....
It would be nice to see these in Outer London creating an orbital network instead of the superloop bus scheme
Almost Sounds Like The Class 377
Very impressive.
Great video! Ive subscribed. I'm showing my ignorance here, but why are they called Tram-Trains? Is it because they will be used on the Metro tracks and the Railway tracks too?
Sounds a bit like a 377
Shame about the piecemeal electrification. Gonna cost way more to redo it right later.
Wait until you find out about the much worse piecemeal double tracking 😬
@@WalesRails Oh yeah. At least they _occasionally_ have the excuse of "there's valley mountains in the way".
I'd like to know how extensive the tram network will be in Cardiff, since I can't see it being any more than a cheap rail system. The East of Cardiff has nothing, and it really could do with something.
I believe that there are some "plans" at the idea stage to connect Cardiff Central to Eastern Cardiff via a southerly route, and reaching the new parkway station, but with all the cash going down the HS2 money pit, getting this done may be difficult.
Looking forward to the completion, its a huge project, the new trains are great can't wait for the trams/trains.
Radyr is down Merthyr is up
A good video, thanks. It's great that investment is finally being made in public transport on the Cardiff and Valley Lines. The new 4 car trains we currently have on our line (Rhymney to Penarth) are great and on first impression look better than these trams..... the fact these new trams have no toilets is going to be a big issue. There are , as far as I am aware, no public toilets between Rhymney and Cardiff Queen Street!
Ps any news on any improvements to trains and frequency on the Ebbw Vale line?
Hi Ian, Thank you very much for taking the time to watch,
The decision to have tram-train rolling stock without onboard toilets has been a controversial one with the public. The Tram-Trains will operate exclusively on the TAM lines (Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr), The Rhymney line will operate exclusively with the tri-mode versions of those shiny new 4 car trains that have already made their debut on that route. Rhymney line services will also take over the route to Barry Island and Bridgend as the current services from the TAM valleys will terminate at the bay with the tram trains, all of this will take hold within the next 3 years.
So, why Tram-Trains?-
Service frequency on the TAM valley branches where these will operate will be doubled from the current half hourly service, to much more reasonable 15 minute intervals. the issue is that there simply isn't the capacity for any more services to pass through, or worse, terminate at Cardiff Central. Since most people travelling from the valleys are heading into the busy Cardiff City Centre, they only need that full 15 minute valleys frequency through Cardiff Queen Street and the extra services will instead head direct to the bay to terminate in an area that's not a major bottleneck.
In short, The idea of tram-trains is to allow for the doubling of the Valleys - Cardiff service frequency through routing the extra services to the bay and developing new "metro" tram terminuses dotted around the bay outside of the big network bottleneck around central.
This kills two birds with one stone, you get much higher frequency, while at the same time connecting the bay to the network to really bring out the potential of area, and only really possible with rail vehicles that can operate as trams.
So, Toilets?-
Transport For Wales are installing new toilet facilities at Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Treherbert, Caerphilly, Tonypandy and Radyr, on top of those already available at Pontypridd, Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central, they claim that passengers will never be more than 20 minutes away from a toilet.
Ebbw Vale Line improvements-
The extra hourly service from Ebbw Vale Town to Newport is expected to start in December.
Going into 2024 and it's likely Ebbw Vale services will benefit from longer trains, as units are freed up from the TAM and Rhymney valleys when they get new trains. looking forwards from the short term and Ebbw Vale - Cardiff / Newport services will be receiving shiny, brand new 4-car trains, the exact same ones currently in passenger service on the Rhymney line.
Hope this helps.
@@WalesRails Thanks for the detailed and interesting reply. Prefer our Rhymney line trains to continue going to and from Penarth, once the Barry Island and Bridgend lines are involved the more chance there will be delays.. but glad we are keeping the trains we have now..
@WalesRails manchester has a similar thing just for stop frequency I'm sure this will work very well
The only difference is that Manchester's Metrolink network is a self-contained tram system, working at 750v DC, whereas these Valley units seem to be railway trains working at 25kV AC. @@frongus47
An excellent video which will become historically important as it show the very first movement of the tram trains out on the main line.
In Wales, yes, but there are already tram-trains in Sheffield
Yes, there are seven Class 399 tram trains in Sheffield but, interestingly, not all are actual tram trains as some only have wheel profiles for use on tram tracks. The TfW fleet will comprise 36 three-car units but there will be no tram operation for quite a few years as no tram system exists. I presume their wheel profiles will be only suitable for train operation.
@@HesterClapp manchester metrolink would be a better example as they share mainline track on the Altrincham line.
From a purely technical point of view it is an LRT not a metro...
Cool video! Dont understand though why rapid transit trams have high desnity 2+2 airline and group seat layout though??
These trains will be in shit conditions in a couple of weeks
Nice to see the Class 398 Tram-trains that have arrived.
Cool video!
Have these entered service yet?
I wish my city would do this
Great footage dont know if i like these
Same seats as a IET, says a lot!
I see transport for Wales copied the Sheffield supertram
@@dillonyeardley6270 The Class 399 units that operate the Sheffield Super-tram do indeed feature the same design foundation from the same manufacturer but they are completely different in all other aspects. TfWs 398s are high floor, the supertram 399s are low floor. TfW’s 398s have 25kv and long range battery packs for traction, Supertram has 750v & 25kv but no batteries. The wheelsets and powertrain is also completely different. TfW’s Tram-Trains will be operated on primarily heavy rail lines with little sections of tramway, while supertram is predominantly tramway and only a little bit heavy rail.
TfW’s 398’s are closer to Manchester Metrolink than Supertram
Nice Video. The Trams would of been better if they were Built by Alstom, because the Motors in these New Trams sound boring.
Sheffield Tram-Trains (videos on here will give you an idea of the low floor version due to the trams being low floor previously.
Hopefully the beginning of more investment and an expanded network.
very nice
Will these sounds same like the Class 399 Stagecoach Supertram
Why use trams if there are no tram tracks (yet) and the 231 and 756 exist
I walk past the Bay line almost every day, lots of machines parked everywhere then suddenly a days activity and then nothing for another couple of weeks. It reminds me of some builders I used to read about, first they come in and create a mess then you rarely see them for months.
They currently have all of the new platform sections on-site it seems. Work slowly progressing it seems indeed!
wish there was such a project for Greater Glasgow or central belt as a whole
The trains look good now all we need is a company to run them because transport for Wales couldn't run a piss up in a brewery I used to think Arriva Trains where bad but not anymore .And also are these trains allowed to go over 20mph 😂
TfW's Issue is that large swathes of their fleet were set to go off lease back to their ownership company or to other UK train operators once they were properly rolling out new stock, the new stock was delivered late and in a poor condition by the manufacturer and TfW were left with a massive unit shortage which has led to dangerous overcrowding, cancellations and reliability issues.
TfW is far from perfect, but a lot of their issues are down to what they inherited from Arriva and the UK-wide rolling stock issues and underfunding.
Also 20mph is being talked about? It was voted in by all parties in the Senedd and was in Manifestos that the public voted for, for the vast majority of the day your overall journey duration will be dictated by the traffic on the roads, going 10mph faster for 30 seconds before having to stop in traffic again isn't going to do much. If a child runs out into the road, in the distance it would take for a car at 20mph to make a complete stop, a car at 30mph would hit the child at 24mph. I do think there should be more exemptions but the Welsh Government is already running consultations for these areas.
why is the bumper yellow now!!??
Due to some issues with the top headlights and how they are required to have a non-yellow front they have temporarily yellowed the noses of each train, not permanent:)
Why do these have yellow panels? The early photos didn't have them and there is no longer a requirement to have them but they seem to have them.
Temporary until the top headlight is adjusted as it's a regulatory requirement for it to be a certain way for the train to not have any yellow on the front.
Good to see some movement at last, the whole project is well behind schedule.
The yellow on the bottom of the cab, doesn’t look very nice. I thought it was meant to be white! 😂
It’s temporary until the headlight units are certified 😊
@@jaystockyok thanks!
Nice trains . You should check the new express métro (REM ) in Montreal ....
🙋 Promo SM
*Down* to Radyr.
Wales uses actual geography when referring to up/down lines, rather than the stupid English way of "everything is Up to London"!
They aint been tested since
They’ve been tested a significant amount since this was uploaded :)
I hope they come to swansea yesterday they said they are planning to do it and new train lines hope it happens
Swansea could use a tram based transport system, unfortunately nothing is planned just yet and Newport seems much more likely to get such a system.
Ah ok
Since Devolution the rest of Wales doesn't exist outside The City State of Cardiff
Which line is this going to be used on?
Rhondda & Merthyr Valley lines, from termini at Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil through Pontypridd to Radyr and then via both the Cathays route and the City Line route via Ninian Park to Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay
@@WalesRails thanks! does the city line include up to coryton?
@@amo-kd9cn With the new trains there will be a massive service shake up. The Radyr-Coryton City Line shuttle will be no more, being replaced by Radyr - Cardiff Central via fairwater being operated as a branch of the valley lines and Coryton services shuttling to Penarth instead, with class 756 FLIRT rolling stock
Where in Wales do they have a tram system?
Heath Park!
@@TimHall42 Where's that and don't say Wales
Heath Park in Cardiff has about 300m of 18inch gauge overhead electric tramway.
@@TimHall42 Cheer's
@@leswall3061 Nearest station is Heath Halt Low Level- I used to have school sports at Heath Park then catch the train home. I enjoyed the train ride better than the rugby/cricket and the disgusting changing rooms- Thanks Cathays High School!
They look cute
Not if you're busting for a pee
Trouble is TFW are so unreliable. Arbitrary and frequent cancellations and late running. Once you’ve missed a few meetings you’re back in the car
Yep, but that's down to the very limited amount of trains they can run. They don't have enough stock to just replace a service if a fault is developed.
@@jaystocky that doesn’t really explain the constant late running and cancellations. The last one I experienced was for ‘shortage of drivers’.
@@djlewis5149 I didn't say all cancellations were as a result of poor train allocation.
@@jaystocky ‘that’s down to the limited amount of trains they can run’ that sounds like what you’re saying
@@djlewis5149exactly, they currently do not have a great enough number of trains, which is why we badly need these tram-trains out on the network for customers as soon as possible.
so will these trams replace the trains or as well as?
These are "Tram Trains" which are sort of a cross breeding of the two. I believe they will be replacing the sprinters that currently run into the valleys.
Tram-Trains will replace the current diesel multiple units.
These new units will run every 15 minutes from each terminus at Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil. Where they all converge at Pontypridd-Radyr there will be a frequency of 5 minutes, most will then run to Cardiff Central and Cardiff Bay via Llandaf, Cathays, Queen Street, a half hourly service will go via the City Line through Fairwater, Waun-gron park, Ninian park.
@@WalesRails Will the city line services continue to Coryton, or terminate at Central?
@@TomParkes1993they will go back up towards the valleys Coryton will have 756s which in my opinion shpuld have served all the valleys
@@WalesRailsI thought they would have beem more frequent than that on the city line
It's such a shame they won't utilise these tram-trains on the roads, and an even bigger shame that we won't see them on viable routes like the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line re-opening proposal. I was so excited for this Metro idea but to be honest, the lack of line proposal from Ebbw Vale to Swansea really let's it down. Instead it's just another round of "Look how many lines go to Cardiff!".