Express & Star

Engine fires take three trains out of action disrupting railway through Shropshire and Wolverhampton

Rail passengers can expect delays across the Transport for Wales network for the "next few days" after three trains suffered engine problems.

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GV of Shrewsbury train station.

The issue has hit the Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury line with a number of cancellations in the last few days and today on the line between Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street.

Jan Chaudhry van der Velde, chief operations officer at TfW, said: “Due to three events in recent weeks where our Class 175 trains suffered engine problems, we have withdrawn a number of these trains from passenger service as a precautionary safety measure."

But once the trains have been repaired they are being re-introduced back into service so the situation should improve over time, the company says.

Mr van der Velde added: "CAF, who maintain the trains on our behalf, are now carrying out enhanced maintenance processes on the fleet and each train will be returned to service after it has undergone the extra maintenance.

“The safety of our passengers and train crew is always our main priority, which is why we have taken this decision.

“The removal of these trains may impact passenger services for the next few days and customers are advised to check for the latest travel information before travelling.”

The train operator is also not sending its trains any further along the line into Birmingham than Wolverhampton, where services will no longer call at Birmingham International, Birmingham New Street and Sandwell & Dudley.

A fire on a train near Wrexham on February 8 which prompted a large emergency service response, stopped trains from Shropshire into Wrexham and closed the A483 was due to a fire on a class 175.