Tuesday 29th November 2022 Having enjoyed a recent ride on the new CAF built Class 196 trains with West Midlands Railway I headed off to North Wales last week to see if the new sister Class 197 units being introduced by Transport for Wales would be any different. Actually I was on my way over... Continue Reading →
New trains for West Midlands
Tuesday 15th November 2022 Aside from two new trains for Southend Pier it’s been three years since I’ve written a blog about new trains entering service. That’s because it’s been three years since any new trains entered service. Abellio owned West Midlands Trains' West Midlands Railway (WMR) division has recently broken that famine with the... Continue Reading →
New trains into service in 2019 Part 8: TPE’s Nova 3
Monday 23rd September 2019 It's not often we get to travel on a brand new loco hauled inter-city train in the UK, but that's what's quietly being rolled out across the Pennines right now as First Group's Trans Pennine Express franchise soft launches its fleet of thirteen smart new Spanish built Nova 3 trains. Originally... Continue Reading →
New trains in 2019 6: Northern’s Class 195 and 331
Wednesday 10th July 2019 It was a pleasure to travel on Northern Rail's new CAF Civity trains yesterday afternoon and this morning. They come in two flavours - a diesel version known as Class 195 and an electric version known as Class 331 - but otherwise they're exactly the same train with only a pantograph... Continue Reading →
New trains in 2019 Part 3: Sleepers
Thursday 2nd May 2019 The long awaited Caledonian Sleeper CAF built Mark 5 coaches began running on the Lowland route last Sunday night. I booked myself a ticket and travelled from Euston to Glasgow last night/this morning to see whether the salivating I'd been reading on social media from high profile commentators blessed with their... Continue Reading →