Maesteg and Cheltenham/Gloucester. On 12 December 2019, three-car unit 170202 worked TfW Rail's first Class 170 passenger services (between Bridgend and Ebbw Vale Town via Cardiff Central) and the units started to enter service in multiple quantities on 16 December 2019 with 5 units (three three-car and two two-car) running in passenger service on that day. All units had entered service by April 2020 when three-car unit 170206 was the last to enter service. These were originally due to stay with TfW for the duration of the franchise, however following a revision of TfW’s long-term rolling stock strategy, all are to transfer to East Midlands Railway. Past operations First TransPennine Express From late 2006 to 2016, First TransPennine Express operated nine Class 170s, used on the Manchester Piccadilly to Hull route. Originally Class 185s were set to operate the route but a combination of weight-restriction problems on the Selby to Hull Line, chronic overcrowding on several of the company's services and the government reducing the amount of money available to First TransPennine Express for new trains resulted in Class 170s coming into service. First TransPennine Express received eight Turbostars from South West Trains, 170301–308 at the end of 2006 and the start of 2007, as well as 170399 from Central Trains in November 2007, which was renumbered 170309. From September 2009, two Class 170s were used Sundays to Thursdays on the Cleethorpes–Manchester Airport service. The units were maintained by Bombardier Crofton. The 170s have since been fully refurbished to include CCTV, power sockets throughout, replacement carpets and seat covers and the removal / declassification of one of the two first-class sections, providing more seats. The work was carried out by Transys at Clacton-on-Sea. However, in March 2014 it was revealed that the nine Turbostars would move to Chiltern Railways. MP Stephen Hammond revealed on 12 March 2014 that all the Class 170/3s would remain with First TransPennine Express until the May 2015 timetable change, when Chiltern would take five of the 170s with the remaining four remaining with First TransPennine Express until the end of the franchise in March 2016 later changed to 8 July 2016. Upon delivery, the Class 170s were modified in Brush Traction to allow them to be used with Chiltern's existing units, and were subsequently reclassified as Class 168/3s. Today, the unit numbers are 168321–168329. However it was confirmed in November 2018 that TransPennine Express would