The South Wales Metro in the UK has announced the arrival of the first Class 398 tram-train at the new Transport for Wales (TfW) depot in Taff’s Well.
Built by Swiss train maker Stadler, the Class 398 tram-train was delivered to the TfW depot after undergoing numerous trials at Network Rail’s Rail Innovation and Development Centre in Leicestershire.
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Being a crucial part of the South Wales Metro, the 36 tram-trains will offer more frequent and sustainable services upon starting service next year on the Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr and City lines.
TfW chief infrastructure officer Dan Tipper said: “The delivery of the first tram-train to our new Taff’s Well depot is a major milestone in the development of the South Wales Metro and the culmination of a significant effort from TfW colleagues and our industry partners over the last few months.
“We’re on a transformational journey at TfW and these new trains are a key part of improving the customer experience so that we can encourage more people to travel sustainably on public transport.
“These are modern trains, with high-quality features that will offer our customers more accessible, reliable and greener transport.”
The investment in the Metro is expected to notably boost connectivity while opening up access to jobs and other opportunities for the people of Wales.
TfW is spending more than £800m on new trains for the Wales and Borders network, collaborating with Stadler and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF).
Earlier this year, TfW launched a new fleet of 77 Class 197 trains to enhance services across this network.
