Transport for Wales is carrying out testing of its brand-new Class 398 CITYLINK electric tram-trains on the Valleys railway lines in South Wales that have recently been electrified.

The testing is an essential step in bringing the next phase of the South Wales Metro into service and is part of an £800 million investment in new trains across Wales and the Borders.

Built by Stadler, the new trains will revolutionise transport in South Wales, as they can operate on both rail and tram lines by drawing their electrical power from overhead electrical lines or onboard batteries. Each train set has three carriages with a capacity of more than 250 passengers.

Transforming the railway infrastructure in South Wales, including the electrification of over 170 km of railway lines to Merthyr, Aberdare, and Treherbert, has required an investment of over £1 billion.

The control centre for the South Wales Metro and the maintenance base for the 36 new trains will be in a brand-new, purpose-built £100 million depot at Taff’s Well, six miles north of Cardiff.

Andrew Gazzard, Head of Operational Readiness at Transport for Wales, explained that the teams need to gain familiarisation and handling experience of the trains before driver training starts later this year.

“This is another major milestone for us at TfW. We’ve already introduced our brand-new Class 756 trains onto the Merthyr, Aberdare, and Treherbert lines to improve the experience for our passengers. We re now excited to progress to the next phase of the project, testing our light rail tram-trains that will offer a turn-up-and-go service as part of the South Wales Metro. The introduction of our new Metro Class 756s and tram-trains is part of our 800 million investment into brand-new trains for Wales, alongside a billion pounds of infrastructure upgrades to improve the frequency and accessibility of services. By transforming our rail network, we aim to provide reliable, comfortable, and attractive public transport options for our customers.”

Marie Daly, Chief Operating Officer at Transport for Wales