SPAIN: RENFE has announced that its Avlo-branded low-cost services between Madrid and Barcelona are to be withdrawn indefinitely from September 8, as result of high speed trainsets experiencing rough riding on the route.
The problems came to public attention in late July when photographs showing a fracture in a Talgo Class 106 Avril power car bogie began to circulate online. On July 25 RENFE decided that the five Class 106 trainsets used to operate the Madrid – Barcelona Avlo services would be taken out of traffic.
Manufacturer Talgo said the fracture had not occurred during passenger service, but had happened during load testing.That was carried out following reports of rough riding between Madrid Atocha station and a point 190 km along the high speed line to Barcelona.
Class 106s used on this line and on other routes were immediately subjected to load tests. Although no problems were found, Talgo recommended that they should be limited to 250 km/h on this section of line.
Staff on RENFE’s AVE services and on competing Ouigo and Iryo services have also reported rough riding on the route, suggesting the problem could lie with the track or substructure.
The Avlo service was initially maintained using Class 103 and 112 trainsets, with some trains formed of multiple sets to cater for demand during the peak holiday season.
There will be no reduction in the number of timetabled trains when the Avlo operation is suspended in favour of more AVE-branded services. RENFE said tickets would be sold at ‘competitive’ fares, given the need to compete with Ouigo and Iryo. However, the prices would be higher than Avlo fares to reflect the use of more comfortable AVE trains with a lower capacity than the Avlo sets, which have a single class of accommodation with high-density 2+3 seating in rows and no catering.
RENFE added that the AVE trains would be ’better suited’ to business travellers, which make up a large proportion of passengers between Madrid and Barcelona.
