Transport for Wales rail passengers face disruption into April

Rail disruption across Wales will continue into April after trains were withdrawn following several fires.

More than 100 services were cancelled in part or in full at the start of March after three "mechanical failures" on Class 175 trains.

Transport for Wales (TfW) said it was struggling to get the parts it needed to bring trains back into operation.

Services between Chester and Liverpool remain cancelled, with replacement buses in place for several other lines.

"All necessary checks and repairs must be completed on our Class 175 trains before they are allowed back into service," a TfW spokesperson said.

"For some of the trains, additional engine repair work has been found to be required."

TfW said it could mean train cancellations between Fishguard Harbour and Clarbeston Road, and Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton.

On Monday, bus replacement services were in place between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog, Milford Haven and Swansea, Wrexham and Bidston on Merseyside, and Newport and Cross Keys.

Passengers are being asked to check the TfW website before travelling.

The operator said it was trying to find parts internationally and would gradually bring more trains back into service over the next few weeks.

"We're expecting some disruption to continue into April," the spokesperson said.

"We're very sorry for the disruption to customers' journeys while we work to carry out this essential work."

Jan Chaudhry van der Velde, chief operations officer at Transport for Wales, said: "A large proportion of the trains will need a modification to the engine. That process has now started at Chester depot, which is where these 175s are maintained.

"We've got about 25 of these Class 175 trains. We've got about five in service as we speak now.

"The position will gradually get better. It's all dependent on a regular flow of the spare parts that we need to do these repairs."

Harry Mawdsley, a student, called the disruption "really not good".

He normally travels by train to Wrexham for lectures.

"I have to get up a lot earlier to get a bus that can often be late," he explained.

Meena Powell was also stuck using a replacement bus service from Wrexham.

"It just takes longer," she said. "They do what they can on the roads with the traffic but it's a pain.

"When you rely on the train it's really hard."

If the disruption continues into April Ms Powell said she would probably go back to using her own car.

"That's a lot of single person car journeys to be making.... environment wise," she said. "Not everyone has the option unfortunately of hopping in the car and it's not something I want to do."

TfW said it was also dealing with a broken down train causing delays on its Crewe to Shrewsbury service on Monday.