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Transport chiefs say the new Wales and Borders rail franchise will start at the worst possible time of the year – with the new operator inheriting a run-down train fleet just as fallen leaves make the rails slippery.

Transport for Wales, which becomes responsible for the train services on 14 October, likens the rolling stock it will inherit from Arriva Trains Wales to buying an old car with a worn clutch.

It says ATW has met its contractual obligations but has no commercial incentive to hand over the trains in the best possible condition.

However, ATW says it has put the same effort into this year’s autumn preparations as previously.

TfW’s train operating partner, KeolisAmey branded as “TfW Rail Services”, has plans to make rapid improvements to the trains’ reliability – but the usual challenges of autumn will arrive before the plans can be enacted.

Slippery rails in autumn can cause wheels to slip or slide, resulting in small dents. The steel wheels must be reprofiled on a lathe to prevent damage to track. The work takes trains temporarily out of service, with passengers potentially suffering cancellations or trains formed of fewer coaches than usual.

“I think people need to be aware that we’ve bought a Ford Escort with 300,000 miles on the clock for months and the clutch is on the way out,” said TfW chief executive James Price.

“We’re taking over at the most difficult time of the year. I’m not trying to get my excuses in first. We’re looking to provide a really high quality service. We’re doing everything we can to make it better. I just want people to be aware of the challenges we face.

“Arriva haven’t been commercially incentivised to leave the fleet in the best possible state that it normally would be in. That’s because they’re not running it any more this year.”

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He stressed that he was not blaming Arriva, which he said had met the terms of the 15-year contract it signed in 2003.

He continued: “I believe we’re going to inherit a fleet which is not as good as the fleet was this time last year. It seems there will be a significant amount of work to do.

“That’s no disrespect to any of the Arriva staff. They want the very best for passengers, but you do what your budget allows you to do.”

Mr Price said TfW had been working hard with new operator TfW Rail Services and Network Rail “to get ourselves into the best possible state”.

He added: “I’m not suggesting that we’re going to have a problem, but we won’t know what we’re inheriting until we inherit it, and we’re going to have to make it work.”

He said there were also challenges from the trains being a year older since last autumn, with many being past their expected working life.

ATW director Gareth Thomas said: “We understand the challenges autumn presents the railway and we have invested in a joint autumn preparedness plan alongside our partners in Network Rail to the same level as previous years.

“Our first priority is to provide a safe and efficient service to our customers and we will be doing all we can to keep as many trains running as possible. Our fleet teams have been working extensively and we have invested in new wheels for trains to prolong their lifespans and reduce problems in the long run, to ensure a smooth hand-over of the franchise to Transport for Wales and KeolisAmey.

“Already this September we have seen trains damaged by falling trees and debris on the line, following extensive damage during storms earlier in the year.”

Infrastructure owner Network Rail said it was doing everything it could to keep services running safely and reliably this autumn. A spokeswoman said: “Specialist ‘railhead treatment’ trains, fitted with high pressured water jets, will be out in force across the railway in Wales and the Borders this autumn, with teams of highly trained engineers ready to work 24/7 to help keep the railway clear of leaves and debris.”

Colin Lea, who is directing TfW Rail Services’ introduction, said the new operator would apply processes which have reduced breakdowns on the Docklands Light Railway in London and the Manchester Metrolink light-rail system, both operated by KeolisAmey. Reducing failures of door mechanisms is a priority.

A new wheel lathe for Cardiff’s train depot may be at least 24 months away. The old wheel lathe has suffered breakdowns, exacerbating a backlog of work stretching back to a track defect in Newport in February which damaged wheels on the entire fleet of Coradia long-distance trains.

Mr Lea said the old lathe would receive an overhaul to see it through until the new lathe – which would process more wheels per day – was ready.