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South Wales 'Metro' updates

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Anonymous10

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Given that the Coryton line has been closed on Monday to Thursday evenings for around a year now you might expect that they'd be a bit further on than that.
Felling of trees is I believe weather dependent and likely requires daylight hours which could be partly to blame, not to mention doing so in a way not to damage the rails.
 

positron

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I suspect some of that might just be to ensure no trains running through the area rather than actively working on that line.
Also I know some of the veg clearance is also only possible at certain times of year for ecology reasons.
But yeah it's a shame they've not moved faster. Could have the 756s running from there to Radyr by now. Freeing up some 153s for some other unsuspecting victi... passengers.
 

AdamWW

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I suspect some of that might just be to ensure no trains running through the area rather than actively working on that line.

Well I can see that you couldn't run to Coryton if the line between Heath and Queen Street was closed. But that's not exactly a long stretch of line either so it still seems a bit much.
 
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Stuck on a 153 on the Marches
https://x.com/SW_MetroUpdates/status/1711760973034291544?s=20 lots of vegetation clearance on the coryton line at least.
It's been like that for about 2 months now and trackside changes seem to have stopped for now. They spent about 3 weeks in August clearing vegetation and drilling the foundations, moving up the line to Coryton. The only differences I have seen recently are new cycling racks at Whitchurch and Coryton. I suppose the next major developments will be the installation of the masts as the line seems to be ready.
 

positron

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Pat Figg

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Real Time Trains showing normal evening services this week from Aberdare. Does that mean the week time evening closures we've had for the last 3 years have now ended? I'm hopeful but not overly optimistic.
 

positron

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If the evening engineering works are over I wonder if that means Cwmbach - Aberdare is done now?

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Has anyone seen any photos of the new drop off (set-down only) platform at Aberdare? It's in traksy but showing as "from 2024"
 
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John R

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Am I the only one to wonder why TfW has gone for this concept of drop off platforms at termini, which I don’t recall being used elsewhere.
 

takno

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If the evening engineering works are over I wonder if that means Cwmbach - Aberdare is done now?

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Has anyone seen any photos of the new drop off platform at Aberdare? It's in traksy but showing as "from 2024"
I wouldn't take the "from 2024" bit as cast in stone. I just put that there because I was alerted to the fact that it wasn't in use yet, and wasn't expected to be until 2024. If it definitively comes into use earlier I'll happily remove the note.
 

John R

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I wouldn't take the "from 2024" bit as cast in stone. I just put that there because I was alerted to the fact that it wasn't in use yet, and wasn't expected to be until 2024. If it definitively comes into use earlier I'll happily remove the note.
I wouldn’t expect it to be needed until the 15 min frequency commences and trains have to cross there.
 

Geeves

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Am I the only one to wonder why TfW has gone for this concept of drop off platforms at termini, which I don’t recall being used elsewhere.

When you say drop off platforms do you mean platforms with no ramps at the end or one platform drops of passengers and the train comes back on another to pick up? If it's the first that's Network Rails new standard to now to deter trespassing etc
 

markymark2000

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When you say drop off platforms do you mean platforms with no ramps at the end or one platform drops of passengers and the train comes back on another to pick up? If it's the first that's Network Rails new standard to now to deter trespassing etc
They mean the latter. Penarth is going to be drop off passengers at one platform then pull forward to the 'normal' platform to pick up, driver swaps ends, goes back to Cardiff. I think it's similar at Aberdare.
 

positron

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Am I the only one to wonder why TfW has gone for this concept of drop off platforms at termini, which I don’t recall being used elsewhere.
I think it's a matter of space. At Penarth and at Aberdare they don't really have space for parallel platform faces. As for why it's doubled at all the idea is both Aberdare and Penarth could be extended (Aberdare - Hirwaun seems all but guaranteed).
When you say drop off platforms do you mean platforms with no ramps at the end or one platform drops of passengers and the train comes back on another to pick up? If it's the first that's Network Rails new standard to now to deter trespassing etc
They mean the latter. Penarth is going to be drop off passengers at one platform then pull forward to the 'normal' platform to pick up, driver swaps ends, goes back to Cardiff. I think it's similar at Aberdare.
As mentioned above I mean set-down only platforms. Though I'd be curious if that's actually enforced. Be interesting to see if it stays that way at Aberdare if it does extend, or if one becomes south bound only.

TfW Metro branding has just been added to the side of the sheds at Taff's Well Depot
Cool to see progress but slightly concerning that the track work isn't done yet.

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New stations between Cardiff Central and Severn Tunnel Junction with improved cross border services
Consultation for the new m4 corridor station and services is now open.
 
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Avowedsevern

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positron

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According to the internal documentation posted in this thread a while back, it seemed like quite a lot more than those six were to gain footbridges with lifts — does anybody know if this has since changed then?
No it's still the case that many in the metro area are getting them, these ones are just more recently announced. Based on the electrification document there's 5 new footbridges with lifts and at least 3 new standalone lifts. Many stations are also getting ramps.

These numbers don't include work that Network rail are doing such as Barry and Cadoxton.
 

WelshBluebird

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Consultation for the new m4 corridor station and services is now open.
Some pretty lofty plans there. Two trains per hour calling all stations between Cardiff and Bristol (except for Pilning - likely due to the state of the station - missing its bridge trains can only stop in one direction for those who aren't aware). According to the map this includes the currently being built Ashley Down station which would be absolutely perfect for me given I live near there. In addition to the two existing GWR services. We shall see what actually ends up happening (I have my doubts, it feels almost too good to be true to me).

How would GWR feel about it too? Can't imagine they'd be happy having to share Cardiff - Bristol revenue (and presumably a small portion of South Wales to London revenue given you could do TfW to Bristol then GWR to London). Or does that not matter post covid?
 
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anthony263

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Some pretty lofty plans there. Two trains per hour calling all stations between Cardiff and Bristol (except for Pilning - likely due to the state of the station - missing its bridge trains can only stop in one direction for those who aren't aware). According to the map this includes the currently being built Ashley Down station which would be absolutely perfect for me given I live near there. In addition to the two existing GWR services. We shall see what actually ends up happening (I have my doubts, it feels almost too good to be true to me).

How would GWR feel about it too? Can't imagine they'd be happy having to share Cardiff - Bristol revenue (and presumably a small portion of South Wales to London revenue given you could do TfW to Bristol then GWR to London). Or does that not matter post covid?
Well tfw did put a open access application for a Swansea to Bristol TM service a few years ago. Too be honest at least 3tph to Bristol TM is needed could work out for gwr aa it eases overcrowding on their services.

Depends now on network rail allowing extra trains through the tunnel and trying to path a 2nd tfw service each hour to Cheltenham
 

yorkie

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Just a gentle reminder this is an infrastructure updates thread; any potential timetable improvements which are unconfirmed would be best posted in Speculative Discussion please :)
 

CardiffKid

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Should be a billion or so that we were promised for an M4 relief road...
Who promised that?

The Welsh Govt (WG) planned to spend ~£1 billion from their own budgets over several consecutive years to fund a new road - which is their responsibility. However as I'm sure you know rail infustructure (save for the core vally lines) is not devloved so it's the responsibility of Westminster, hence why I asked. Nothing to stop the WG paying of course, but again no sign of that or indeed a ball park figure.
 

oglord

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Who promised that?

The Welsh Govt (WG) planned to spend ~£1 billion from their own budgets over several consecutive years to fund a new road - which is their responsibility. However as I'm sure you know rail infustructure (save for the core vally lines) is not devloved so it's the responsibility of Westminster, hence why I asked. Nothing to stop the WG paying of course, but again no sign of that or indeed a ball park figure.
I know, it's never as simple as the politicians claim it is, but the whole purpose of the Burns Commission is to create a load of public transport alternatives to the M4RR. In theory it should all be funded somehow, otherwise what's the point?
 

CardiffKid

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I know, it's never as simple as the politicians claim it is, but the whole purpose of the Burns Commission is to create a load of public transport alternatives to the M4RR. In theory it should all be funded somehow, otherwise what's the point?
I regret to inform you that those two statements are unconnected.

Back to my original question - unless I've missed something there's no pledge of money from Westminster or Cardiff Bay. Let alone a timescale etc is there?
 

John R

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Maybe worth noting that the plans involve platforms on the relief lines only for all the stations, so part of the proposal/cost will have to be an increase in speeds on those lines if the time penalty for the new services is going to be minimised.
 

oglord

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Maybe worth noting that the plans involve platforms on the relief lines only for all the stations, so part of the proposal/cost will have to be an increase in speeds on those lines if the time penalty for the new services is going to be minimised.
Yes, and this differs from the previous madcap plan of flipping the main relief lines over and getting rid of the P1 loop and merging it with the DR through Newport High Street. This is a much better proposal all round.
 

positron

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Yes, and this differs from the previous madcap plan of flipping the main relief lines over and getting rid of the P1 loop and merging it with the DR through Newport High Street. This is a much better proposal all round.
I would counter that assertion. As they're on the relief lines there's no plan for services such as the ebbw trains to stop. Which feels like a missed opportunity. 4tph in the best case (though it says 3 most likely) is not frequent enough.

I'm hopeful that it will be (assuming any of this happens) tfw to Bristol hopefully operated with their 231 flirts so it's fully level boarding. Having said that it says either tfw or GWR and I doubt daft will let tfw, so we'll be stuck with partial turbo or sprinter service.

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Back on topic is there any update on when works for the Crwys road station will start?
 

oglord

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I would counter that assertion. As they're on the relief lines there's no plan for services such as the ebbw trains to stop. Which feels like a missed opportunity. 4tph in the best case (though it says 3 most likely) is not frequent enough.
There are crossovers between the end of the proposed Newport West site and Ebbw Junction from the relief to the mains, so just run the Ebbws on the newly improved relief lines.
 

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