Arriva Trains pull ‘entire 175 fleet’ for an emergency safety inspection

Due to urgent safety checks with the entire 175 long distance train fleet, Arriva Trains Wales have had to suspend the majority of their long distance services today.

A shortage of trains because of extra safety inspections means that direct services operated by Arriva Trains Wales between Manchester and South Wales have been suspended.

There is no firm estimate yet of how long disruption will last but it is likely to continue until at least into this afternoon, and some responses say ‘until further notice’ with no indication if this could be a longer term issue.

A limited train service is available between Shrewsbury and Crewe.

Replacement road transport is operating between Newport South Wales and Hereford. Arriva say you may use West Midlands Railway between Hereford and Birmingham New Street and CrossCountry between Birmingham and Manchester

Arriva added you can use your tickets on the following operators services on all reasonable routes:
-West Midlands Railway between Hereford and Birmingham New Street
-CrossCountry via any reasonable route, inducing between Birmingham New Street and Manchester

The entire Class 175 Coradia fleet was transferred to Arriva Trains Wales when they took over responsibility for the North Wales Coast Line in 2004.