South Wales 'Metro' updates

[Tumbleweed]

I'm not sure what the origin was - the bridge was a bit rickety as far I remember.

 

[TravelDream]

Plan for new South Wales Metro railway depot set to go before councillors

Anthony Lewis, local democracy reporter Plans for the main works on a new railway depot for the South Wales Metro in Taff’s Well are set to go before councillors. A reserved matters application from Amey Infrastructure Wales focuses on phase three of the the building of the new South Wales Metro...

nation.cymru

Plans for the main works on a new railway depot for the South Wales Metro in Taff’s Well are set to go before councillors.

A reserved matters application from Amey Infrastructure Wales focuses on phase three of the the building of the new South Wales Metro Core Valley Lines main depot facility on land that used to be the Garth Works Industrial Estate.

It includes plans for a maintenance shed, office and accommodation building, a sanding facility, vehicle washing facilities, associated electrical infrastructure, a gatehouse, staff and visitor parking, internal tracks, train stabling area and overhead electricity line infrastructure, gantries and inspection platforms together with works on fencing, lighting, security and landscaping.

It also includes general highway arrangement plans, foot path cross-section plans and shared and segregated foot path and cycle path plans.

Planning officers, who have recommended approval, said in their planning report that the proposed works constitute perhaps the main element of the whole Taff’s Well rail scheme project, certainly in size and physical presence, and represent a “major development and significant investment” within the county borough.

They said that they think the development can be undertaken at the site without having significant adverse impacts on the surrounding area and that it complies with planning policies.

The application is due to be considered by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s planning committee on Thursday, January 13.

 

[Meerkat]

Plan for new South Wales Metro railway depot set to go before councillors

Anthony Lewis, local democracy reporter Plans for the main works on a new railway depot for the South Wales Metro in Taff’s Well are set to go before councillors. A reserved matters application from Amey Infrastructure Wales focuses on phase three of the the building of the new South Wales Metro...

nation.cymru

Isnt this a bit late? What would happen if they did reject it!

 

[TravelDream]

Isnt this a bit late? What would happen if they did reject it!

It does seem quite late, but the chances of it being rejected are about zero.
The local council is run by the Labour party and they are also heavily involved in the funding for the metro.
If it was rejected, TFW would appeal it and the Welsh Government minister responsible would decide. The minister responsible for both TFW and planning is the same person though so I have no idea how that would work.

 

[John R]

It does seem quite late, but the chances of it being rejected are about zero.
The local council is run by the Labour party and they are also heavily involved in the funding for the metro.
If it was rejected, TFW would appeal it and the Welsh Government minister responsible would decide. The minister responsible for both TFW and planning is the same person though so I have no idea how that would work.

That’s all very well, but the delay whilst that appeal process happened would be extremely damaging for the project’s timescales.

 

[sefyllian]

I think it’s slightly overblown reporting from Nation Wales, as usual.

The whole development was granted outline planning permission in 2018. It is definitely going ahead.

This is just the full planning application with the final plans, details of building materials etc. Realistically all that can happen at this point is that the council ask for a drain to be moved or an access road made a bit wider or that a specific type of brick is used, etc. Nothing that would cause any significant delay.

 

[TravelDream]

I think it’s slightly overblown reporting from Nation Wales, as usual.

I don't think they blew it out of proportion at all.
They simply stated fact.

Posters on here might have blown it out of proportion. It already has pre-approval as basically all major projects do and the chances of it being rejected are basically zero.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

I think it’s slightly overblown reporting from Nation Wales, as usual.

It's Nation.Cymru not Nation Wales and the report is actually from the BBC financed Local Democracy Service not the website's own staff.

Best get your own facts in order before slagging off other people.

 

[rf_ioliver]

That's sad, spent a lot of my childhood watching trains from there!

There was another bridge further up- over the former Llantrisant line which had been demolished as it was literally falling down.

Me too!

Many many hours were spent there. I visited last in August 2020.

Which bridge over the Llantrisant line are you thinking of? Do you mean further up the steps towards Llantwit Road? I thought that had gone many years ago. I notice the area is now quite a nice walking and cycle path.

The only other bridge I could think of was just south of Tonteg on a footpath to a field.

 

[Tumbleweed]

Me too!

Many many hours were spent there. I visited last in August 2020.

Which bridge over the Llantrisant line are you thinking of? Do you mean further up the steps towards Llantwit Road? I thought that had gone many years ago. I notice the area is now quite a nice walking and cycle path.

The only other bridge I could think of was just south of Tonteg on a footpath to a field.

Yes, the one up the steps to the main road. I always remember it as the steps on the footbridge were rotting away, one had broken in two! Oh yeah It went in the mid 1980's. I went up there in about 1983 - by the time I was going to college in Rhydyfelin in 1988 it had been replaced with the current concrete steps.

 

[rf_ioliver]

Yes, the one up the steps to the main road. I always remember it as the steps on the footbridge were rotting away, one had broken in two! Oh yeah It went in the mid 1980's. I went up there in about 1983 - by the time I was going to college in Rhydyfelin in 1988 it had been replaced with the current concrete steps.

I just about remember that bridge - I was thinking it must have been a while back when they replaced it, early 80s sounds correct. I wonder if there are any pictures of it existing. I have one but that was taken from the mountain in the 50s when they stored old steam locomotives on that line.

We're getting off topic here (sorry mods), but this bridge was a particular landmark on the line. Sad to see it go.

 

[TravelDream]

This is from a few days ago, but it still of interest.

Major works completed to prepare South Wales Metro for electrification

Major works have been completed on the South Wales Metro rail project to prepare it for electrification. From the 24 December until early hours of the 7 January the railway was closed between Pontypridd and both Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. The blockade allowed Transport for Wales (TfW) and...

nation.cymru

Major works have been completed on the South Wales Metro rail project to prepare it for electrification.

From the 24 December until early hours of the 7 January the railway was closed between Pontypridd and both Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare.

The blockade allowed Transport for Wales (TfW) and their partners to work around the clock on key infrastructure works including the removal of Devil’s Footbridge, installation of over 63,000 metres of fibre-optic cable for the upgrading of signalling equipment and over 100 trial holes and a mixture of foundations completed in readiness for electrification of the line.

The transformation of the Core Valley Lines for the Metro has been part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through Welsh Government, and will enable faster, more frequent services between Cardiff and the heads of the valleys.

Teams on the ground also installed 150 metres of track including five switching and crossing panels.

 

[Tumbleweed]

When is the work scheduled to begin on the Treherbert line?

 

[mrmartin]

Hi there, sorry if this has already been asked, tried to search for it but didn't see it. Is the Cardiff City Line still planned to be ("smart") electrified? Also, post Metro introduction, any indication on what frequency the line will be?

 

[anthony263]

Hi there, sorry if this has already been asked, tried to search for it but didn't see it. Is the Cardiff City Line still planned to be ("smart") electrified? Also, post Metro introduction, any indication on what frequency the line will be?

2tph in either direction more if the circle line happens or the line from Cregiau

 

[Envoy]

2tph in either direction more if the circle line happens or the line from Cregiau

2tph is not enough. With all those trains coming down from the valleys to Radyr - why don’t they just send some via the City Line to at least make it 4tph. Indeed, they could loop back up to Radyr & beyond via Llandaff North and vice versa. Goodness knows when/if the Cregiau line will be built or the circle line between Coryton & Radyr.

 

[anthony263]

2tph is not enough. With all those trains coming down from the valleys to Radyr - why don’t they just send some via the City Line to at least make it 4tph. Indeed, they could loop back up to Radyr & beyond via Llandaff North and vice versa. Goodness knows when/if the Cregiau line will be built or the circle line between Coryton & Radyr.

Thats what the 2tph are doing in either direction is looping via cityline then Cathays and back up the valleys with 2tph doing it in the other direction so not all the tram trains are going to Cardiff Bay

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

2tph is not enough. With all those trains coming down from the valleys to Radyr - why don’t they just send some via the City Line to at least make it 4tph. Indeed, they could loop back up to Radyr & beyond via Llandaff North and vice versa. Goodness knows when/if the Cregiau line will be built or the circle line between Coryton & Radyr.

Mark Barry , the man credited with coming up with many of the ideas behind the Metro has a newish blog up where he makes exactly the same point.

"In contrast the City and Coryton Lines in Cardiff which go through some of the most densely populated parts of Wales are left with just 2tph which is a completely inappropriate service level and a significant omission from the current metro programme."

The whole thing is worth a read.

https://swalesmetroprof.blog/2022/01/01/wales-transport-planning-choices/

 

[CardiffKid]

It's Nation.Cymru not Nation Wales and the report is actually from the BBC financed Local Democracy Service not the website's own staff.

Best get your own facts in order before slagging off other people.

Nation.Cymru are hardly impartial and regularly run some very emotive stories out of nothing to suit their own agenda.

This piece isn’t one of them, but could and should have explained the situation regarding outline planning permission better.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Nation.Cymru are hardly impartial and regularly run some very emotive stories out of nothing to suit their own agenda.

This piece isn’t one of them, but could and should have explained the situation regarding outline planning permission better.

I don't disagree with a word of that.

It's not a website I particularly like but if people are going launch intemperate attacks on here they owe it to the rest of us to get their facts straight.

 

[Envoy]

I see that protesters are back at the site of a proposed cancer hospital in north Cardiff. This is in fact an excellent site for a new hospital because it will be right alongside the proposed Metro link from Coryton to Radyr which will complete a circle line around the City. People from the valleys and indeed, the whole of SE Wales will have easy access to this hospital and thus lessen the reliance on cars.

The protesters see this as not being ‘green’ as trees are felled and meadow land destroyed. I see that the neighbouring site (to the south) of the former Whitchurch Hospital is now vacant. Goodness knows why but some kind of preservation order has been made on the former hospital buildings. Rather than spend a load of money turning this into habitation, I say get it demolished and re-wild the land into a meadow/woodland as compensation for the loss of land for the new hospital.

Police drag protesters off road after blockade disrupts Velindre centre work

For more than an hour demonstrators formed a blockade while chanting 'we will fight for our children'

www.walesonline.co.uk

The group known as 'Save the Northern Meadows' have set up a "Nature Emergency Community Camp" opposite the gate of Lady Cory Field to continue to protest the redevelopment of the site.

 

[59CosG95]

Not sure if any of you have seen this, but this is an aerial image (presumably from a helicopter) of Taff's Well Depot. https://flic.kr/p/2mXRnTc

 

[anthony263]

I see that protesters are back at the site of a proposed cancer hospital in north Cardiff. This is in fact an excellent site for a new hospital because it will be right alongside the proposed Metro link from Coryton to Radyr which will complete a circle line around the City. People from the valleys and indeed, the whole of SE Wales will have easy access to this hospital and thus lessen the reliance on cars.

The protesters see this as not being ‘green’ as trees are felled and meadow land destroyed. I see that the neighbouring site (to the south) of the former Whitchurch Hospital is now vacant. Goodness knows why but some kind of preservation order has been made on the former hospital buildings. Rather than spend a load of money turning this into habitation, I say get it demolished and re-wild the land into a meadow/woodland as compensation for the loss of land for the new hospital.

Police drag protesters off road after blockade disrupts Velindre centre work

For more than an hour demonstrators formed a blockade while chanting 'we will fight for our children'

www.walesonline.co.uk

Ooo don't suggest that I did on their Facebook live and git abuse for suggesting it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jan 2022 ==

Not sure if any of you have seen this, but this is an aerial image (presumably from a helicopter) of Taff's Well Depot. https://flic.kr/p/2mXRnTc

Even got a shot of my bus in the adventure travel depot

 

[Cardiff123]

I see that protesters are back at the site of a proposed cancer hospital in north Cardiff. This is in fact an excellent site for a new hospital because it will be right alongside the proposed Metro link from Coryton to Radyr which will complete a circle line around the City. People from the valleys and indeed, the whole of SE Wales will have easy access to this hospital and thus lessen the reliance on cars.

The protesters see this as not being ‘green’ as trees are felled and meadow land destroyed. I see that the neighbouring site (to the south) of the former Whitchurch Hospital is now vacant. Goodness knows why but some kind of preservation order has been made on the former hospital buildings. Rather than spend a load of money turning this into habitation, I say get it demolished and re-wild the land into a meadow/woodland as compensation for the loss of land for the new hospital.

Police drag protesters off road after blockade disrupts Velindre centre work

For more than an hour demonstrators formed a blockade while chanting 'we will fight for our children'

www.walesonline.co.uk

Whitchurch Hospital is Grade II listed. Ideally, yes, the former Whitchurch hospital buildings would be demolished and the new Velindre cancer hospital built on the site. But Whitchurch Hospital was first listed in 1994, long before any plans were in place to re-build the cancer hospital. I doubt the vacant land to south west of the former Whitchurch site is big enough for the new hospital. Many specialists have said that the new cancer hospital should actually be built on the Heath Park site next to UHW, following best practice of co-locating specialist health facilities together, as the health board has done on the Llandough hospital site, where the new adult mental health unit was built (but will only ever be accessible by bus or car).

When the Welsh Govt has declared a climate and nature emergency, destroying natural grassland meadows and woodland is a bit hypocritical when there's a brownfield site (the former Whitchurch hospital site) just next door. Or the Heath Park site not much further away.

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

Whitchurch Hospital is Grade II listed. Ideally, yes, the former Whitchurch hospital buildings would be demolished and the new Velindre cancer hospital built on the site. But Whitchurch Hospital was first listed in 1994, long before any plans were in place to re-build the cancer hospital. I doubt the vacant land to south west of the former Whitchurch site is big enough for the new hospital. Many specialists have said that the new cancer hospital should actually be built on the Heath Park site next to UHW, following best practice of co-locating specialist health facilities together, as the health board has done on the Llandough hospital site, where the new adult mental health unit was built (but will only ever be accessible by bus or car).

When the Welsh Govt has declared a climate and nature emergency, destroying natural grassland meadows and woodland is a bit hypocritical when there's a brownfield site (the former Whitchurch hospital site) just next door. Or the Heath Park site not much further away.

Without straying wildly off-topic, UHW is due to be relocated in the next decade or so, so co-locating a new hospital next to one that's due to close doesn't make much sense.

The "Save Northern Medows" campaign seems like nimbyism at its worst to me. I mean FFS, Whichurch is hardly short of green spaces. There's an entire nature reserve cheek by jowl withe the proposed hospital site.

The new Felindre site would certainly strengthen the arguement for either a new circle line or and end on junction at Morganstown bewteen the Coryton and Merthyr lines.

 

[ABB125]

I was at Quakers Yard on the Merthyr line today. Am I right in thinking that the second platform is due to be rebuilt here? It certainly looks like some clearance work is going on on the currently unused platform. Also, if the second platform is being rebuilt, to what extent is the line being redoubled? (I think there are some diagrams available which show the planned works, but I don't know where to find them; and I seem to remember that the plans have changed at least once!)

 

[Yindee8191]

I was at Quakers Yard on the Merthyr line today. Am I right in thinking that the second platform is due to be rebuilt here? It certainly looks like some clearance work is going on on the currently unused platform. Also, if the second platform is being rebuilt, to what extent is the line being redoubled? (I think there are some diagrams available which show the planned works, but I don't know where to find them; and I seem to remember that the plans have changed at least once!)
View attachment 109252View attachment 109251View attachment 109250

From the diagram I have, it looks like just a fairly short passing loop will be built through Quaker’s Yard.

 

[ABB125]

From the diagram I have, it looks like just a fairly short passing loop will be built through Quaker’s Yard.

Thanks

 

[Wuggie Norple]

Mark Barry , the man credited with coming up with many of the ideas behind the Metro has a newish blog up where he makes exactly the same point.

"In contrast the City and Coryton Lines in Cardiff which go through some of the most densely populated parts of Wales are left with just 2tph which is a completely inappropriate service level and a significant omission from the current metro programme."

The whole thing is worth a read.

https://swalesmetroprof.blog/2022/01/01/wales-transport-planning-choices/

Thanks for drawing this excellent blog to our attention. This article was an interesting read. Living in Cardiff, I was particularly struck by Figure 13 which graphically illustrates how poorly Cardiff is connected by rail to other major UK cities. It has no direct rail services to Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Leeds, or Newcastle. Mind you, if any such services were provided by Cross Country, they would likely be so expensive I would avoid them and their awful trains anyway! Perhaps there is scope for an Open Access operator to run a Cardiff to Edinburgh service via Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle? Sorry about the thread drift.

Nick M.

 

[JamesT]

Thanks for drawing this excellent blog to our attention. This article was an interesting read. Living in Cardiff, I was particularly struck by Figure 13 which graphically illustrates how poorly Cardiff is connected by rail to other major UK cities. It has no direct rail services to Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Leeds, or Newcastle. Mind you, if any such services were provided by Cross Country, they would likely be so expensive I would avoid them and their awful trains anyway! Perhaps there is scope for an Open Access operator to run a Cardiff to Edinburgh service via Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle? Sorry about the thread drift.

The article also notes the probably optimal strategy is to have a 'grid' network with decent connections rather than an everywhere-to-everywhere. Wouldn't a better strategy to work on improving the service from Cardiff to Birmingham? Then you could get to any of those other cities with one change?