Class 175s, which serve longer distance routes from Cardiff, are first to be completed
TRANSPORT for Wales (TfW) have completed the first part of a £40m refurbishment project across their fleet.
The first trains to return to the tracks are 27 Class 175 passenger trains which run on longer routes between Cardiff and West Wales, Ebbw Vale, Maesteg, Swansea, Shrewsbury, Manchester and Holyhead.
The updates, which have been done over the last three years, have seen improved facilities such as the inclusion of USB and electric charging points along with re-covered seats, new carpets and interior fittings.
Alstom, which originally built the trains around the turn of the new millennium, has been in charge of these refurbishments.
“It is brilliant to see our final Class 175 unit fully refurbished and able to get back onto the tracks,” said David Jordan, Chief Operating Officer of Angel Trains, a product management company who oversee many train fleets across the UK, including the Class 175 .
“It’s fantastic to be able to deliver these improvements for customers, which they rightly expect to see on a modern railway network,” said Stuart Mills, TfW’s Fleet Engineering Manager.
Work is ongoing to update and refurbish other vehicles such as the Class 153 single coach trains which serve much of South and West Wales, the 158 two and three-car fleet which covers South Wales as well as some long-distance routes and the Class 150 Sprinter trains which cover routes from Cardiff to Swansea and further on into West Wales. These works are due to be finished later this year.
“It is a great addition having the plug and USB sockets on these trains,” said commuter Jack Newell, 25.
“The 175s are a lot better than other trains which operate on the routes I travel as they often use older services.”
The refurbished 175 trains are due to be phased out in the next three years and will be replaced by newer Class 197 Civity two and three-car trains while will be built in Spain by CAF and fitted out in Newport.
Asked why TfW are spending some of the £40m on trains that will not be in use in the next few years, Mr Mills said: “While we are building brand new trains, they take time to build, and we want our customers to have a comfortable experience right now.”
The first of the Class 197 trains are due to be in use later this year on services between Wales and England.
