British Rail Class 197

The British Rail Class 197^[9] is a class of diesel multiple unit passenger train built by CAF, based on its Civity platform. They are operated by Transport for Wales Rail (TfW), split into 51 two-car units and 26 three-car units.^[10]

British Rail Class 197 Civity
A TfW Rail Class 197 at Manchester 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 from Spain)[1]
Family name	Civity
Replaced	Class 150 Class 153 Class 158 Class 175
Constructed	2020–present[2]
Formation	2 or 3 cars per unit[3] (See § Variants)
Capacity	2-car: 116 seats 3-car 2+2-only: 188 seats 3-car with 2+1: 174 seats (158 2+2, 16 2+1)[4]
Owners	SMBC Leasing[5]
Operators	Transport for Wales Rail
Depots	Canton (Cardiff) Chester Machynlleth
Specifications
Train length	2-car: 48.05 m (157 ft 8 in) 3-car: 71.40 m (234 ft 3 in)[6]
Car length	DM cars: 24.03 m (78 ft 10 in) MSL cars: 23.35 m (76 ft 7 in)[4]
Doors	Double-leaf sliding plug (2 per side per car)[4]
Maximum speed	100 mph (160 km/h)
Prime mover(s)	MTU[1] (1 per car)
Engine type	Turbo-diesel
Cylinder count	6 per engine
Displacement	12.8 L (780 cu in) per engine
Power output	375 kW (503 hp) per engine 2-car: 750 kW (1,010 hp) 3-car: 1,125 kW (1,509 hp)
Transmission	ZF EcoLife hydromechanical[note 1][1]
Braking system(s)	Electro-pneumatic (disc) (Knorr-Bremse EP2002)[1]
Safety system(s)	AWS ETCS (21 197/0s only[8]) TPWS
Coupling system	Dellner
Multiple working	Within class
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Seventy-seven Class 197 sets were ordered in 2018 under the franchise obligations made by KeolisAmey Wales, the then-operator of the Wales & Borders franchise. They are based on the Class 195 units that were being received by Arriva 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 at Crewe 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 replace Class 158 trains on various regional and regional express routes that form part of the Wales & Borders rail franchise, such as the Cambrian lines. They are also expected to replace Class 150 and 153 units on the Conwy Valley line, and to allow extension of services between Liverpool Lime Street and Chester into both north and south Wales. In February 2024 they were cleared to run on the Maesteg Line and entered service on the Ebbw Valley Line on 29 April 2024.^[11][12]

History

Background

Operator KeolisAmey Wales took over the Wales & Borders franchise from Arriva 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 from British Rail.^[13] Orders were placed with a number of manufacturers for new units, including one for 77 new Civity-family DMUs from Spanish firm Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF). These were based on the Class 195 units that CAF had started delivering to Arriva Rail North earlier in 2018, and were also assembled at CAF's new factory in Newport.^[14] Entry into service was expected between 2021 and 2023.^[14] Unlike Class 195 units, however, the TfW-ordered DMUs have gangway connections at their ends, making them look very similar to the Class 196 units operated by West Midlands Trains. The design allowing passengers and crew to move freely between coupled units.

In January 2020, WalesOnline reported that, based on minutes from Transport 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 the Class 700 trains employed on Thameslink 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.^[15] TfW eventually paid an additional £1.9 million to upgrade to higher-specification Fainsa Sophia seats,^[16] although these seats have themselves been the subject of some criticism from passengers of Great Western Railway trains to which they are also fitted.^[15][17]

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;^[16] a reduction from the one-toilet-per-car configuration on TfW's existing long-distance Class 158 and 175 trains.^[4] The group also noted that the Rail 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.^[16] 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.^[18]

Entry to service

Diesel multiple-unit train number 197125 in service, Transport for Wales, Llandudno Junction station, May 2024.

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 at Crewe for commissioning.^[19][20] Testing of the type commenced soon thereafter.^[21] On 18 January 2022, the Office 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 the European Train Control System (ETCS).^[3][22]

Unit 197004 was the first to enter passenger service, doing so on 14 November 2022.^[23] That same month, the ORR authorised 21 Class 197 units fitted with CAF Signalling’s onboard ETCS at Baseline 3 Release 2 and GSM-R Baseline 1 for operation in ETCS Level 2 and below under recently-introduced regulations.^[22] During January 2023, the Class 197 was officially launched at a ceremony officiated by Minister for North Wales Lesley Griffiths and held at Llandudno railway station.^[24][25]

Phased introduction

The fleet's introduction was phased. During late 2022, the Class 197 were initially used only on the Conwy Valley line in a part of North Wales. In early 2023, the Class 197 was introduced on North Wales Main Line service; by mid-2023, the type was in service between Cardiff and Swansea in South Wales.^{[citation needed]} Late on in 2023, Class 197s were in service between Swansea and Carmarthen in South-West Wales (including on services between Manchester in North-West England and Carmarthen), but initially called at Ferryside in one direction until platform raising work was carried out.^{[citation needed]}

In November 2023, the Class 197 started working between Wrexham and Bidston on the North Wales/North-West England Borderlands line, alongside the 230s, though this is only temporary until the Class 230's reliability issues are resolved.^{[citation needed]} From early 2024 to June 2024, Class 197s carried out partial service in and out of Pembrokeshire - between Carmarthen and Milford Haven every day, and between Carmarthen and Fishguard Harbour on Sundays.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2024, the Class 197 entered service on the Ebbw Valley Railway, the Maesteg Line and services between Cardiff and Cheltenham, including the subsequent different working of these services from December 2024, though this is only temporary until they are replaced by the Class 231s, which will be made available when the Class 756s replace the Class 231s in the South Wales Valleys.^[26][27]

In June 2024, Class 197s started full service in and out of Pembrokeshire - between Carmarthen and Milford Haven, Fishguard Harbour, Pembroke Dock and Tenby every day.^{[citation needed]}

In February 2025, the Class 197 started working between Shrewsbury and Birmingham in the West Midlands of England, on services between Holyhead in North Wales and Birmingham, as well as between Shrewsbury and Birmingham as part of Cambrian Line services between Aberystwyth in Mid-West Wales / Aberystwyth & Pwllheli in North Wales and Birmingham (until the Class 197s enter service on the Cambrian line itself - see below - a change of train between 158 and Class 197 is made at Shrewsbury).^[28]

The last Class 197 introduction will be the ETCS-fitted units on the Cambrian line (between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth, and its coastal branch between Machynlleth in Mid Wales and Pwllheli) in late 2025 to early 2026.^[29] In preparation for this, night-time Class 197 test runs on the ETCS-signalled Cambrian line started in May 2022. During July 2024, daytime Class 197 test runs on the Cambrian line alongside in-service Class 158s. Driver training will take place in 2025.^{[citation needed]}

Fleet details

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[30]	Without ETCS
		21			197003, 197022–197041[31]	With ETCS
197/1		12		3	197101–197112[30]	2+2 seating only
		14			197113–197126[32]	With a small portion of 2+1 seating

Variants

The order for the fleet is divided into four variants, as follows:^[30]

• 30 units formed of two cars (DMSL-DMS) with 2+2 standard-class seating only, without ETCS;
• 21 units formed of two cars (DMSL-DMS) with 2+2 standard-class seating only, with ETCS;^{[note 2]}
• 12 units formed of three cars (DMSL-MSL-DMS) with 2+2 standard-class seating only, without ETCS;^[30]
• 14 units formed of three cars (DMSL-MSL-DMC) with a small portion of 2+1 seating (intended for the abandoned Standard Plus; declassified to standard class), without ETCS. These are primarily intended for use between Swansea and Manchester.^[4]

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]

Named and notable units

TfW organised the Magnificent Train Journey competition, aimed at primary school children, to name its Class 197 units.^[24]

• 197001: Robin Goch Philadelphia / Philadelphia Robin^[34][35]
• 197004: Ddraig Goch Vancouver / Vancouver Red Dragon^[34][35]
• 197007: Happy Valley^[36]
• 197049: Castell Caeriw Cyflym / Carew Castle Express^[37]
• 197119: Mistar Urdd^[38]
• 197125: The Cheltenham Spa Express^[39]

Additionally, 197120, although not named on nameplates, carries "Gwnaed yng Nghymru / Made in Wales" livery additions with large Welsh Dragons on its DMSL and DMC vehicles that further emphasise the same text statement that is on the door sill plaques of all 197s.^[40]

See also

• British Rail Class 195 - A diesel multiple unit variant of the CAF Civity UK platform built for Northern.
• British Rail Class 196 - A diesel multiple unit variant of the CAF Civity UK platform built for West Midlands Trains.
• British Rail Class 331 - An electric multiple unit variant of the CAF Civity UK platform built for Northern.
• British Rail Class 397 - An electric multiple unit variant of the CAF Civity UK platform built for TransPennine Express.
• British Rail Class 897 - A tri-mode multiple unit variant of the CAF Civity UK platform to be built for London North Eastern Railway.

Notes

1. Combines a mechanical gearbox with a torque converter and hydraulic retarder.^[7]
2. European Train Control System (ETCS) equipment has been necessary for operation on the Cambrian lines since they were converted to use the European Rail Traffic Management System in late 2010.^[33]