‘Flex’ units enter service in South Wales

The first of the bi-mode EMU conversions are now carrying passengers in South Wales, while other operators are stepping up their preparations.

By David Russell

A CLASS 769 bi-mode conversion finally entered revenue-earning service on November 16, when No. 769002 (rebuilt from No. 319002) was put into traffic on the Cardiff Valleys. The first timetabled train to be worked by the former Class 319 was the 2F08/07.14 Rhymney-Cardiff, after which it returned with the 2R09/09.36 Cardiff-Rhymney. Two days later, No. 769003 (ex-319003) made its debut passenger run as a ‘Flex’ unit, working the same service out of Rhymney, and on November 25 No. 769008 (ex-319008) also debuted on the 2F08 from Rhymney. No. 769006 was active on crew training during the month. Of the remaining sets for Transport for Wales, which have not retained their pantographs, No. 769426 has yet to be released from Loughborough but the other four (Nos. 769007/421/445/452) are at Cardiff. One of the units…

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Rail Express (Digital) - 1 Issue, January 2021

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