Transport for Wales has brought five more new Class 756 trains into service between Coryton, Caerphilly and Penarth, improving the passenger experience on this route.
The tri-mode trains (diesel/25kV overhead/battery) are variants of the Flirt design manufactured by Stadler at Bussnang, Switzerland. They were ordered as part of the Welsh Government’s £800 million investment in new trains and join the fleet that is already transforming passenger’s experiences on the Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert lines, taking the total of brand-new electric trains in service daily to 19 (with 24 in the total fleet).
The new trains, which provide 50% more capacity along with improved accessibility and level boarding, are being introduced after a successful trial on the Coryton line earlier this year. The line is also set to benefit from a Sunday service, for the first time, from December.
Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, said: “I am delighted that we are introducing more brand-new electric trains on the Core Valleys Lines to deliver Better Transport for Wales.
“The Class 756 state-of-the-art trains are transforming travel for passengers with faster and more frequent services as well as greater capacity, comfort, and improved accessibility.
“This is another significant milestone on our mission to upgrade the Core Valley Lines and deliver a turn-up-and go metro service.”
TfW planning and performance director Colin Lea added: “In June last year we developed a new timetable to get the best out of our brand-new trains, which after a few tweaks was a success.
“Customers will now benefit from these changes with more capacity and reliability, level boarding and a better overall experience, as well as an hourly Sunday service from December.”
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