Jon Searles' photos with the keyword: Cardiff Central

This is an Alstom (BR) Class 175 Coradia DMU. They were intended as a new generation of DMU that could operate at 125 m.p.h., although this was quickly downgraded to 110 and then to 100. 125 m.p.h. DMU's were eventually produced (in the form of the Virgin Voyager and BR Class 180), but the 175 Coradia never ended up filling such a role. Originally introduced in 2000 on First North Western, they have since been transferred to Arriva Trains Wales. Given the absurdity of the BR privatisation scheme, they have never been owned by a railway or Train Operating Company (TOC), but are instead owned by Angel Trains and leased to the TOC's, at much greater expense to the taxpayer. On this trip, I was on my way to Abergavenny for some hiking.

This was the first of many trains I had to take to get home to Prague, this one being an Intercity 125 for London Paddington. I never got the number, but on magnifying the photo I'm fairly certain that this lead Class 43 power unit was #43192.

I'm not sure if I took this on my way out of Cardiff, or on my way in, but I'm 90% certain it was on my way out or sometime soon before. Notice the original "Great Western Railway" lettering, which is still relevant as this station is still served by First Great Western.

Next to the Cardiff railway viaduct is this water tower, which I'm assuming was originally for steam locomotives, and behind it in the distance is Brain's Brewery, with the slogan "It's Brains you want!"

Although it's just a railway viaduct, and not a particularly long or high one, I've always like how this one looks. This is in Cardiff, of course, and takes the former Great Western into Cardiff Central.