Cambrian coast line next week

[Cardiff123]

As I said in the Conwy Valley thread, I'm staying near Porthmadog next week.

I'd like to do the Cambrian Coast line between Porthmadog and Fairbourne, but I'm aware that it can get particularly busy in summer. What are loadings likely to be like next week and are there any services that are quieter than others?
Also I've read that loadings on some services are busy with school children in the afternoons, what services are these?

Plus, is the air con on TfW's 158s holding up at the moment?

 

[nwales58]

We have cool windy overcast weather at present with occasional spells of sun. Noone knows why the news is full of a heatwave.

The main school traffic is trains arriving at Harlech around 0830 leaving at 1430 and 1630, also arriving Tywyn 0830 and leaving 1530. You'll always get a seat on those trains though. Visitors mainly come out after 1000 and are back where they are staying by 1800 but it's not peak visitor yet by a long way.

 

[Forty29]

Further east you go the higher the temperature. 28c today in Oxford and rising to low 30's by Monday.!

 

[Cardiff123]

We have cool windy overcast weather at present with occasional spells of sun. Noone knows why the news is full of a heatwave.

The main school traffic is trains arriving at Harlech around 0830 leaving at 1430 and 1630, also arriving Tywyn 0830 and leaving 1530. You'll always get a seat on those trains though. Visitors mainly come out after 1000 and are back where they are staying by 1800 but it's not peak visitor yet by a long way.

Thanks for that information
And agreed about the temperatures - even in Cardiff it's still cool right now.

 

[ChrisC]

As I said in the Conwy Valley thread, I'm staying near Porthmadog next week.

I'd like to do the Cambrian Coast line between Porthmadog and Fairbourne, but I'm aware that it can get particularly busy in summer. What are loadings likely to be like next week and are there any services that are quieter than others?
Also I've read that loadings on some services are busy with school children in the afternoons, what services are these?

Plus, is the air con on TfW's 158s holding up at the moment?

I got the 1628 from Harlech to Pwllheli on Wednesday this week and it was very lightly loaded. Although temperatures outside were no higher than 20 degrees it was very warm inside the 158 so I don’t think the air conditioning was working. I got a very reasonably priced Advance Single which I booked less than an hour before departure. It was only £3.25 with a railcard. Arrived back home in Nottinghamshire this afternoon and it’s so hot. I much preferred the cool breeze by the sea in Wales. After travelling on a very well air conditioned EMR 170 from Crewe I couldn’t believe the heat that met me when I stepped onto the platform at Nottingham.