The first complete CAF Class 196 has arrived in the UK for testing and commissioning at Tyseley.
Four-car diesel multiple unit 196101 was built by CAF in its Beasain factory in northern Spain. It had been tested at the Velim test track in the Czech Republic before being moved to the UK.
The Class 196s were ordered by West Midlands Trains to boost capacity on various routes. Twelve two-car (196001-196012) and 14 four-car (196101-196114) sets are on order, with 20 of the 80 vehicles to be built in Spain and the rest assembled at CAF’s Newport factory (RAIL 900). They are from the same CIVITY platform as the Northern Class 195s and Transport for Wales Class 197 DMUs.
A second four-car Class 196 (196102) has also been tested at Velim, while the first two-car set (196001) is complete at Beasain. A third four-car set (196103) has been built in Spain, while 196104 is due to be the first to leave Newport.
- For the FULL story, read RAIL 905, published on May 20, and available digitally now.
- For an in-depth EXCLUSIVE 16-page special on CAF's business in the UK, read RAIL 900, available digitally.
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Güntürk Üstün - 19/02/2022 05:22
It was announced in late 2017 that Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF will supply 26 "Class 196 Civity" diesel multiple units for West Midlands Trains (WMT), which will be in two-car and four-car formations. 12 two-car units and 14 four-car units will replace WMT's fleet of 23 Class 170/5 and 170/6 Turbostar and 8 Class 153 units, which still operate on the passenger train company's services. Entering service in 2022, they will be the first train of the Civity family to feature end gangways. Dr. Güntürk Üstün
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