As part of the major investment in improving railway services in Wales, Transport for Wales are receiving a fleet of 36 Citylink tram-trains. These are being built by Stadler in Valencia, Spain before being delivered to the UK and after the first few arrived in South Wales by road more recent deliveries have been by rail. One such delivery took place overnight on Friday 2nd/Saturday 3rd February 2024 with 398 001 arriving as shown in this pictorial article with images courtesy of David Mee.
398 001 had in fact been the first of the class to be delivered to the UK when it was sent to the Rail Innovation and Development Centre in Leicestershire for tests. With the unit having gone through these tests it became the latest to head to its new home when it was transported across to Wales by rail. Rail Adventure have the contract for the movement (the same firm are delivering the new trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro) and on this occasion they used two vintage Class 20 diesel locomotive to move the vehicle.
The movement from Leicestershire was made up by 20 189 and 20 143 top and tailing 398 001 with barrier wagons either side of the Citylink tram-train. The journey ran to Radyr Station at which point the locomotives and barrier wagons are shunted out of the way. One of the already delivered – and involved in testing/commissioning at the moment – is then used to move the newly arrived unit to the depot at Taffs Well. On this occasion that was 398 007.
The timings of the final stages of the move were as follows:
2345 Pengam Sidings to Radyr arriving 0020
0100 398 007 departs from depot and arrives at Radyr 0120
0140 398 007 and 398 001 depart Radyr and head to Taffs Well Depot
The tram-train vehicles will be used on Cardiff Metro services, with infrastructure upgrades having been taking place ahead of their introduction. Ultimately there are plans for them to be used on the streets of Cardiff but that is something for the future and so to start with they will be running more as conventional trains without the tram part of their name being used. They are fitted with batteries as well as being powered from the overhead. Testing and commissioning is underway with 12 of the units now reported as being at Taffs Well (the last three have come by rail). Its expected the first will enter service later this year.
398 001 at Radyr Station having arrived from Pengam Sidings, top and tailed by the two class 20 locos.
398 001 coupled to the barrier wagon.
Part of 398 001 is seen here.
Locos and barrier wagon have now been shunted out the way (20 189 is seen in the background) as 398 001 waits for its classmate to come and take it to its new home.
398 007 arrives to collect 398 001 – after the station lights had switched off! (All Photographs by David Mee, 3rd February 2024)
001 is not the first to be delivered from Old Darby , 004 and005 have already made the move by rail on previous Fridays