Improvements to Cardiff valley lines

[fairlie]

This news report details NR plans for £200m of improvements to the Valley Lines. Improvement of frequency of trains on City Line is something I'd be particularly pleased to see. No clue as to what the plans would be for the stock to run the extra trains though...

 

[Pacerpilot]

A bit of slow news day at the BBC? These plans have been on the table for two years or more.

Notice how most of it is undoing previous closures....

 

[philjo]

Maybe some publicity was released somewhere, in connection with the forthcoming elections? (I know the Government cannot make press releases during the election period but....)

 

[merlodlliw]

Maybe some publicity was released somewhere, in connection with the forthcoming elections? (I know the Government cannot make press releases during the election period but....)

It was a network rail media release, as you say the Assembly is in Purdah, http://www.networkrailmediacentre.c...HE-NEXT-FRONTIER-1714/SearchCategoryID-7.aspx
the release by NR to the media was dated for today,


Bob

 

[PaulLothian]

<grumpy mode>You might think that NR would benefit from a cliche checker and more imaginative writing of press releases! "This scheme will take the railway in Cardiff and South Wales Valleys into the next frontier. The benefits of this scheme are huge as it lays the fundamental building blocks to unlock the untapped potential of this area, whilst paving the way for electrification and meeting a growing demand. Wales relies on rail - a reliable and robust railway forms a key pillar for a healthy economy and this scheme will help Wales continue to thrive.”

The next frontier?

</grumpy mode>

At least the BBC version removed some of the verbiage - but then I expect they do still employ editors!

 

[anthony263]

I too would like to know where ATW will get more rolling stock as they will need them soon for the Ebbw Vale - Newport services.

I supose that maybe we could wish that they would bring back loco hauled trains to the valley lines to free up some dmu's (Sadly i doubt that would happen but we can still hope)

I think the assembly will have to order some new DMU's soon to replace the pacers & 150/153's.

 

[merlodlliw]

I think the assembly will have to order some new DMU's soon to replace the pacers & 150/153's.[/QUOTE]

Not for many years,it will be the next Franchise at the earliest, ATW can not cope now, look at this Unigate flotilla(As ATWs Leopard calls them) replacing a 175 on the premier North/South run, first picture,usually its 150/153 replacements for a five hour run. http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm


Bob

 

[krus_aragon]

I've read through the article published in the Western Mail. Network Rail's press release yesterday was probably prompted by the end of the consultation period on the alterations to Central and Queen St stations. I'd had a look at them some weeks ago. They needed 'prior permission approval' (I think) for the building alterations and extention of the retaining wall at Central for platform 8. Track alterations, and the new bay platforms at Queen St were mentioned as not needing permission.

Little is new (to me), but some dots are joined up. The longer trains are coming from having electrified units. The Western Mail quotes 6 car trains as being the new norm (remember the platform lengthening?), and each car being 10ft longer than the Sprinters. Are there any likely cascades that fit this bill around 2017, or does this sound like a new build?

 

[Gareth Marston]

I've read through the article published in the Western Mail. Network Rail's press release yesterday was probably prompted by the end of the consultation period on the alterations to Central and Queen St stations. I'd had a look at them some weeks ago. They needed 'prior permission approval' (I think) for the building alterations and extention of the retaining wall at Central for platform 8. Track alterations, and the new bay platforms at Queen St were mentioned as not needing permission.

Little is new (to me), but some dots are joined up. The longer trains are coming from having electrified units. The Western Mail quotes 6 car trains as being the new norm (remember the platform lengthening?), and each car being 10ft longer than the Sprinters. Are there any likely cascades that fit this bill around 2017, or does this sound like a new build?

I can remember being in meetings discussing these plans in 2004 so confirmation of funding is good news. The thinking on the turn backs at Barry, Caerphilly and Pontypridd is that the overcrowding is only really bad the last few miles into Cardiff and lugging extra units up to the Heads of The Valleys towns was uneconomic. Also the journey time from the upper valleys could be reduced by running some services non stop from those towns into Cardiff and the closer stations be served mainly by these short turn back services.

However yet again we see the divorce of rail and wheel with no firm plans to take advantage of the work. On the Cambrian we have the same thing extra passing loops but no trains to run on them. And then we have the extra North to South trains without the double track from Wrexham to Chester. A clear lack of joined up control.