South Wales 'Metro' updates

Qing4theloo said:

Just* seen something decidedly FLIRT-like go through Llantwit Major on the VOG line towards Cardiff. Test run maybe?
(*11:35. Scheduled trains to Cardiff usually pass through at <hr>:57)

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Qing4theloo said:

Just* seen something decidedly FLIRT-like go through Llantwit Major on the VOG line towards Cardiff. Test run maybe?
(*11:35. Scheduled trains to Cardiff usually pass through at <hr>:57)

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womump said:

Morning all

Here’s 756113 as 3G05 0702 Cardiff Canton Sidings to Bridgend at LWM Llanilltud Fawr / Llantwit Major.

There was one driver up front and two crew, who thought that “next year” was roughly when we might expect to see the 756 on this line.

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MikePJ said:

Aha! That style of powerpoint Gantt chart looked very familiar and so your post prompted me to go and look at the consultation page, and indeed it is from the newly-released 2026 project plan ("G5 notice of intended scope") - see attached.

Here's a summary of what's supposed to happen this year:

• 31st January: Aberdare toilet completion
• 9th Feb: Merthyr Vale and Treorchy toilet completion
• End Feb: Merthyr Tyfil, Abercynon & Tonypandy toilet completion
• March 23rd: Cardiff Bay branch wires to go live
• March 31st: Ty-Glas platform extension entry into service; Cwmbach and Llwynypia toilet completion
• April to mid-June: 398s enter service on Cardiff Bay - Pontypridd services
• July - September: 398s replace 756s on the TAM lines and 756s replace 231s and 150s on Rhymney/Bargoed <> Barry Island services
• August - high voltage connection of Ninian Park Feeder station to core valley lines overhead line network
• October - Bute Town station (note that it's written as two words) Platform 2 opening.
• Dec 13th: No 150s on the TAM lines, new faster timetable. (Note that 150s on Rhymney will still be around because they're still needed for the Vale of Glamorgan service)
• Various unspecified level boarding works are also listed, as are various signalling and track works that I don't understand from the relatively cryptic notes.

These project plans are intended to notify other industry bodies of the planned works, so TfW don't necessarily have to stick to them. But the plan and dates do capture a snapshot of what's expected at the time it was drawn up, so its fair to say that 398 introduction is definitely still on the agenda.

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Plaid Cymru MS welcomes support from transport expert over town's £33m 'glass monstrosity'

Stephen Price Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Lindsay Whittle has welcomed comments from a highly regarded transport expert questioning the need for a new £33m transport interchange in Caerphilly. In his blog, Professor Mark Barry said that while Caerphilly station was tired and lacking some basic...

nation.cymru

"The new station will boast a “striking” roof canopy with “green” sections for plant life, and its designers have “taken inspiration from the tiered concentric defences” of Caerphilly Castle".

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“ Great Malvern station which looks spectacular. The work of the expert restoration team may largely go unnoticed as people pass by on their way to a new adventure, but when you know a bit about the past stories of how the railway came about, you might just spot a new piece of history as you travel by train and go back to the future.”

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MikePJ said:

Here's a summary of what's supposed to happen this year:

Dec 13th: No 150s on the TAM lines, new faster timetable. (Note that 150s on Rhymney will still be around because they're still needed for the Vale of Glamorgan service)

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Envoy said:

The above is just twaddle from the architects. Who is going to climb onto the roof to look at the green plants - such as sedum?

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Last Hurrah said:

Rather than have 150’s running all the way from Rhymney to Bridgend, could 756’s cover Rhymney to Barry Town station with a short term use of 150’s covering the last stretch, Barry Town - Llantwit Major - Bridgend

Similar to 197’s reaching Cardiff, their use further west was introduced in stages . . .

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Caaardiff said:

I'd imagine those travelling from Cardiff to West of Barry would rather not have to change trains. Anyone travelling to stations between Cardiff and Barry could just wait for the next Barry Island train. If 756's move to those services, something else would need to be covered by a 150 surely?

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Last Hurrah said:

I imagine those travelling from Rhymney to Barry Town & stations in between, much prefer to travel on a newer 4 coach 756 rather than an older 150 Sprinter with 2 coaches - it’s also not making use of the overhead wires

Having to change train at Barry Town, from a 756 to a waiting 150 for onward journey to Llantwit Major & Bridgend is hardly arduous, given it will be on two facing sides of an island platform and it will only be a relative short term measure

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Last Hurrah said:

I imagine those travelling from Rhymney to Barry Town & stations in between, much prefer to travel on a newer 4 coach 756 rather than an older 150 Sprinter with 2 coaches - it’s also not making use of the overhead wires

Having to change train at Barry Town, from a 756 to a waiting 150 for onward journey to Llantwit Major & Bridgend is hardly arduous, given it will be on two facing sides of an island platform and it will only be a relative short term measure

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MikePJ said:

I thought I'd revisit the project plan (this is my post below summarising it from 27th January 2026) and look at how things are progressing.




Aberdare toilets: yes, completed
Merthyr Vale toilets: not sure (National Rail and TfW's website says no)
Treorchy toilets: not sure (National Rail and TfW's website says no)
Merthyr Tydfil toilets: not sure (National Rail and TfW's website says no)
Abercynon toilets: not sure (National Rail and TfW's website says no)
Tonypandy toilets: not sure (National Rail and TfW's website says no)

Cardiff Bay wires: completed - live and in use by 398s. Wires were live at the end of May, so two months later than planned.
Ty-Glas platform extension: completed 4th April 2026 (pretty much to plan)
Cwmbach toilets: not sure (National Rail and TfW's website says no)
Llwynypia toilets: not sure (National Rail and TfW's website says no)

398s on Cardiff Bay - Pontypridd: yes, in service as of July 2026, so around 3 months behind schedule
398s on TAM lines: not started
756s on Barry Island trains: yes, now in service (though still plenty of 231s on that route)
Additional feeder at Ninian Park: not clear but likely taking place during evening shutdowns this week (10th-15th August)
Bute Town station: work still in progress, no announcement made

It's worth noting that the key event of this year is the timetable change in December. If TfW can get enough 398s in service reliably to cover the Pontypridd-Cardiff Bay diagrams, that will allow them to remove the 150s from those routes and they can bring in the new timetable with its faster times between stops.

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Baxenden Bank said:

For reasons I wouldn't know, the tourist hotspot of Penrhiwceiber is having a toilet installed. The locals view, talking between themselves, was that it would spend most of its time out of order.

I wasn't taking detailed notes, but if I recall correctly:
Treorchy toilet was under construction in April.
Abercynon was under construction in July.
Cwmbach I alighted at and didn't notice one.

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Zoomer said:

It would be interesting to know their justification for installing toilets in Tonypandy and Llwynypia, two stations adjacent to each other, a mere 4 minutes apart.

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chargesmith said:

May have simply been the easiest stations to install them at for e.g. proximity of utilities. I can't imagine many small stations have a mains water supply or sewerage connection.

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MikePJ said:

I thought I'd revisit the project plan (this is my post below summarising it from 27th January 2026) and look at how things are progressing.

Merthyr Tydfil toilets: not sure (National Rail and TfW's website says no)

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Martyr said:

The toilet block at Merthyr Tydfil appears to be complete (haven't seen inside it of course) but is still fenced off.

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AdamWW said:

As of a few weeks ago anyway the new facility in Radyr wasn't in use yet. There were signs pointing to a temporary toilet but having followed the signs to it, it seemed to be for RADAR key holders only

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Aug 2026 ==

Fascinating.

Just saw the departure screen for a 3 car 756 at Queen Street and it was correctly saying "Train is formed of 3 coaches" and showing 3 coaches in the diagram with "3 Cerbyd/coaches" next to it, as opposed to previously when the screen would simultaneously claim it as a 3 and a 4 coach train.

But the audio announcement still says "This train is 4 coaches".

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