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So it appears that the Welsh Government STILL has no rolling stock strategy to deal with the fact that by 2020 ALL of the DMU’s currently operating on the Valley lines will become illegal and will have to be withdrawn. The electrification of the Valley lines, the first phase South Wales Metro...

So the local media (well, the South Wales Echo and it's sister website Wales Online) seem to think that the valley lines will be converted to trams. So will it be possible to run trams on the same network as heavy freight will still be operating? Cardiff --> VOG via Barry I'm presuming can't...

Anyone know why the major engineering work on the Cardiff Valley lines, causing major timetable alterations and diversions with trains avoiding CDF -- CDQ isn't starting until 9pm on Saturday 26th March and then runs until end of service on Tuesday 29th March? With it being a holiday weekend I...

I'm astonished that there's no specific mention of the 'South Wales Metro' scheme directly serving this new development. It's a nightmare for people commuting into Cardiff from the east of the city in St. Mellons, with the only travel option being the car or bus - Newport Road is always...

This row (yet another one over rail between a English Conservative government and a Welsh Labour government) is purely political and ideological. If there was a Labour government in Westminster this row wouldn't even be happening. The Tories don't want a potential 'not for profit' train...

There's a report and analysis on this issue on Sunday Politics Wales, 11am tomorrow morning (Sunday 31st January) on BBC One Wales. The program is repeated in the afternoon on BBC Parliament, it will also of course be on iPlayer probably by Sunday evening.

Rather randomly this dispute got a mention on the BBC Wales Today evening bulletin earlier. All was mentioned was that "drivers at ATW have started an overtime ban ahead of a planned strike in the new year over pay and conditions". Well, yes, we're already halfway through the week long...

If anyone can give me the specific info that I'm looking for on the Mon - Fri ATW 1510 Swansea - Chester (1621 from Cardiff Central) service I'd be very grateful. Does anyone know what type of DMU is normally used on this service? RTT has it pathed as a 150/153/156 DMU. Is this usually the...

Does anyone seriously believe now that valley lines electrification will be complete by 2023? GWML electrification to Cardiff has been put back to 2019, with the wires to Swansea going up 'by 2024' but nothing is definite. Pacers and D-trains could be in S Wales for a decade which would just...

Well with the new Northern franchise having been awarded to Arriva and strictly ruling out Pacers and it looks like D-trains as well, what are the chances of the Valley lines getting a load of worn-out, tired, only good enough for scrap Pacers and souped up D-trains dumped on them in 4 years...

I don't have a link for this news piece, as it's in the print edition of October's Modern Railways. But, it looks like we'll be waiting until early 2017 to get a train from platform 8. :| As for platform 5, doesn't platform 4a have the functions of 5 already? I know of at least one ex...

So no news at all anywhere about a strike on ATW next week, unless something is announced by the end of the working day today, are we to assume that ASLEF have decided against strike action? Are there any reliable sources at all (other than unsubstantiated rumours on these forums) to back up...

Well if a strike is announced for 1st and or 2nd October (RWC match days at the Millennium Stadium, the 1st Oct being a Wales match) striking drivers can expect absolutely zero sympathy, understanding or respect from passengers. The press will inevitably paint drivers out to be greedy...

As there are no online sources anywhere to back up atw driver's claims, can we believe anything that they have said about there being a dispute between ASLEF and ATW?

I was on one of these 'strengthening' ATW shuttles today between Cardiff --> Swansea, and between Cardiff and Bridgend it was only about one third full, with the very front carriage completely empty. Seemed a waste of a 150+158. Meanwhile, other ATW scheduled services were suffering as a...

How on earth did BR manage that? :o

So the new rear entrance (Penarth Rd) finally opens at Cardiff Central this weekend. http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/cardiffcentral/ Any info on when the new Platform 8 will be operational? I still fail to see how it's going to make much of a difference to timetabling, unless terminating...

Can someone please briefly explain to me why Network Rail was effectively nationalised last year? Before this wasn't it an arms-length not for profit body, with it's budget NOT on the government books? Was it a Coalition government decision to bring NR's budget directly onto the government's...

So the talks today have broken up yet again without an agreement, with the RMT saying only 'limited progress' has been made. :( http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/intercity-express-programme-iep200815/

So this dispute is now effectively a stand-off between the two sides? With ACAS not involved either, there's no end in sight. So the bank holiday strike action looks like a dead cert then, along with the RMT continuing a programme of rolling strike action, no doubt targeting periods such as...