The delivery of the Stadler Citylink Tram-Trains being built for the South Wales Metro services is continuing with 398 017 having recently been spotted at a service station on their way to their new home.
Transport for Wales ordered 36 Citylink vehicles from Stadler with construction starting in 2020. They are being built at Stadler Rail’s plant in Valencia, Spain and will have capacity for 252 passengers (a 50/50 split between seats and standing space). They will initially just be used as conventional trains on services in South Wales but there is the option for on street running into Cardiff which will utilise their tram identity, although plans for these extension have yet to be progressed significantly.
398 017 was transported in several sections with one end seen on this low loader.
Another view of part of the unit as it pauses at Easton in Gordano services on the M5 near Bristol. (Both Photographs by Ken Jones, 11th June 2024)