By Ben Jones
RAIL services across Wales will be transformed over the next six years as KeolisAmey and the Welsh Government invest around £5billion in a complete fleet replacement, new stations, electrification and the creation of a higher frequency ‘metro’ network, centred on Cardiff.
Every train in Wales will be replaced as part of an £800million programme, with 50% of the new fleet to be built at CAF’s new £30m factory near Newport.
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Almost 150 new trains will be ordered from CAF and Stadler.
CAF is in final negotiations with KeolisAmey to supply and maintain 44 two-car and 26 three-car units for rural and suburban routes across the Principality by September 2022, with a further seven two-car sets to be delivered by September 2024.
Colin Lea, mobilisation director at KeolisAmey Wales/Cymru, said: “These new trains will set a new standard of travel comfort and accessibility for the next decade. They will be made for Wales and by Wales as they will be assembled in a new CAF factory in Newport, creating hundreds of new jobs.”
Stadler will supply 11 four-car ‘FLIRT’ DEMUs for the Ebbw Vale and Maesteg lines, seven three-car and 17 four-car tri-mode (electric, battery and diesel) ‘FLIRTs’ for the Cardiff
to Rhymney route, and
36 three-car Stadler CityLink 40m-long hybrid (25kV AC/battery) tram-trains to link the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil lines, with a new on-street tram route through the Cardiff Bay area.
Read more and view more images in the July issue of The RM – on sale now!