Very surprised to hear of the return of 142073 to the mainline today on a test run out of Cardiff Canton and back. This unit had a fire from what I can remember and was supposedly written off.
TfW are so short of units at the moment that the return to service of 142073 could be justified.
Another unit short now after the TfW liveried 175/1 caught fire at Pontrilas.
They might have some second hand ones, but clearly there is little chance of any new stock by May 2020, yet alone this year.
(19/02/2019 12:42)mikestone Wrote: [ -> ]They might have some second hand ones, but clearly there is little chance of any new stock by May 2020, yet alone this year.
The brand new Civity will not come until 2022 and I GUESS and only a GUESS that the new class 230 will not come until May 2020.
I wonder if someone in Cardiff still believes they will have 769s about then?
;
It can only be from the following options;
142/144 (from Northern, displaced by 195)
153 (from GWR)
230 (diverted from Wrexham)
769
Loco and stock
Or, internal TFW units cascaded by 230 entering service in North Wales
Only the 142/144/153 option looks realistic to me.
There have been talks regarding a few 144s going to Cardiff as an interim measure.